FBI disinterest - Terror Evidence Ignored - Hard Drive Found - INSIDE the Beltway

Wash Times - Inside the Beltway ^ | July 8, 2002 | John McCaslin

[rface]

Michael Norman, who in his "semi-retired" spare time enjoys turning discarded computers into functioning tools, often donating them to poor schoolchildren, has happened across the carcass of one eye-opening machine in a Dumpster next to a Dunkin' Donuts in Schaumburg, Ill.

[MeekOneGOP]

I don't know if it will do any good, but I sent this information
to the FBI via FBI Tips and Public Leads.

While the FBI continues to encourage the public to submit information regarding the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, this form may also be used to report any suspected criminal activity to the FBI.

[Poohbah]

My guess is that this guy is already on the "crank list" from previous calls to the FBI. The story about the boy who cried wolf one time too many is instructive.

[Mo1]

Kinda like the guy in Las Vegas who JUST HAPPENED to overhear a cell phone call IN ARABIC (and JUST HAPPENED to speak Arabic, lucky guy).

This could be another crack pot .. But the FBI should check in to it at the same time

[cake_crumb]

"Didn't the guy in Las Vegas who supposedly overheard a satellite phone conversation get the same run around from the FBI?"

Err...the guy in Las Vegas turned out to have been lying.

[browardchad]

The only thing that puzzles me about this story is why the person who threw the HD away didn't erase it first. There are many programs that can securely wipe a drive clean (not just format it). Heck -- smashing the thing with a hammer would also work if he was throwing it away...OTOH, the owner probably assumed there wouldn't be any trash pickers around, or might not have been all that computer-savvy to begin with.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks for the ping, Saber! (See #61)

[Quilla]

It would be returned to sender - Shelby's from Alabama. Not nitpickin', mind you, just giving a little credit to my fine state.

[Lloyd227]

"And meanwhile, the largest wildfires seen in a long time are raging - "

This thought has crossed my mind as I'm sure it has a lot of other people out there.

Why has there been not one mention of even the possibilities by our "news media"?

[ladyjane]

The FBI is very busy. Their Boston office just nailed the building inspector in Nantucket in a sting operation. They got a New Jersey firm to email him for a mailing list of building permits (public information) and he sent it back. So the Boston office and New Jersey office is all in a lather and can't be bothered with terrorists.

[Grampa Dave]

I thought about preserving the evidence trail so the bad guys can be caught. However, if this is done nationally on one situation like this, the Former Bureau of Investigation will have to change very quickly in situations like this.

Then, the pink panty wearing Clintoonian hanger ons will have to respond and not bury the data. Or these Clintoonian PC pink panty wearers can be placed in charge checking the inventory levels of toilet paper and Tampaxes for the FBI.

The good guys that you mentioned, need to be contacted. However, I believe that they would be stroked or stone walled, and their input would end up filed away forever out of sight.

[kcvl]

June 29 - July 7 1998
Barring MP Not Helpful

[DainBramage]

Major General Imran Kombe.

I'm lost again, Kombe was assasinated in Central Africa wasn't he?

What does that have to do with Washington, Pakistan and 9/11?

[Sabertooth]

My guess is that this guy is already on the "crank list" from previous calls to the FBI. The story about the boy who cried wolf one time too many is instructive.

As is the story of the FBI in too much post-Clinton disarray.

Why not take the report and investigate the hard-drive, and at the very least, start trying to salvage their reputation... and possibly turn up a few leads?

Better that than to trust FBI operators to take it on themselves to simply dismiss the call, or leave the impression that's what's happened.

[Gig]

Sometimes . . . evil people do stupid things, just like good people. Don't discount the obvious.

[kcvl]

NEWS AND NATIONAL SECURITY

Major General Sudrajat, Director of Strategy, Defence Department, Republic of Indonesia (tbc)
Chair Karan Thapar, President, Infotainment TV, India

As Western governments argue for news restraint in the national interest, as the United States imposes detention without trial, as the debate continues on the way to cover religious and ethnic minorities and racial diversity should the media accept wider national responsibilities. To what extent is democracy defined by a free diverse press? Should there be more soul searching, a greater awareness of double standards? A session on control, and self control, of websites and the media.

Baqer Moin, Head, BBC Persian and Pushtu Service
Saltanat Shalakhmetova, Director, Eurasian Media Forum Trust, Kazakhstan
Imran Aslam, Jang Media Group, Pakistan
Steven Gan, Editor in Chief, Malaysiakini.com
Riza Primadi, Indonesia

[Poohbah]

Why not take the report and investigate the hard-drive, and at the very least, start trying to salvage their reputation... and possibly turn up a few leads?

OK, so are you now going into the business of directing the FBI's workload and tasking? Believe it or not, you can either trust the FBI field office's judgement on this one, or you can create a system tailor-made for being spoofed by Al-Qaeda operatives.

Here's the problem, in a nutshell:

The hard drive contents are in English, not Arabic as one would expect. The hard drive is of completely unknown and unknowable provenance. The circumstances of how the drive was found are incredibly suspect (stripping everything BUT the hard drive from the computer is about the most unlikely scenario I can think of). The circumstances of the find are dubious in the extreme.

If I had to evaluate this, I'd score it as E-5 on the Intelligence source/data model (unknown reliability of source, data cannot be independently confirmed). The FBI might have reason to score the informant's reliability as "D" (source known to be unreliable).

I have dealt with the FBI a couple of times. I've never been sluffed off. A neighbor of mine routinely calls the FBI, and gripes that she's always ignored. My guess is that this guy is a known crackpot.

[kcvl]

I'm MORE lost than ANYONE but, AT LEAST, I'm MORE interested in finding out who, what and where than the FBI!!!

Imran Khan Calls on Pres. Musharraf Islamabad, March 28, 2002. The President General Pervez Musharraf has said that the government will ensure free, fair and transparent elections in October 2002 to the national and provincial assemblies in order for the democratic process to take firm roots in the country. He was talking to a 20-member delegation of Pakistani Tehrik-e-Insaf led by Mr. Imran Khan, which called on him here Thursday.

[DainBramage]

The IMRAN Group was established in 1979-80 as Incorporated Technologies , little more than a young man's effort to introduce small computers to Pakistani businesses. Working to represent and sell business solutions based on personal computers and CASIO business products, the small business grew based on its creative problem solving skills. It was later registered as a Pakistani corporation focussing on bringing technology related products to Pakistan.

At the same time the importance of Information was shown by our creating an independent corporation, Information & Media Resources, Affiliations, Networks, or IMRAN. This was done at a time when no one used the words information and technology in the same sentence. Once again, IMRAN showed that it was ahead of the leading edge. The company went on to introduce INTERNET email in Pakistan, and also worked with MasterCard to introduce global Dollar denominated Credit Cards to Pakistan's banking industry. From being completely unknown to the masses, credit cards are one of the most easily recognized financial tools in Pakistan now. This firm continues its focus on providing a host of services.

In the United States a third, and indepenent corporation was established, which manages the business interests of Imran Anwar. This firm is called Imran Anwar Incorporated, and is based in Manhattan & Long Island, NY.

In addition to various Internet related services, IMRAN also introduced and is the largest provider of syndicated materials and intellectual property to the media and broadcast industries in Pakistan, as well as Bangla Desh, Sri Lanka, and even sells media rights to Iranian newspapers. IMRAN is always looking to partner with new and exciting providers of content to the media and broadcast industries. Please email IMRAN@imran.com if your company sells or buys media properties.

[ppaul]

My guess is that this guy is a known crackpot.

Mine too.

[Quix]

SIGH

Pogo, why did you have to be sooooo right
about who the enemy is.

We can be concerned about rabid radical idiot Moslem terrorists from Timbuktu.

But methinks increasingly, the more dangerous sorts of enemies are in millions of mirrors across the land.

No wonder DILLBOWED AND SHREDDLERY had such an easy time wooling over so many eyes and brains.

Sheesh.

Federal Bunch of Ignoramuses?

A Christian brother of mine asserts that it's not even the radical left, radical commies, radical Islamists or even the radical right . . . that will bring the world gov--but the bureaucrats who are the ones straight from hell implementing their boss as king of the world at their earliest opportunities.

A reasonable argument it seems.