Clinton Cover-up of Russian Laser Attack Case Goes to Jury

NewsMax ^ | 10/18/02 | Limbacher

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

The civil lawsuit brought against a Russian shipping company by Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jack Daly is scheduled to go to a Seattle jury on Friday after a U.S. District Court judge unexpectedly ordered his lawyers to make their closing arguments Thursday afternoon.

Two weeks of testimony from medical experts has bolstered Lt. Cmdr. Daly's claim that he suffered permanent and disabling injuries after the FESCO ship Kapitan Man attacked him with a laser beam on April 4, 1997.

But Judge John C. Coughenour's ruling came as a surprise to his legal team, which was forced to prepare its closing arguments during the lunch break.

Lt. Cmdr. Daly is represented by Judicial Watch, a Washington D.C.-based public interest lawfirm that took his case three years ago after the Clinton administration declined to pursue justice the Russian government.

FESCO began as a state-run shipping company but has since been largely privatized, though it's still partially owned by the Russian government.

"Jack and Wendy Daly have lost their life savings trying to get this into court in hopes of calling attention to this security breach," said radio host Jane Chastain, who is in Seattle covering the trial, in an interview with NewsMax late Thursday.

Five years ago the injured Navy man was flying over the Straits of Juan de Fuca, just north of Washington state's Puget Sound, surveilling the Kapitan Man after the ship had been deemed a "vessel of interest" by U.S. Naval Intelligence.

The Navy had determined that the Russian ship was timing its arrival and departure through the waterway to coincide with the movement of U.S. nuclear submarines stationed nearby at the Navy's primary west coast sub base.

After the U.S. opened its ports to Communist countries in 1992, Lt. Cmdr. Daly had been selected by Naval Intelligence to establish a Foreign Intelligence Liaison Office in Canada to monitor security threats to the U.S. sub installation.

When the laser attack took place, he was standing in the cargo door of a Canadian military helicopter while attempting to photograph the Kapitan Man.

Within days of the attack, Daly required treatment by doctors at the U.S. Army Medical Research Detachment in San Antonio, Tx - the military's premier facility for laser research and the study of laser technology.

The research unit's Dr. David Scales testified at the trial that Daly's injuries included five lesions on his right eye and two lesions on his left eye, wounds that were unquestionably caused by a laser.

But despite the ample medical record of the Navy man's injuries, the official U.S. government position is that the laser attack never happened.

Judicial Watch says the cover-up was launched by the Clinton administration so as not to upset relations with Moscow - a position now adopted by the Bush administration.

"Neither the Clinton nor Bush administration came to the aid of Jack Daly," Judicial Watch Chairman Larry Klayman told the Washington Times at the outset of the trial.

"It's a sad day when the Defense Department does not come to the aid of one of its own servicemen," he added.

The government's position during the trial left Chastain particularly irked.

"The Office of Naval Intelligence and our assistant U.S. Attorney has been sitting over there on the side of the Russians," she complained yesterday. "And the official policy of the U.S. government is that this never happened because that was the policy of the Clinton administration."

Testifying on behalf of FESCO, Dr. Martin Mainster told the jury that Daly's eye problem could have been caused by arthritis. But that's one affliction from which the Navy man doesn't suffer.

However, the most compelling testimony came from Capt. Pat Barnes, the Canadian pilot who flew the military chopper the day of the Kapitan Man surveillance mission and who was also injured in the attack.

The injury ended his flying career, Barnes told the jury. But unlike the U.S. government, the Canadian military has acknowledged the attack and has boosted his retirement package by 15 percent as compensation.

"The Canadian flyboy really charmed the jury," Chastain told NewsMax, adding that Barnes' testimony likely left the them with the feeling that "lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place."

Beyond the damage to their vision, both Daly and Barnes suffer from severe headaches they describe as having "a jolt of electricity that going off in your head."

[jimtorr]

""The government's position during the trial left Chastain particularly irked.

"The Office of Naval Intelligence and our assistant U.S. Attorney has been sitting over there on the side of the Russians," she complained yesterday. "And the official policy of the U.S. government is that this never happened because that was the policy of the
Clinton administration.""

Yes, this irks me too. If this court action upsets the Russians, well, that's a good thing. Their continuing espionage in the U.S. should be public knowledge, along with the Chinese and the French

[Marysecretary]

It's really sad that our government never backs up our servicemen and women who are injured in the line of duty. Look at all who suffered in Vietnam and Desert Storm from ailments they received "on the job." Nobody paid any of them back either. We can't praise our armed forces enough when they fight for us, but the government can't fight for them when they need it. Shame on them.

[Quix]

I was furious when this happened and have been furious over it at every hearing of it. Long past time for redress.

[bigfootbob]

Judge Coughenour is a wacko. He's liable to nulify the jury if they find in favor of Mr. Daly.

[Ranger Drew]

If this keeps up, what young man in his right mind would want to fight for a country that doesn't back them?

[monday]

"cover-up was launched by the Clinton administration so as not to upset relations with Moscow - a position now adopted by the Bush administration"

Anyone care to explain why Bush feels the need to support every stupid decision ever made by Clinton? Is Clinton blackmailing him or is Bush really just a RINO at heart?

[Marysecretary]

Kinda makes you wonder, doesn't it?

[Pagey]

5 years later, it finally goes to the jury. I remember this story when it was first on that Website.George Putnam talked about it on the old KIEV here in L.A. #42's Gov't in total denial that this guys eyes were burned by a laser from that ship.Interesting to note the Canadian Gov't upped his Pension, I'd never heard that before.Another example that makes me wonder what kind of stuff goes on in the world, that we never get to hear about.That said,Thank god for creating DARPA, in turn, The Internet.

[Pagey]

4:00 BUMP

[ContemptofCourt]

FWIW, Jury found in favor of the shipping company.

[Pagey]

"Jury found in favor of the shipping company".

That is simply fascinating,isn't it? Anything happens on #42's watch,(and this was on his watch) procrastinate,fudge,delay, and the shipping company eventually wins. What a sorry state of affairs (this case shows) that we live in today.I'll bet this never even gets coverage in any newspaper on earth.