With all the controversy concerning the recent stern Schakowsky denials, Sibel Edmonds's interview in The American Conservative Magazine has some corrobation in recent comments by former FBI Counterintelligence and Counterespionage Manager John Cole. Setting aside the Schakowsky disagreements, it is worth noting and is another reason Congress should not stonewall any longer and should investigate how much our security has been compromised. The current healthcare debate alone should indicate how much money and connections influence decisions of those in office.
John M. Cole, a former FBI Counterintelligence and Counterespionage Manager, has publicly confirmed FBI’s decade long investigation of the former State Department Official. According to Cole, as in over one hundred cases involving Israeli espionage activities within the US government, this case too has been covered up and buried despite mountains of evidence collected.
Here is the public response from John Cole after the publication of The American Conservative magazine’s cover story:
"I read the recent cover story by The American Conservative magazine. I applaud their courage in publishing this significant interview. I am fully aware of the FBI's decade-long investigation of the High-level State Department Official named in this article, Marc Grossman, which ultimately was buried and covered up. It is long past time to investigate this case and bring about accountability..."
In November 2006, in an article published by CQ on covered up espionage cases involving Israel, Cole was quoted extensively:
"John M. Cole, an FBI spy catcher who retired in 2004, says that from 1993 to 1995 alone, he had "125 open cases" of Israeli espionage, representing nearly half of all the investigations carried on in his Global Unit, part of the now-defunct National Security division." Inside the FBI itself, Cole said, tracking suspected Israeli spies was hush-hush.In a sharp break with FBI procedures, he was prohibited from notifying field offices when an investigation crept into their jurisdictions. "No one was supposed to know we were investigating the Israelis," Cole said."
Stein’s article quoted several other FBI officials confirming Cole’s disclosure:
"The 125 figure "makes sense," another former top FBI counterintelligence official said, speaking only on condition that he not be identified because of the issue’s sensitivity. This official called the Israeli embassy’s denials "horse [manure]." In fact, he said, U.S. officials repeatedly warned the Israelis to back off. But the finger-wagging only seemed to energize them. "We would call them in, call them on the carpet, and next week there would be 10 more cases," he said. The Justice Department never seemed much interested in prosecuting them, he and other counterintelligence veterans said. Agents would get pissed off," said the former top official. "We knew they were going to walk, that they were going to get a pass. . . . It was frustrating.""
John M. Cole, Former Veteran Intelligence Operations Specialist, worked for 18 years in the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division as an Intelligence Operations specialist and counterespionage manager. Cole is the author of While America Sleeps, which will be available in bookstores this November.
Read the whole story here at Sibel Edmonds's Blog.