There's been a lot of huffing and puffing by some on this website as of late. Apparently, many are disconcerted to learn that Sibel Edmonds' allegations are of a Turkish espionage web that engulfed not only hated Republicans like Dan Burton, Dennis Hastert and Roy Blount, but also Democrats like Stephen Solarz and possibly...but not definitely, Jan Schakowsy. Many have tried to further poke holes in the story based on the fact that a recent American Conservative interview with Edmonds had one key point about Schakowsky wrong: her mother died in the 1980s, so she could not have been escorted by a Turkish agent to the funeral in 2000-2001.
But before everyone dismisses the story, they should try to recall this letter sent by Senators Charles Grassley and Patrick Leahy in 2002, when Edmonds first blew the whistle about espionage in the FBI:
http://www.thememoryhole.org/...
Ms. Edmonds alleged that the same contract monitor once worked for an organization associated with the target of a counter-intelligence investigation and that the monitor had unreported contacts with a foreign national who was a member of the target institution. Additionally, Ms. Edmonds states that some of the mistranslated recordings on which the monitor actually worked contained conversations by this same foreign national with whom the monitor had such contacts...
Even after verifying these allegations, the FBI downplayed the importance of this matter and seemed to imply that it had ceased looking into the complaints as a security matter until after the Inspector General Office finishes its investigation.
At the time, the matter was so highly classified the fact that Edmonds was a translator of Turkish could not even be mentioned in the letter. But notice that what is said in this paragraph is entirely consistent with what Edmonds is saying now. Substitute "American Turkish Council" for "organization" and you pretty much have the story.
Here is what Grassley said on 60 Minutes:
Absolutely, she's credible. And the reason I feel she's very credible is because people within the FBI have corroborated a lot of her story.
OK, I dislike Grassley as much as anyone for his right-wing nutty positions on most issues, including Social Security and health care. But he is generally considered to be better than most Republicans on whistleblower issues. Plus, in the first instance, he issued a bipartisan letter with Patrick Leahy, whom we all know and respect.
Folks, it is plain and simple. You do not have to believe every last detail of Sibel's story. Perhaps there are instances where she heard raw data and reasonable people can disagree as to what the intelligence means. But by no means can she be called a fabricator or fantasist, because the FBI had to reluctantly admit there was much truth in her allegations, even if they, as Grassley said, "downplayed the importance of this matter".
Finally, I would like to paraphrase Al Pacino from one of my favorite movies, ...And Justice for All:
"Why would she lie? What is her motive? Is it money? No. Is it jealousy? No. Yesterday, I found out. She doesn't have a motive. You know why? Because she's not lying".