Article

2006-06-27 Home Front: Politix

GRAND ISLAND Vice President Dick Cheney accused the news media Monday of making the job of defending against further terrorist attacks more difficult. Cheney zeroed in on The New York Times in condemning the press for publishing detailed information about vital national security programs.

The attack, launched at a fund-raising luncheon for Republican congressional nominee Adrian Smith, was triggered by a story in The Times last week revealing a terrorist financial tracking program. Cheney also pointed to earlier news reports disclosing secret communications surveillance conducted without court approval.

The New York Times has now made it more difficult for us to prevent attacks in the future, the vice president declared. Publishing this highly classified information about our sources and methods for collecting intelligence will enable the terrorists to look for ways to defeat our efforts, he said.

Cheneys criticism coincided with President Bushs condemnation of the financial tracking disclosure during remarks to reporters at the White House on Monday. Obviously, no one can guarantee that we wont be hit again, Cheney said. But the relative safety of these past nearly five years now (since the 2001 attacks on New York and Washington) did not come about by accident, he said.

The programs disclosed by The Times help explain why we have been so successful in preventing further attacks, he said. Cheney said he considers it a disgrace that The Times was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for its stories disclosing the terrorist surveillance program.

Posted by Steve White 2006-06-27 00:10|| || Front Page|| [11129 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 I saw quite a long ad for the NYT on either CNN or Fox News a little bit ago. Lots of heart warming stuff about how long people had been reading it, how much it meant to their daily lives, and how wonderful the reporting was. They were even selling year subscriptions for 50% off! (probably to make up for lack of truth in reporting). Suppose they might be running a bit scared these days?

Posted by grb 2006-06-27 03:27|| 2006-06-27 03:27|| Front Page Top

#2 Well, it's time for U.S. security harm NYT back, I say.

Posted by twobyfour 2006-06-27 03:35|| 2006-06-27 03:35|| Front Page Top

#3 I wonder what Teddy Roosevelt would have done?

Posted by Besoeker 2006-06-27 06:44|| 2006-06-27 06:44|| Front Page Top

#4 Don't run your mouth, Cheney. You've got a whole department of lawyers who can do something about this. Give the order.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-06-27 07:52|| 2006-06-27 07:52|| Front Page Top

#5 They were even selling year subscriptions for 50% off!

Can't charge full price for FICTION!!!

Posted by ARMYGUY 2006-06-27 08:10|| 2006-06-27 08:10|| Front Page Top

#6 Talk is cheap Dick. You are a member of a body that has been granted, by the people, power to actually do something. I see nothing. It's just like the border issue. Talk, talk, talk. That's how you really create vigilantes. When those in power refuse to carry out their responsibilities they're entrusted with.

Posted by Elmert Jinetle8240 2006-06-27 09:33|| 2006-06-27 09:33|| Front Page Top

#7 Once again, it has been demonstrated that this current adminstration cares little for the rule of law, or violating the privacy of individuals. Further analysis of this program indicates that it has netted only minor players in the terrorist's game and is primarily effective in catching amateur wanna-be's. If it is effective, use the Court's and the Congressional oversight as is required instead of trying to establish an imperial presidency.

Posted by Cynic 2006-06-27 11:08|| 2006-06-27 11:08|| Front Page Top

#8 Critiques based on facts are rather more persuasive than kneejerk rhetoric, Cynic.

The financial tracking via SWIFT was limited to banks, corporations and NGOs. Individuals presumably were id'd via other means once an organization was implicated - that's how Hambali was nabbed, for instance. And most would consider him more than a 3rd tier terror wannabe.

And, Congress WAS involved.

Come on, you can do better than this nonsense.

Posted by lotp 2006-06-27 11:10|| 2006-06-27 11:10|| Front Page Top

#9 Bank Data Is Sifted by U.S. in Secret to Block Terror
Among the successes was the capture of a Qaeda operative, Riduan Isamuddin, better known as Hambali, believed to be the mastermind of the 2002 bombing of a Bali resort, several officials said. The Swift data identified a previously unknown figure in Southeast Asia who had financial dealings with a person suspected of being a member of Al Qaeda; that link helped locate Hambali in Thailand in 2003, they said.

In the United States, the program has provided financial data in investigations into possible domestic terrorist cells as well as inquiries of Islamic charities with suspected of having links to extremists, the officials said.

The data also helped identify a Brooklyn man who was convicted on terrorism-related charges last year, the officials said. The man, Uzair Paracha, who worked at a New York import business, aided a Qaeda operative in Pakistan by agreeing to launder $200,000 through a Karachi bank, prosecutors said.
...
One priority was to cut off the flow of money to Al Qaeda. The 9/11 hijackers had helped finance their plot by moving money through banks. Nine of the hijackers, for instance, funneled money from Europe and the Middle East to SunTrust bank accounts in Florida. Some of the $130,000 they received was wired by people overseas with known links to Al Qaeda.

Crawl back into your mom's basement and die.

Posted by ed 2006-06-27 11:17|| 2006-06-27 11:17|| Front Page Top

#10 who worked at a New York import business,

Like their currency exchanges, very nice covers for action.

Posted by Besoeker 2006-06-27 11:19|| 2006-06-27 11:19|| Front Page Top

#11 This directly from the article:

"Among the successes was the capture of a Qaeda operative, Riduan Isamuddin, better known as Hambali, believed to be the mastermind of the 2002 bombing of a Bali resort, several officials said. The Swift data identified a previously unknown figure in Southeast Asia who had financial dealings with a person suspected of being a member of Al Qaeda; that link helped locate Hambali in Thailand in 2003, they said.

In the United States, the program has provided financial data in investigations into possible domestic terrorist cells as well as inquiries of Islamic charities with suspected of having links to extremists, the officials said.

The data also helped identify a Brooklyn man who was convicted on terrorism-related charges last year, the officials said. The man, Uzair Paracha, who worked at a New York import business, aided a Qaeda operative in Pakistan by agreeing to launder $200,000 through a Karachi bank, prosecutors said."

Also, who knows what current covert investigations are going on. Are they now in jeopardy? How would you like to be some deep cover covert agent dealing directly with a much more sophisticated group of Alquees who are now looking at you with a distrustful eye. "Get in the car, my friend, we need to take a drive."

Find 'em, Fix 'em, and F**k 'em up!

Posted by vietvet68 2006-06-27 11:23|| 2006-06-27 11:23|| Front Page Top

#12 Aw, it had a boner 'n everything. I wonder if Cynic listens to Rush...

Posted by Fliger Unavirong3232 2006-06-27 11:25|| 2006-06-27 11:25|| Front Page Top

#13 If there is not some swift and severe legal action brought against Keller et al then this means nothing to me Mr. VP. Our Founding Fathers are turning in their graves. At least one of them would've offered Mr. Keller "an interview" on the heights for such disrespect.

Posted by Broadhead6 2006-06-27 11:58|| 2006-06-27 11:58|| Front Page Top

#14 (in the voice of Thomas Chong)

wo, cynic bro', I told ya not ta be postin' on the 'berg after we been up all night hittin' the 'sheesh and the ludes, c'mon home now bro', the t.v. set just snowed out and I got some cheetos.......

Posted by Chronic 2006-06-27 12:00|| 2006-06-27 12:00|| Front Page Top

#15 Moreover, and just to pile on, published reports indicate the program operates under court issued warrants and with the knowledge of Congress.

One can be cynical without just making stuff up and hoping it flies.

Posted by Baba Tutu 2006-06-27 13:12|| 2006-06-27 13:12|| Front Page Top

#16 NYTs make lice.

Posted by gromgoru 2006-06-27 17:08|| 2006-06-27 17:08|| Front Page Top

#17 Hey Cynic: Why would the entire administration be upset about SWIFT being outed if it only exposed third-tier terrorists? Nevermind the fact that if you pull on the threads they probably lead to bigger fish.

Also: If you're so smart, why don't you go get yourself elected President and do something about it?

Posted by grb 2006-06-27 19:32|| 2006-06-27 19:32|| Front Page Top

07:43 Procopius2k
07:42 BrerRabbit
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07:34 trailing wife
07:31 Procopius2k
07:30 NN2N1
07:22 NN2N1
07:18 trailing wife
07:14 Richard Aubrey
07:10 NN2N1
07:09 Besoeker
07:03 NN2N1
06:58 NN2N1
06:58 Besoeker
05:28 Whiskey Mike
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