In Gag We Trust? An Interview with FBI Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds

[G_j]

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=72&ItemID=13012

In Gag We Trust?
An Interview with FBI Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds
Sibel Edmonds interviewed by
Khatchig Mouradian
June 06, 2007

FBI language specialist Sibel Edmonds was fired from her job with the FBI’s Washington Field Office in March 2002. Her crime was reporting security breaches, cover-ups, blocking of intelligence, and the bribery of U.S. individuals including high-ranking officials. The State Secret Privilege has often been invoked to block court proceedings on her case, and the U.S. Congress has even been gagged to prevent further discussion.

Edmonds uncovered, for example, a covert relationship between Turkish groups and former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), who reportedly received tens of thousands of dollars in bribes in return for withdrawing the Armenian Genocide Resolution from the House floor in 2000.

Born in Iran in 1970, Edmonds received her BA in criminal justice and psychology from George Washington University and her MA in public policy and international commerce from George Mason University. She is the founder and director of the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition (NSWBC) and in 2006, received the PEN/Newman’s Own First Amendment Award. She speaks Turkish, Farsi and Azerbaijani.

This interview was conducted in Washington on April 23. To follow the development of her case, visit www.justacitizen.com.

..more..

[G_j]

1. kick

[hootinholler]

2. Kick for more recs. n/t

[Kurovski]

3. K&R #5 (nt)

[mmonk]

4. We still maximum pressure.

Please when you get the chance, contact those on Waxman's committee and anyone else you think might help.

[G_j]

5. k

[JohnyCanuck]

6. nobody has been held accountable.

There has been no hearing and nobody has been held accountable. We are basically where we started and I find that really appalling. It is a very sad situation and not only for me or my case. Many people think this is about one whistleblower, one language specialist who worked for the FBI and was wrongfully terminated. But I wouldn’t have been terminated if I hadn’t brought forth issues that were important to the American public, and even to people outside the United States. This case sheds light on several important areas, including our foreign policy, which is hypocrisy-ridden. We’re not talking only about foreign individuals; we’re talking about our own, about U.S. officials who have engaged in actions that are against the American public’s best interests and what we stand for. But the American people still don’t know about this case, and Congress has done nothing despite the fact that they have been fully briefed and have gotten full confirmation. (emphasis added /jc)

Looks like the anthrax letters had the desired effect.

[G_j]

7. in a nutshell

frustration and hopelessness
But of course we can't give up, not our fate I suppose.