Sibel Edmonds testimony has been retroactively classified

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/20/politics/20classify.html?ex=1086112765&ei=1&en=9efc88c3c1bc0934

Material Given to Congress in 2002 Is Now Classified

WASHINGTON, May 19 - The Justice Department has taken the unusual step of retroactively classifying information it gave to Congress nearly two years ago regarding a former F.B.I. translator who charged that the bureau had missed critical terrorist warnings, officials said Wednesday.

Law enforcement officials say the secrecy surrounding the translator, Sibel Edmonds, is essential to protecting information that could reveal intelligence-gathering operations. But some members of Congress and Congressional aides said they were troubled by the move, which comes as critics have accused the Bush administration of excessive secrecy.

"What the F.B.I. is up to here is ludicrous," Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, said in an interview. "To classify something that's already been out in the public domain, what do you accomplish? It does harm to transparency in government, and it looks like an attempt to cover up the F.B.I.'s problems in translating intelligence."

F.B.I. officials gave Senate staff members two briefings in June and July of 2002 concerning Ms. Edmonds, who said the F.B.I.'s system for translating intelligence was so flawed that the bureau missed chances to spot terrorist warnings.

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[gratuitous]

1. So they'll de-classify a PDB when it suits their purpose

And withhold Crashcart's "secret" energy commission meetings, and now they want to "classify" something that's been out for two years?

Well, at least Sen. Grassley seems to have been jolted awake by this latest bit of fascism. Somebody want to tell him it's 2004?

[napi21]

2. I hope McCain, Snow, and the rest scream LOUD!

I know they're Pubs, but they're not CRAZY like the WH crowd!

I think we all know, or at least can guess what's in her testimony. It's sh*t being in the minority in both houses...you can't do much. Thatk goodness there are some reasonable Pubs.

Don't scream at me for saying some Pubs are reasonable. We have a two party system to help keep both in line.