] A software engineer from Oregon pleaded guilty Wednesday
] to aiding the Taleban and now faces the likelihood of
] seven to 10 years in jail.
]
] The Justice Department says Maher Hawash, a naturalized
] American citizen of Palestinian descent, pleaded guilty
] to a charge of conspiring to supply services to the
] Taleban following the 2001 terrorist attacks on New York
] and Washington.

Hawash was guilty

Even as White House political aides plot a 2004 campaign plan designed to capitalize on the emotions and issues raised by the September 11 terror attacks, administration officials are waging a behind-the-scenes battle to restrict public disclosure of key events relating to the attacks.

...

By refusing to declassify many of its most significant conclusions, the administration has essentially thwarted congressional plans to release the report by the end of this month, congressional and administration sources tell NEWSWEEK. In some cases, these sources say, the administration has even sought to “reclassify” some material that was already discussed in public testimony—a move one Senate staffer described as “ludicrous.” The administration’s stand has infuriated the two members of Congress who oversaw the report—Democratic Sen. Bob Graham and Republican Rep. Porter Goss.

...

In Graham’s view, the Bush administration isn’t protecting legitimate issues of national security but information that could be a political “embarrassment,” the aide said. Graham, who last year served as Senate Intelligence Committee chairman, recently told NEWSWEEK: “There has been a cover-up of this."

...

... because the document relied so heavily on secret material, the administration “working group,” overseen by CIA director George Tenet, had to first “scrub” the document and determine which portions could be declassified.

More than two months later, the working group came back with its decisions—and some members were flabbergasted. Entire portions remained classified. Some of the report—including some dealing with matters that had been extensively aired in public, such as the now famous FBI “Phoenix memo” of July 2001 reporting that Middle Eastern nationals might be enrolling in U.S. flight schools—were “reclassified.”

...

One portion deals extensively with the stream of U.S. intelligence-agency reports in the summer of 2001 suggesting that Al Qaeda was planning an upcoming attack against the United States—and implicitly raises questions about how Bush and his top aides responded. One such CIA briefing, in July 2001, was particularly chilling and prophetic. It predicted that Osama bin Laden was about to launch a terrorist strike “in the coming weeks,” the congressional investigators found. The intelligence briefing went on to say: “The attack will be spectacular and designed to inflict mass casualties against U.S. facilities or interests. Attack preparations have been made. Attack will occur with little or no warning.”

The substance of that intelligence report was first disclosed at a public hearing last September by staff director Hill. But at the last minute, Hill was blocked from saying precisely who within the Bush White House got the briefing when CIA director Tenet classified the names of the recipients. (One source says the recipients of the briefing included Bush himself.) As a result, Hill was only able to say the briefing was given to “senior government officials.”

...

Hopefully the truth will find its way into the light about 9/11 someday. Bush's administration is doing everything in their power to keep the lid on the truth. It wouldn't help his re-election bid if the public knew he sat on his ass and let it happen.

If you live in America, if you call this your home, wouldn't you like to know everything possible about 9/11? I still want to know why the Air Force was told to stand down that day. I still want to know more about those fishy stock put options and how they were traced back to A.B. Brown. What is the classified information linking the Israeli spy ring in America to 9/11?

Lots of unanswered questions. Keep the issues alive.

The Secrets of September 11

] A federal judge yesterday openly questioned the
] government's ability to prosecute Zacarias Moussaoui at a
] public trial, chastising the "shroud of secrecy" under
] which U.S. intelligence officials have classified a raft
] of pleadings and briefs in the case.

U.S. Secrecy Criticized By Moussaoui Judge (washingtonpost.com)

] A Muslim fundamentalist source claimed Wednesday that
] Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network captured five
] coalition troops in Iraq.
]
] The source who requested anonymity told United Press
] International by telephone that the kidnapping of four
] U.S. troops and a British soldier, took place last
] Saturday in al-Zubair region of southern Iraq, close to
] the Kuwaiti border.
]
] He said the "kidnapped troops will be equally treated as
] al-Qaida prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay."
]
] He said al-Qaida will soon release a videotape of the
] captured soldiers and will ask to swap them with al-Qaida
] suspects being held by the United States.

United Press International: al-Qaida holds coalition troops

] They may be the ones facing danger on the battlefield,
] but US soldiers in Iraq are being asked to pray for
] President George W Bush.
]
] Thousands of marines have been given a pamphlet called "A
] Christian's Duty," a mini prayer book which includes a
] tear-out section to be mailed to the White House pledging
] the soldier who sends it in has been praying for Bush.

So when the bullets and bombs are buzzing around your head, your running out of food, and the stench of burning oil and flesh has got you down, remember brave soldiers... Pray for Bush.

] Sunday's is "Pray that the President and his advisers
] will seek God and his wisdom daily and not rely on
] their own understanding".

Sure.. Yeah.. Troops, remember to go over that one after a Hail Mary or two when the artillary shells are going off around you..

] Monday's reads "Pray that the President and his advisers
] will be strong and courageous to do what is right
] regardless of critics".

[Insert Ashcroft joke here]

US soldiers in Iraq asked to pray for Bush. 30/3/2003. ABC News Online

] Yet what was unthinkable 18 months ago has happened. The
] US has alienated those in the Islamic community who were
] its best hope. The challenge now is to limit the damage.

] Yet what was unthinkable 18 months ago has happened. The
] US has alienated those in the Islamic community who were
] its best hope. The challenge now is to limit the damage.

Osama must be laughing - theage.com.au

] While flipping through the channels last Saturday night
] trying to pick up news on the war, I came across a show
] that was teaching kids about the conflict. It looks like
] the show (or segment) is called Kodomo Nyusu (Kid's
] News). They were using toy props and cartoons to show a
] trio of very glum-looking kids what was happening in
] Iraq. It was too bizzare to pass up, so I grabbed my
] camera and started snapping photos.

Teaching Japanese Children about the Iraq War

] Support our Troops--but only those who Frag their
] commanding officer.

What the FUCK?!

Ok.. Being against the war is _NOT_, I repeat _NOT_ anti-American. Protesting the war, also, is _NOT_ anti-American. This on the otherhand, is over the line.. I cannot accept any argument that advocating fragging is supporting "peace".

Independent Media Center - Peace movement?

] Exchange spokesman Ray Pellechia denied the station's war
] coverage was the cause. Citing "security reasons," he
] said the exchange had chosen to limit the number of
] broadcasters working at the lower Manhattan exchange
] since the war began, giving access only to networks that
] focus "on responsible business coverage."

Backlash against Al-J for showing you what war is like.

Whats the message here?? Don't filter your news the way America wants, and America's economy will not be so open to you? I don't like this.. They should be allowed to cover the NYSE..

Yahoo! News - NYSE Revokes Credentials for Al-Jazeera

] The next target of US after capturing Iraq will be
] replacement of religious government in Iran with a
] secular government as the US forces in Afghanistan have
] already started implementation on action plan in this
] regard.
]
] According to reliable sources, US Central Intelligence
] Agency (CIA) had submitted a detailed 300 pages long
] report to President George Bush in which it was pointed
] out that during possible US attack on Iran religiously
] motivated Jehadi (holy warrior) organizations would
] support Iran from the border areas of Pakistan and
] Afghanistan.

] Sources further revealed that operation being conducted
] by U.S. forces in Afghanistan on March 20 was not
] against Al-Qaeda rather it was against Hizb-e-Islami
] and possible supporters of Iran.

PakTribube | Iran to be US next target: CIA Report