'3 months' in the life of Sibel Edmonds

Everyone seems to be lining up to hold an investigation into the destruction of the CIA/911 torture tapes.

The House Intel Committee will investigate.

The Senate Intelligence Committee too.

Don't forget the DoJ/CIA joint investigation.

At this rate, PETA probably has an investigation planned.

Here's a cautionary tale.

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In December 2001, former FBI translator Sibel Edmonds told her superiors bosses that one of her coworkers, Melek Can Dickerson, actually had worked for three organizations that were targets of ongoing FBI counter-intelligence operations, that Dickerson was rewriting the internal FBI procedures (with the assistance of her boss/lover) to ensure that Dickerson, and only Dickerson, would be tasked with 'translating' the intercepts pertaining to those organizations, and that Dickerson and her husband, a Lieutenant Colonel at the Pentagon, tried to recruit Sibel, promising her riches, to conduct espionage for the criminal network that was being targeted by the FBI.

Sibel reported this information up the chain - Thomas Frields, Dale Watson, Robert Mueller - and was fired because of it.

Then she went to Congress - specifically Pat Leahy and Chuck Grassley at the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In May 2002, in response to Congressional requests, the Justice Department's Inspector General (DOJ OIG) agreed to expedite its investigation.

The DOJ OIG told Sibel that the report would be completed and issued by mid Fall 2002.

In October 2002, the DOJ IG told Sibel, and the Senate, that the final report would be out by the end of 2002.

In late November, the DOJ IG told Sibel that the report would be available in February 2003.

In March 2003, the DOJ IG told Sibel that the report would be out by the end of May 2003.

In May 2003, the DOJ OIG told the Senate that the investigation was nearly completed, and that it would be issued at the latest by July 2003.

In July 2003, the DOJ IG told Sibel that the report was scheduled to be issued in Fall 2003.

In February 2004, Charles Grassley told Sibel Edmonds that the DOJ OIG report will be issued by March 2004.

In July 04, 22 months after the initial deadline (600% late), the DOJ OIG completed the the 100 page report. It was immediately classified.

In January 05, an unclassified 35 page summary, (most of it 'filler' material) of the report was released.

Three months after three months after three months after three months after three months after three months after three months after three months after three months after three months after three months after three months after three months after the invesitgation began, in December 2007, 35 months after the release of the report, 600 months after Sibel first demanded an investigation, 9 months after we launched a campaign to get Waxman to hold hearings, and 6 weeks since Sibel offered to 'tell all' in an appropriate forum... crickets.

I have some advice for those of you awaiting the results of 'investigations' into the CIA/torture/911 videos: a) don't hold your breath b) dont expect anything significant.

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Errata

In yesterday's post, "Sibel Edmonds Case & Destruction of Evidence," I said that despite the Obstruction of Justice in Sibel's case, we have no evidence "so far" that evidence has been withheld in the secret sessions. That is untrue. The FBI did indeed refuse to provide their own damn Inspector General with documents that the IG had requested. I regret the error. And I'm even grumpier about the fact.

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What can you do?

As I mentioned yesterday, we really need to get something done THIS WEEK. Olbermann still seems like our best bet. countdown@msnbc.com . Similarly, leave a comment on Jonathan Turley's new blog asking him to step up. He finds the whole thing "disturbing."

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xposted at Let Sibel Edmonds Speak

(Email me if you want to be added to my Sibel email list. Subject: 'Sibel email list')