See other Dead Constitution Articles
Title: (Bassem Youssef) Whistleblower effectively gagged by FBI
Source:
Raw Story
URL Source: http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Whist ... tively_gagged_by_FBI_0110.html
Published: Jan 11, 2008
Author: Raw Story
Post Date: 2008-01-11 18:18:42 by robin
Keywords: None
Views: 79
Comments: 5
Bassem Youssef, the highest ranking Arab-American FBI agent, is scheduled to speak to the ALA on January 12. After receiving a warning on January 3, Youssef decided, on the advice of his attorney, to no longer give the originally planned presentation on what he calls "critical failures within the FBI's counterterrorism program," said to undermine not only Americans' basic constitutional rights, but counterterrorism efforts as well. Instead, he will answer prepared questions from audience members. The FBI, between its original clearance in October of 2007 and its recent warning, had become displeased with the contents of an ALA press release dated December 20, 2007, which detailed the planned speech. Says attorney Stephen M. Kohn, "The FBI does not want the general public to know the contents of the censorship provisions it unconstitutionally demands that its agents follow." As the Wall Street Journal reports, Youssef sued the FBI in 2003 alleging discrimination, career sabotage and retaliation, which internal investigations have at least partially substantiated. In the case of Youssef's speech to the American Library Assocation, the FBI stated that it sought to "balance the speech rights of employees with the need to protect classified and sensitive information." The FBI, according to Youssef and Kohn, provided Youssef with a list of requirements, not previously published, by which he would be bound. "Although I understand the document contains no confidential information," says Kohn in a letter to the ALA, "the FBI does not want the general public to know the contents of the censorship provisions it unconstitutionally demands that its agents follow."
In what his attorney is calling censorship, an FBI whistleblower is being severely limited on what he is allowed to share with an audience at an upcoming trade meeting.
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: palo verde, Zipporah, Red Jones, buckeye (#0)
whistle ping
Ron Paul for President - Join a Ron Paul Meetup group today! www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18028499
Thanks for the link. There was a whistleblower conference about a year ago, where several came together to speak. I'll bet it would be valuable research to understand where their experiences intersect.
Ron Paul for President - Join a Ron Paul Meetup group today! Bassem Youssef is not arguing against violations of the 4th amendment. As I understood my brief hearing of a part of the NPR program yesterday, he is basically saying that the FBI doesn't have enough cultural awareness, due to a combination of factors. He's for more skilled application of domestic intelligence. His complaints reveal that a number of Americans are under surveillance who shouldn't be, and others who ought to be, mainly because intelligence services don't have the ability to discern the difference. Sibel was fired for bringing disturbing information to her superiors, in part due to her ability to translate from languages in these cultures, which can be seen as incidentally related. Sibel and Bassem seem to differ on the focus of their anti-establishment criticisms in that Sibel thinks there is more than incompetence and prejudice going on. They both are very pessimistic, and both appear to be getting a significant amount of interference from their FBI handlers. The thought struck me that Bassem's interference could be a little less subtle than Sibel's.
interesting analysis, thanks
Ron Paul for President - Join a Ron Paul Meetup group today!
The Revolution will not be televised!
#2. To: robin (#1)
NPR's coverage of this story yesterday. No mention of Sibel. It's like she doesn't exist.
#3. To: buckeye (#2)
The Revolution will not be televised!
#4. To: robin (#3)
#5. To: buckeye (#4)
The Revolution will not be televised!
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest