Ritter Says He Won't Be Silenced

Albany Times Union ^ | January 23, 2003 | Alan Wechsler

[Shermy]

Scott Ritter said he doesn't want forgiveness.

Speaking publicly for the first time about the sex charge he was arrested for in 2001, the former U.N. arms inspector and one of the leading critics of the Bush administration's plans to attack Iraq said he has been held accountable for breaking the law. And it would be a shame, he said Wednesday, that his arrest could derail his efforts to help prevent a war in the Middle East.

"I think it's important to put a human face on this, to remind people that there are issues out there bigger than a two-year-old dismissed case," he said. "I'm not asking people for forgiveness.

In June 2001, he was charged in a police sting operation with trying to lure a 16-year-old girl he met on the Internet to a Burger King. Later in Colonie Town Court, the case was adjourned in contemplation of dismissal after six months. Half a year later, the case was sealed.

"I was arrested on June 15 (2001) and charged with a class B misdemeanor," he said. "I think it's important for people to know that I stood before a judge in a public court, with my wife by my side ... and the case was dismissed."

Ritter, 41, a Delmar resident, spent Wednesday afternoon in a frenzy of television and newspaper interviews. He had been at the center of a national controversy that exploded this week when the arrest came to light.

A former Marine, Ritter served as a U.N. weapons inspector for seven years. He resigned in 1998, saying that Iraq remained a threat. He also accused the United States of damaging the inspection process by using intelligence from the U.N. to determine subsequent bombing sites.

In September, Ritter visited Iraq to urge Saddam Hussein to allow inspectors back into the country. Hussein agreed to do that a few days after Ritter left.

On Wednesday, Ritter said he's trying to put his life back together after the attention of the last few days. He declined to speculate on who may have released information from the sealed file.

"The timing is definitely suspicious," he said. "I have no insights as to who or why. I know what the impact is, which was to prevent me from getting on an airplane as I planned to do so ... to fly to Baghdad."

Ritter was to fly to Iraq on Tuesday to meet with the country's government, along with many other figures in the peace movement, to help avoid a war. Ritter bowed out of the trip because of the recent attention.

Colonie police Chief John Grebert said he did not blame any of his staff for the controversy. Though the case was sealed, he said, his detectives were not barred from talking about it, according to two lawyers he consulted. Furthermore, the case had been reported on Channel 13 in 2001 and many people were already familiar with it.

"This case is going on two years old," he said. "This case has been discussed fairly openly over the past year. A person who becomes more and more of a public figure increases the chance that anyone's going to talk."

WNYT Ch. 13 had the story on the arrest in 2001, but did not identify the man charged as the former weapons inspector. The station has said Ritter was charged under his given name -- William S. Ritter -- and the station did not make the connection at the time.

Ritter said this would be the last time he plans to discuss the situation with the media. He said he has been encouraged by hundreds of positive e-mails from around the country. His family is also with him.

"I'm very supportive of Scott, 100 percent or more," said his wife, Marina. "I'm very proud of him and everything that he has achieved."

Ritter and Marina, who married 12 years ago after they met in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, are parents of two young children. Ritter said it was difficult explaining to his kids about what happened, but expects to soon put this behind him.

"I will continue to speak where I'm invited and permitted to speak," he said. "This will not silence me."

Staff writer Mike Goodwin contributed to this report.

[cyncooper]

Gibson was terrific in saying with very few words why Ritter is finished as an "expert".

Very gratifying.

[recalcitrant]

"Ritter Says He Won't Be Silenced"

---

yes scotty boy, but they have all stopped listening and quoting you like you were the bible.

---

As a side note, now that his "blackmailable" secret has been brought out in the open... HOW USEFUL will he BE to his master and undercover iraqi agents? An agent that can no longer be blackmailed?

Not very, is my guess...

[Byron_the_Aussie]

...I really hope they're that efficient and cunning. But I'm not as sure as you...

Well, they're going up against the Iraqis, amigo. We're not talking about the Stasi or the Mossad, here.

[Grampa Dave]

Bryon, first all, thanks to you and your countrymen for being with us and by our side since 9/11! We have found out who our friends and allies really are since 9/11. Thanks again.

You have been trying to get us hard headed Yanks to realize what you have been posting re Ritter for Days.

Your reply just before this one finally sunk into my old grey covered head.

I think that you are correct. Shortly after Ritter's arrest, the administration found out about Ritter. The CIA probably had the book on him before his arrest.

His arrest just nailed it down for them. They have either allowed him to think that he was doing his and uncle Soddomite's thing and just pulled the plug to coincide with the so called peace protests.

Or they have tricked Uncle Soddomite via Ritter into thinking that his severe material breaches were not being picked up. We will find out tomorrow, this weekend and all of next week.

Either way, this is a great win for the US and the administration.

Thanks for being patient with we block headed old Yank conservatives as you tried to enlighten us along the way since this past Saturday. Now, the light bulb has gone off over my blockhead. I can see what you have trying to mentor us into seeing what is in front of us the past few days.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

"..the prison in question is at the General Security Services headquarters, which was inspected by my team in Jan. 1998..."

Okay, team. Everyone wait here in the foyer, while I go clear things for today's visit with Colonel Mukhabarat...

(sound of door closing)

Scott! My main man!...

[Grampa Dave]

Excellent analysis in this reply.

Watch the left drop Ritter like a used kleenix or used condom now that he has zero value and is a liability to them. He is not an elected Rat in power, so he can be dropped like the trash he is.

[EternalVigilance]

No. I indicated that given past models of Soviet penetration techniques that these young girls, of which my wife was one, who were brought in by the Soviets to carry out translation services had been used in the past to attempt sexual compromise.

VERY interesting. So was Ritter compromised by the Russians well before he was ever compromised by the Iraqis?

Let me guess, his wife Marina, to whom he has been married for 12 years, is now 27 years old. ;-)

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for the feedback on John Gibson. When he was with that other channel I had zero use for him.

This past year, I think that we are seeing and hearing the real John Gibson. When he feels that he and his audience are being lied to and manipulated by a rat or a tool of the rats like Ritter, John will rip them. He does not hold back and just bams them.

Good for John again, and thanks for the feedback.

[Howlin]

He basically said what we said in a million threads in about two minutes.....LOL.

[The Great Satan]

I indicated that given past models of Soviet penetration techniques that these young girls, of which my wife was one, who were brought in by the Soviets to carry out translation services had been used in the past to attempt sexual compromise.

Lucky that Scottie is such an absolute model of sexual probity, eh? That could have been close!

[bvw]

Her dad.

[cyncooper]

Thank you for a thought provoking reply.

[YaYa123]

In the latest MSNBC article, Ritter is quoted: "I was, am and always will be an authority on issues pertaining to Iraq."

The man is delusional, but wait! We don't know that the media won't continue to seek him out and put him forward as their expert. Who would replace him as their bash Bush voice?

He's definitely following the Clinton strategy for survival. Deny, Deny, Deny, and when that fails, pretend everyone else is wrong for attacking you. Above all, belittle and malign your critics...blame them for what you did, and surround yourself with enablers.

[cyncooper]

In the latest MSNBC article, Ritter is quoted: "I was, am and always will be an authority on issues pertaining to Iraq."

Stunning.

[TLBSHOW]

listen live to scott ritter as the nails hit his coffin on Rush Limbaugh today:

brown begs scott ritter to talk but ritter won't

PS

From now until the end of time William Rivers Pitt is Scott Ritter is William Rivers Pitt is Scott Ritter is and forever and I am LOL because google says it too!

[The Great Satan]

He's definitely following the Clinton strategy for survival. Deny, Deny, Deny, and when that fails, pretend everyone else is wrong for attacking you. Above all, belittle and malign your critics...blame them for what you did, and surround yourself with enablers.

Scottie forgot one thing: he's not President of the United States. The man is absolutely delusional. But then, someone who gets caught twice in the same vice sting, when he knows he's under FBI surveillance as a suspected traitor, can't really be playing with a full deck, can he?

[Republic of Texas]

The fact that his wife is supportive of his behavior makes me wonder about her as well.

[Republic of Texas]

" In the latest MSNBC article, Ritter is quoted: "I was, am and always will be an authority on issues pertaining to Iraq pedophilia." "

Scott Ritter

[Domestic Church]

"This will not silence me."

Maybe if he shuts up he will be permanently silenced.

[Domestic Church]

"I wonder if Iraq doesn't have something or other to blackmail him with."

My first thought too only I thought more than Iraq was blackmailing him given the global hot spots of Venezuela and North Korea (especially since this all occurred after the repubbies took control of the White House) and the fact that the Clintons have received $$$$ after 9/11 from Osama Bin Laden's family!!!