Posted on 05/23/2002 2:20:24 PM PDT by TomGuy
Former Intelligence Operative Says Author of Phoenix Memo Endangered His Life
By Jacques Billeaud Associated Press Writer
Published: May 23, 2002
PHOENIX (AP) - A former U.S. intelligence operative alleges in a court document that the FBI agent who wrote the memo warning about Arabs training in U.S. fight schools endangered his life three years ago by blowing his cover.
Two Arizona congressmen and a former U.S. senator made inquiries on Harry Ellen's behalf about his complaints about the agency and Special Agent Kenneth Williams. The FBI reviewed the complaints but determined they did not warrant an investigation.
Williams has been lauded for writing a memo last July 10 urging FBI headquarters to check all flight schools nationwide, an idea the agency didn't act on before the terrorist attacks. He briefed lawmakers in Washington on his investigation earlier this week.
Ellen, an Arizonan who did business in the Palestinian territories, said he worked with Williams and other FBI agents in Phoenix for about five years. He said he alerted the FBI in late 1996 or early 1997 that one or more Middle Eastern pilots were training or working in Arizona.
But the relationship turned sour, Ellen said, over his involvement with a Chinese woman the FBI suspected was a spy and with a foundation he ran to provide medical care and help develop businesses in Gaza.
Government officials who spoke only on condition of anonymity said Ellen worked for U.S. intelligence, including the FBI, in the 1990s, as his group did business with Palestinians. Occasionally, Ellen would be jointly debriefed by Israeli intelligence and the FBI, the officials said.
The officials said that Ellen and the FBI had a falling out in the late 1990s after Ellen sought to mix business interests he had in Asia with the matters he was dealing with in the Middle East, raising concerns it might open the door for fresh money or weapons to flow to the Palestinian uprising.
The FBI declined to comment on Ellen's allegations.
Ellen's complaints are contained in a 67-page affidavit filed in the 1999 immigration case of Joanna Xie, a Chinese citizen who denies being a spy and who is seeking political asylum. Ellen and Xie said they were once romantically involved.
Ellen said Williams in 1999 ordered him to stop all contact with Xie and eventually threatened to blow his cover. Ellen said Williams and another agent then told Xie that Ellen worked in American intelligence.
Ellen said a man he knows in the Islamic militant group Hamas later questioned him about working for American intelligence. Ellen said the Hamas contact revealed that his information came from an Arab in Phoenix whom Ellen believes is an FBI informant.
Ellen said the disclosure endangered his life and put his friends and sources at risk.
Saying the FBI has ruined his life, Ellen took his complaints to congressmen in Arizona. The East Valley Tribune, a newspaper serving suburban Phoenix, reported on Ellen's case last July.
Retired Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Dennis DeConcini, in a letter he wrote in 2000 seeking an investigation on Ellen's behalf, said he confirmed that Ellen worked for the U.S. government dealing with the Palestinian Authority.
Sen. John McCain forwarded Ellen's investigation request to FBI officials, who determined the allegations didn't warrant an investigation. Spokeswoman Nancy Ives said McCain was disappointed the FBI didn't investigate.
Rep. John Shadegg said he met with FBI officials in Washington and Phoenix to discuss Ellen's allegations and was satisfied the FBI acted appropriately. He declined to comment on whether he found Ellen's allegation credible.
Special Agent Manuel Johnson, spokesman for Phoenix's FBI office, declined to discuss Ellen's allegations or make Williams available for an interview.
AP-ES-05-23-02 1628EDT
Why didn't clinton let us know?
I don't think so. From the looks of it, this Ellen guy was involved with quite a few unsavory characters: Chinese spies and Palestinian bad guys. That's getting around!
Sounds like it's just a convenient coincidence to me: Williams is a counter-intel guy in the same town as Ellen the FBI informant -- of course they'd be in contact.
Up next the nuts and sluts charge...
As sure as the source of this story is the AP.
Also it seems when a memo is written it takes 60 days for the memo to be acted upon by higher ups in the FBI.
William's has stated that if his memo was acted upon as is procedure in the FBI...... it would have been on ....SEPTEMBER 10th!
As long as you keep my name out of it, I'll tell you whatever you want to hear.
Yeah sure when pigs fly!
Hello? What do you imagine covert operatives do? Lurk in sidewalk cafes, furtively peeking out from behind newspapers as they try to glean information suitable for intelligence reports?
Don't be naive. They have to have contacts with persons who indirectly or directly have that valuable information which will make up the intelligence we need to stay safe.
I'm not being naive. Ellen's an unsavory character, which he'd have to be to have those contacts. My poorly-made point was that the Williams connection is merely a coincidence, and that his shady contacts would certainly know about him regardless of the FBI.
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