Posted on 03/03/2008 4:15:10 AM PST by Bulldawg Fan
NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- U.S. Navy commanders were wary as their ships headed to the Persian Gulf in the months after a terrorist ambush in 2000 killed 17 sailors aboard the USS Cole.
Passing the Straits of Hormuz, a narrow, busy shipping lane that often invited challenges from Iran, was never easy. Ship commanders decided to travel quickly at night after conducting a drill. Sailors took up machine gun positions and shut valves and hatches to limit damage in case of attack.
"We really weren't sure what to expect," said Lt. Commander Jay Wylie, who was on board the USS Benfold.
No one expected to find a threat from within.
But federal authorities say there was. A Benfold signalman, Hassan Abu-Jihaad, had provided suspected terrorist supporters in London with sensitive details of when U.S. ships would pass through the strait and their vulnerability to attack, prosecutors say.
Testimony last week in Abu-Jihaad's trial has provided a window into the fears of top Navy officials after an explosives-laden boat rammed the Cole as it refueled in a Yemen harbor. It also revealed how heightened vigilance after Sept. 11 triggered an investigation that began in Connecticut and expanded to London before Abu-Jihaad and others were arrested.
Abu-Jihaad, 32, of Phoenix, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified national defense information.
Prosecutors rested their case Friday. Abu-Jihaad does not plan to take the stand Monday when his attorneys call one witness before closing arguments.
Abu-Jihaad, an American born Muslim convert, changed his name from Paul Hall in 1997. A year later, he was granted security clearance that gave him access to secrets, according to Navy officials.
Abu-Jihaad was one of the first sailors Petty Officer Josh Kelly met when he boarded the Benfold. Abu-Jihaad was chatty about where the ship was headed, Kelly says.
"We always wonder where we were going," Kelly testified, noting the stress of life at sea.
But advance movements were a closely guarded secret. Dennis Amador, a quartermaster and Abu-Jihaad's supervisor, told his wife where he was in code.
"We in the Navy are taught from the minute we come in that loose lips sink ships," he said.
Those details were kept locked in a safe with a red sticker marked secret. But when the charts and travel plans were laid out, Abu-Jihaad could see them in his job as a signalman, Navy officials say.
The Benfold and other ships left San Diego in March 2001. Their first stop was Hawaii, where the sailors were treated to a luau feast.
As the ship headed toward the Middle East, Abu-Jihaad began to send e-mails to Azzam Publications, a Web site that authorities say provided money and equipment to terrorists.
While the Cole was the worst nightmare for commanders, Abu-Jihaad called it a martyrdom operation in one of his e-mails to Azzam and praised "the men who have brong (sic) honor ... in the lands of jihad Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya, etc."
Abu-Jihaad signed the e-mail: "A brother serving a kuffar nation," meaning nonbeliever or infidel, according to testimony. He also ordered graphic videos from Azzam that depicted Muslim fighters in Chechnya and Bosnia.
"He seemed to be fascinated with the Chechen conflict and seemed to be supportive of the Chechen rebels," Amador said, not thinking much of it at the time.
Abu-Jihaad kept communicating with Azzam until a little over a week before the Sept. 11 attacks.
Shortly after the attacks, a company that hosted Web sites raised concerns with federal authorities about one of Azzam's Web sites in Connecticut. That complaint led investigators to those they say ran Azzam in London, where they say they found the leaked ship details in an apartment.
Authorities also say they found Abu-Jihaad's e-mail account with Azzam. They were able to recover e-mails he exchanged with the group, but say accounts were regularly purged by e-mail service providers.
Authorities acknowledge they do not have direct proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked the classified details. His attorneys call the case weak, urging a judge Friday to dismiss the charges while prosecutors objected.
Navy officials acknowledged that the allegedly leaked details were filled with errors. Still, they say the leak was alarming and they would have immediately changed plans had they known about the compromise at the time.
The ships were never attacked.
The Navy did plenty of soul searching after the Cole attack, said Rear Adm. David Hart Jr., commander of the battle group.
"It was a very vulnerable period of time for us," Hart testified.
Says everything.
Islam must be banned.
Do you all have the Death Penalty for Treason still in the US?
No reason to suspect a guy who’s name translates to “Son of Jihad.” I mean, come on, really...
And I have no doubt that the authorities DO have concrete proof that this guy provided treasonous support to the enemy... It’s just that the government doesn’t want to actually have to bring forth a death penalty case... At least not one against a “minority.”
I’m getting really fed up with this PC bull-crap.
Mark
Abu Jihaad = father of the jihad
Enemy within PING.
A Code Red would have been much more effective than a trial ... just thinking out loud here.
Abu Father
Jihaad Need a dictionary? of Jihad.
Does it seem normal to grant this man, the former Paul Hall, a security clearance?
Bear in mind that treason must be proved by two either eyewitnesses or upon open confession in court. If they do not have two eyewitnesses they may have to go for something much less.
Indeed, that is why John Kerry is a senator and not a prisoner in Portsmouth Naval Prison for the remainder of his natural life.
“His attorneys call the case weak, urging a judge Friday to dismiss the charges while prosecutors objected.”
Hang this bastard from the yard arm.
Nope. We had to get rid of it. We couldn’t keep any Democrats in Congress.
It is almost funny, surreal to say the least. If I were to change my name to killallmuslims and try to walk into the Saudi army, I am sure they would have reservations.
This guy calls himself father of the jihad, joins the military, and gets a high security clearance and he walks our young men and women into danger.
I spose we would have done nothing had he tattooed “kill all infidels” on his forehead either.
Scary.
When someone who needs a security clearance CHANGES HIS FREAKING NAME TO ABU-JIHAD, don't give it.
We would not want to be considered bigots, so lets give him a security clearance. Heck, I think we should demonstrate our tolerance of Islam by giving them all our Launch codes in the nuclear arsenol. This would prove we are not a bunch of profiling bigots.
One incident would be sufficient evidence to purge the US military of any and all name changing, bacon and ham eating, treasonous sons or daughters of unwed parents. thank you.
The very nature of the religious requirements for membership should preclude anyone of that particular faith, from service in the United States Military, of any branch.
For that matter, employment related in any way to contractual service of any kind, for or in behalf of the same US Military, unless the country in which the US Military is operating, is majority Muslim, should also be prohibited.
Call the Saudi Embassy, tell them your name is "Al mout li muslimeen" and see if they'll even grant you a visa.
Nope. Not since Hanoi Jane Fonda!
‘A Code Red’
You’re watching too many movies.
I said this on another thread in regards to this “Sailor”....
If this “Sailor” is found guilty, he should be given the old punishment of being given lashes around the Fleet and when completed, be strung up on the USS Cole’s yardarm, in front of his muslim “Buddies”....I have no remorse for these type of traitors.
They should have done the same with the Walkers........
But then again...the PC people would decry this from the highest mountain, and the sheeple would agree.....oh for the days of the when the ships were made of wood and had Iron Men in charge......
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.