Celebrating 9/11 at the FBI

FrontPageMagazine.com ^ | 2/11/04 | Paul Sperry

[leadpenny]

She found out later that it was her supervisor's wife who helped organize the office party there at the bureau's Washington field office, just four blocks from the J. Edgar Hoover Building.

There has to be an explanation for this behavior. I wonder if the Director has ever gone on record with an answer?

[Prime Choice]

It's about freaking time! I recall the stories of Muslim agents in the FBI refusing to uphold their oath to the Bureau and report on suspected terrorists in U.S. mosques...and the Bureau promoted them!

I've long since lost respect for the FBI. This article only helps to cement my already-low view of the agency.

[Stallone]

Let's kick ass.

Perfect!

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

She claims Feghali actually tampered with her work to slow her down.

"My supervisor went as far as getting into my work computer and deleting almost completed work so that I had to go back and start all over again," she said.

...??? Surely this is illegal, given that the lives of agents in the field almost certainly depend on said work being completed in an expeditious manner...?

[kayak]

Does anyone know anything about Edmonds? Just because someone says something to a Congressional committee does not make it true or the person trustworthy. If she is correct, this is frightening stuff she's saying.

[Paleo Conservative]

It's true! The foxes are actually guarding the hen house.

[KangarooJacqui]

I've got to print this article out and show it to my dad. It's well-known in his field that the FBI didn't have a decent computer system until nearly the year 2000, as the former director "didn't believe in computers", but THIS... this is just beyond incompetence. This is criminal.

You let people like THIS into the USA and give them high-ranking government security jobs? I'm appalled.

[Miss Marple]

I agree. It stands to reason that after 9/11 the FBI would have taken a second look at translators. I am not running off half-cocked until I know more about this person, since these are very serious charges.

[Elkiejg]

Just ran a quick google search on Sibel Dinez Edmonds and absolutely nothing showed. Anyone have other sources?

[livius]

Based on my experience with translators, it's very believable. I was at a conference with Arabic and other mostly foreign-born linguists where one interpreter said essentially that he had massaged his translation of what the crazy blind sheik in the first WTC bombing trial had said. He then told us that he apologized to the sheik (who was found guilty) for not being able to "help" him more. And the group applauded this quite enthusiastically.

I think this woman is very, very brave for being willing to testify.

[Miss Marple]

If this is accurate, we need an immediate push for native-born American Arabic translators. This is one thing I think we could agree for which federal money should be spent.

[metesky]

Christian American born Arabic translators. There are several million of them in the U.S.

[Klickitat]

ping

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

At least the FBI had their hiring priorities straight.

FBI: Jews need not apply for Arabic linguist jobs

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Another source familiar with the interviewing process says the FBI was concerned that many of the applicants were ''too close to Israel,'' and might lack the objectivity to accurately translate the Arabic recordings and writings of Muslim terrorist suspects under investigation.

Always the same canard, no matter what we do... ***sigh***... :(

[Destructor]

I lost respect for the FBI, and the BATF baby killers after the Davidian seige at Waco.

[Doc Savage]

The FBI is a TOTAL disgrace.

[Kozak]

We need an IMMEDIATE,Manhattan project style, effort to train non Arab, non Muslim, US citizens in Arabic as well as Pashto, and Farsi. Intelligence will WIN OR LOSE this war.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Can I just say that I enjoyed the holy living heck out of your novels, back in the days of my misspent youth...? :)