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]

I am certain that the forensics people got photos of the crater. Please remember though, I was from a different jurisdiction. I was in OKC for a state meeting. I did not have specific jurisdiction in OKC. Therefore, I was only there to help because they were calling for everyone they could find. So, I was not involved in the investigation. I was present, I observed many things. I was privy to some LEO discussions that morning. Heck, I even at one point got pressed into duty and drove an ambulance. (the crew was from out of town, and not familiar with OKC. I know the crew because they were from my jurisdiction. I grew up in OKC so they asked me to drive.) We drove the next to last victim removed alive from the building. Anyway, I do not know what photos were taken. Other than the photos that are etched into my memory. Those I took. And they are still quite vivid.

As to the rest of 5th, it is still there. It is still 4 lanes with parallel parking on each side, (for the most part).

[yukong]

Yes, 5th Street was where the reflection pond is now located. If you look at 5th street east and west of the memorial, you can see that it is 4 lanes, with parallel parking on each side. It was the same on 4-19

[philman_36]

But I believe it was 4 lanes with parallel parking on each side.
Six lanes wide! And you're sitting there telling me about telehoto lenses and distances when it is clear to see by projecting the lane lines at the bottom of the picture and using the location of the other fire truck that the truck isn't in the middle of the road?.
Beyond where the firetruck is, at the curb was where the Ryder truck was parked. It was at the curb.
Huh? It looks to be all rubble there. You've got good eyes.
Oh well, you were there. What do I know?

[yukong]

Hey, the firetruck may not be exactally at the north curb. I cannot remember for sure, and can't tell from you photo. But it is covering most of the lanes of the street.

My whole point was that the carter was close to the sidewalk/curbline. It was partially refilled by rubble. It was east of the center of the building, (explaining the more damage on the east end of the building), and the crater was 15-20 feet across, and 20-30 feet long. Again, maybe 8 or so feet deep. Was probably deeper, but for the rubble that collapsed back into it. The arrangement of the firetruck is mostly irrelevant to me and what I saw.

[philman_36]

Other than the photos that are etched into my memory. Those I took.
All photos are copyright © 1995 by Sgt. Dan Helmuth, Oklahoma City Police Department
Lots of you LEOs got pics.
I am certain that the forensics people got photos of the crater.
Think they'll ever be released either?

[philman_36]

It's a real shame there isn't some definitive photographic evidence available of that huge, gaping hole. It'd clear up a bunch of things.

[okkev68]

5th street was four lanes with an extra parking lane in front of the Murrah building for about half the length of the building. The damage makes sense with where they said the truck was parked.

I remember seeing the crater before it was covered up. I also ran when the police came running out of the building yelling "bomb".

Regardless of how many or what kind of bombs where used, there are still many unanswered questions. Someone knows the truth.

[yukong]

Well, first, I know Dan Helmeth. Actually go to church with him now. He is an OKC beat officer. He walks a beat downtown. He is a great guy. However the photos that you listed were taken several days after the bombing. None that I saw were from 4-19. I will ask him if he has any from the first day. He may not. Doubt that he was too concerned that day to take pictures. But I will ask.

Please remember, after the first few days, they had to bury the crater so that they could get the heavy equipment in there to remove the large debris to look for more victim remains. In fact, the last 2-3 victims were not removed until after the building was imploded and and almost all of the debris was removed. So the crater was only there for a few days. It will not be depicted in any of the photos taken after the first couple of days. I remember discussions about it being photographed and examined and excavated for evidence quickly so that it could be covered over to allow those heavy cranes to move into place.

[philman_36]

Bear in mind, this photo was taken with a telephoto lens.
BTW...how do you know that photo was taken with a telephoto lens? Is that just a guess on your part?
And wouldn't someone usually say "that" photo? Just call me retentive.

[yukong]

I agree okkev68. There are many unanswered questions. I just am not able, at this time, to swallow the theory that there were bombs places on columns inside the building. That would just require more than I can believe was possible. The damage to the building, located where it was, and where the truck was, just makes the most sense to me that it was the truck bomb only.

[yukong]

Well, I base my opinion that it was taken with a telephoto lens just based on my experience. Going through highschool and college, I worked as a professional photographer. From what I see, I see some magnification/telephoto at work in the photo. Not a large amount, but some. The photo appears to be taken from a balcony on the 2nd or 3rd floor of the Regency Towers Apartments. I base that on the fact that the flags on the right side of the photo are about level with the camera. Those flags were on the 2nd or 3rd floor. The photo was taken from about a block away. With that in mind, only some zooming of the lens was going on, since you don't see much of the sides of 5th until about 1/2 block down. So, my opinion is telephoto.

[honway]

Thanks for your time and help.

[okkev68]

I don't really believe it either because the shape of the damage (especially along the roofline) is consistent with a large explosion at the east end of the parking lane.

What I can't understand is why the building was demolished and cleared so quickly. Why has no video or survellience photos ever been released? And why were the witnesses who claim to have seen ME men never allowed to testify?

[yukong]

Well, okkev68, that is the real question. That is what I want to know also. I am convinced there were ME types involved. I heard the discussion of the initial witness statements on 4-19, within 45 minutes to an hour after the bombing. I would like to see those video tapes likewise. As to the building being demolished so quickly. My recollection is that the last 2-3 victims could not be removed until the building came down, because it was too unsafe for continued searching. At least, that was the official line.

[philman_36]

A map of downtown Oklahoma City as it was during the bombing of the Murrah building.
Yep, extra parking lane along most of the building on that side.

[yukong]

Interesting after note. There were similar cutout parking lanes in front of the old and new federal court houses. Those have been paved over and made into sidewalks, and parking is prohibited in front of both.

[TXnMA]

A picture would be worth a thousand words.

Apparently, you never saw the photos of the crater that I published in the OKBIC Report -- or those same photos I posted here on FR. Unforunately, the new webmaster for the OKBIC website, where I had those photos stored for display, bollixed up the webspace directories, so my old FR links no longer work.

I am working on re-establishing those images in my own webspace, so I can, once again, display them here on FR for all to see. For now, here is a photo of the crater, taken shortly before noon (observe the sun/shadow angle) on 4/19/95:

Note that, not long after yukonG stood on the lip of the crater and made his observations, the crater was filled with reddish, muddy water from a water line leak uphill from the crater.

(Displaying full size images slows these threads down too much. I'm working on establishing a link so you can access the full size images by clicking on the .5X versions I plan to post on FR.)

[honway]

I found a picture of what appears to be a crater, only this is inside the Murrah Building.

[philman_36]

That is inside the WTC 1 attack, not Murrah.

[philman_36]

Notice it even says 1993.