Judicial Watch September 11 Pentagon Videos

"Defense Department Releases September 11 Pentagon Video to Judicial Watch

Department of Defense Responds to Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act Request and Related Lawsuit

(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that Department of Defense released a videotape to Judicial Watch at 1:00 p.m. this afternoon that shows American Airlines Flight 77 striking the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. The Department of Defense released the videotape in response to a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act request and related lawsuit.

"This is in response to your December 14, 2004 Freedom of Information Act Request, FOIA appeal of March 27, 2005, and complaint filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia," wrote William Kammer, Chief of the Department of Defense, Office of Freedom of Information. "Now that the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui is over, we are able to complete your request and provide the video."

Judicial Watch originally filed a Freedom of Information Act request on December 15, 2004, seeking all records pertaining to September 11, 2001 camera recordings of the Pentagon attack from the Sheraton National Hotel, the Nexcomm/Citgo gas station, Pentagon security cameras and the Virginia Department of Transportation. The Department of Defense admitted in a January 26, 2005 letter that it possessed a videotape responsive to Judicial Watch's request. However, the Pentagon refused to release the videotape because it was, "part of an ongoing investigation involving Zacarias Moussaoui." Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit on February 22, 2006 arguing that there was "no legal basis" for the Defense Department's refusal to release the tape.

"We fought hard to obtain this video because we felt that it was very important to complete the public record with respect to the terrorist attacks of September 11," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

"Finally, we hope that this video will put to rest the conspiracy theories involving American Airlines Flight 77. As always, our prayers remain with all those who suffered as a result of those murderous attacks."

A copy of the video is available on Judicial Watch's Internet site, www.judicialwatch.org.

Judicial Watch a non-partisan, educational foundation organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code. Judicial Watch is dedicated to fighting government and judicial corruption and promoting a return to ethics and morality in our nation's public life."

Judicial Watch September 11 Pentagon Video 1 of 2



Judicial Watch September 11 Pentagon Video 2 of 2

1984 is finally here

President Bush says Americans' privacy is secure despite a massive data mining operation

First published: Sunday, May 14, 2006

Ever since last December, when news reports began to indicate that the government's domestic spying program might be more extensive than originally thought, there was good reason for Americans to fear that their privacy, and basic liberties, were at risk. Now those fears have been justified after an article in Thursday's USA Today described just how extensive the spying is. According to the report, the National Security Agency is attempting to track every phone call made within the U.S. to detect patterns that could suggest terrorist activity. Unlike the NSA's other controversial, and likely illegal spying program -- that is, the warrantless surveillance of U.S. citizens' international phone calls and e-mails -- the surveillance is limited to collecting numbers and storing them in a data base. The agency isn't listening in on the contents of the phone calls it is tracking, and only numbers are collected, not names or addresses, although they could easily be retrieved. Nonetheless, the scope of the surveillance is breathtaking, and the willingness of the country's major phone companies -- only Qwest had the courage and principle to refuse to turn over records -- is frightening. It means Americans' phone records can be traced without their knowledge or consent, even though they are not suspected of any wrongdoing, let alone any connection to terrorists. But Mr. Bush, in responding to the latest revelations, assured Americans that their privacy is "fiercely protected in all our activities. Our efforts are focused on al-Qaida and their known associates." That is becoming harder to believe as more information comes out. As an angry Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., put it, "Are you telling me that tens of millions of Americans are involved with al-Qaida?" Mr. Bush's denials are all too typical of a White House that continues to tell the public it can be trusted to use surveillance powers appropriately. In truth, the more citizens learn about the spying, the less reason they have to trust government. That's largely because the full truth about these programs hasn't been told. Instead, it unfolds day to day, month to month. The obvious question that raises is: What else is the government hiding? There's no question that government has an obligation to spy on suspected terrorists who may be operating within the U.S., or contacting U.S. citizens from abroad. But the surveillance must be within the law. That means going to a secret court to obtain warrants before wiretapping phone calls or intercepting e-mails. And it means respecting the privacy of innocent Americans at all times. Regrettably, the Bush administration has been flouting the rules for some time, and Congress has been too meek to challenge it. Perhaps now, with the latest revelations, Congress will find the spine to stand up for basic liberties.

Source: Albany Times Union
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=...5/14/2006