Controversy Over Alleged Islamic Ties to Oklahoma City Bombing Continues (Jayna strikes back!)

CNSNEWS.COM Website -- Letters to the Editor ^ | November 4, 2002 | Jayna Davis

[TXnMA]

Letters to the Editor for November 4, 2002

By CNSNews.com Readers

Controversy Over Alleged Islamic Ties to Oklahoma City Bombing Continues (Jayna Davis strikes back!)

(Editor's Note: The following is a response by journalist Jayna Davis to certain assertions by Cate McCauley, an investigator appointed by the U.S. District Court to assist with the appeal of convicted Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, which were published in the October 30 article 'McVeigh Defense Investigator questions Senator's Probe.')

"Twenty-two witness affidavits supported by 25-hundred pages of corroborative evidence is hardly a 'very small package of information,' (about the Oklahoma City bombing). McCauley is wholly unqualified to criticize the complexities of the investigative dossier because she has never reviewed it.

I interviewed nearly 80 potential witnesses, but I deemed only two-dozen to be credible because the veracity of their testimonies could be independently corroborated and their stories did not conflict with the government's timeline of the movements of the Oklahoma City bombers. All confidently identified eight specific Middle Eastern men, the majority of whom are former Iraqi soldiers, collaborating with McVeigh and Nichols during various stages of the bombing plot. They have signed sworn affidavits confirming their testimonies.

After a thorough vetting process, this investigation has earned the ringing endorsement of the lead impeachment prosecutor David Schippers, former Deputy Director of the State Department's Office of Counter Terrorism Larry Johnson, former Director of the CIA James Woolsey, former Chief of Human Intelligence for the Defense Intelligence Agency Colonel Patrick Lang, the Director of Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare Yossef Bodansky, and the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal, including senior editorial writer Micah Morrison.

Former CIA analyst and Deputy Director of Counter Terrorism for the Department of State, Larry Johnson, has determined that 'without a doubt, there is a definite Middle Eastern tie to the Oklahoma City bombing.' As a Fox News consultant, he has expressed publicly his concern that the Islamic terrorist network, which assisted McVeigh and Nichols, is still operational and poses a threat to national security.

In addition to comprehensive coverage published by the Indianapolis Star and the LA Weekly, I have been invited as a guest to discuss this investigation with Lou Dobb's of CNN, Fox News (Bill O'Reilly, John Gibson, Greta Van Susteren, and John Scott). The credibility of my work has also been recognized by nationally syndicated radio show host Glenn Beck as well as numerous talk radio programs in several major markets (New York, San Fransico, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Tampa, Miami, Nashville, and Richmond.)

(Regarding the civil suit brought against Davis over certain information concerning her investigation,) The court ruling in that lawsuit established I acted responsibly. When I resigned my position at KFOR, I was legally responsible to protect the recorded statements of the confidential witnesses. (Oklahoma State District Court) Judge (Brian) Dixon upheld my journalistic First Amendment pledge to the confidential witnesses to keep their statements sealed until such time that 'law enforcement officials launched a legitimate investigation into the identity of those involved in the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Murrah Building.'"

Jayna Davis Yukon, OK

[yukong]

If no autopsy (or investigation by the Medical Examiner's Office) then I am amazed. Under Oklahoma law, all unattended deaths must be investigated by the ME, unless the person was at the time, under a physicians care. Unless, the coroner, (who works for the ME's office) determines that the evidence at the scene is insufficient to warrant an autopsy. Are you certain no autopsy was performed? Do you have official confirmation on that fact? At the least, I must say that that would be very interesting. Again, not enough in my mind to prove a murder and coverup, but it is interesting.

[philman_36]

What irks me is that if the AP had that with the truck in it where are the rest of the frames?
Why are all of the pictures of OKC day 1 going missing from the net?
You can't even get to the First Day photos at the OKC City Hall site.
Where are the other photos like this one?

[honway]

Are you certain no autopsy was performed? Do you have official confirmation on that fact?

According to Terry Yeakey's ex-wife and the mother of his two children, Tonia Yeakey, an autopsy was not performed. I am certain she received a copy of the death certificate, is there a more official confirmation available? If so, would it be available to a member of the public?

[yukong]

That photo is from the west, facing east. As you can see, there is a car at the curb in front. The firetruck is stretched clear across the street. The front of the firetruck is almost touching the north curbline of 5th street. When I first arrived at the scene, I was beyond where the firetruck is, standing in front of the crater. Beyond where the firetruck is, at the curb was where the Ryder truck was parked. It was at the curb. As you can see, the rubble has collapsed out into the street, past the curb line. There was a great deal of rubble that collapsed into the crater. But, even so, it was still very large, IMO.

[honway]

From the interview:
(CR) Craig Roberts
(TY)Tonia Yeakey

CR)- Not in the real world. Ok. Now, the body is taken not to the examiner's office, but to where?

(TY)- To Pollard funeral home.

(CR)- Ok, and what happens there?

(TY)- His body was stitched up, cleaned up, make-up put on to it. And mind you, the family was totally unaware that the body had ever made a trip to Pollard Funeral Home. It was supposed to go to Russ Warm (sp?) Funeral Home in Watonga.

(CR)- Ok, now, no autopsy was done. We're talking a police officer out of OKC that generates all this attention, but he doesn't go to the Medical Examiner's Office. There's no medical examination done, other than the sketches and there is no autopsy.

(TY)- Right

[yukong]

On line 21b, of the State of Oklahoma Certificate of Death there will be an indication of whether or not an autopsy was performed. Line 21a will describe the cause of death. Lines 24b and 25 will tell who performed the autopsy, and where, and when. I would defer further assumptions until I could see a copy of that Certificate. Do you have a copy? Just curious.

[honway]

Where are the other photos like this one?

Excellent question. Thanks for the post.

[philman_36]

The firetruck is stretched clear across the street.
The firetruck is only about 8 ft. from that car. I don't know what you mean by "stretched clear across the street".
Beyond where the firetruck is, at the curb was where the Ryder truck was parked.
You know, from that earlier photo of the truck it looks to be further away than "at the curb". The lighting isn't all that good and I could be wrong.

[honway]

Do you have a copy?

No.

What requirements must be met for someone to receive a copy of a death certificate?

[philman_36]

There was a great deal of rubble that collapsed into the crater.
With all that rubble I'm surprised that you could see a crater.

[yukong]

Bear in mind, this photo was taken with a telephoto lens. Therefore, the appearances of distances from near to far are distorted. Based on this photo, I would not be certain at to any estimate of the distance from the firetruck to the black car. It could be 8 feet, but it could be 28. As to my statement that the firetruck is stretched across the street, let me elaborate. My point is, the firetruck is parked at an angle in the street. Its front bumper is almost at the north curb line of 5th street. It's rear bumper is several feet from the south curb line. But the truck is spanning across 5th street at an angle. The Ryder truck was parked on east (past) the firetruck. I don't know how far it was from the curb, but there is no indication that it was far enough from the curb to have impeded traffic on 5th street. The crater was in such a location that it appeared to me that the center was such that the truck was parked close to the curb. I believe the reason for the apparent distance of the truck from the building in the photo you posted from inside the Murrah building is that there was a rather wide sidewalk in front of the building. I believe that is what is creating the distance.

[yukong]

The crater was clearly visible. It was partly reburied by the rubble, but it was still plainly there. Again, I stood right at the lip of it. There was all kinds of stuff there. Parts of the building, parts of the truck, etc. But it was there.

[yukong]

Go to the following link. It gives the information on how to request a copy of a death certificate. Anyone, IMO can get a copy of any DC.

http://www.health.state.ok.us/program/vital/brec.html

[philman_36]

How many lanes wide is 5th St.? Three travel lanes, two parking?

[yukong]

Sorry, try this:

Click Here

[yukong]

At the time, 5th street was 4 lanes, I believe. I am not for sure. Of course, now it is gone. The Memorial spans what was once 5th street. But I believe it was 4 lanes with parallel parking on each side.

[yukong]

Sorry, try this: Bureau of Vital Statistics, Death Certificate Requests

[philman_36]

Well how many lanes are there on the rest of 5th St.
The rest of the street isn't gone is it?

[philman_36]

Did ya'lls forensic guys get some good photos of the crater, debris and all?

[philman_36]

Is that 5th street running down the middle?