Secret Program cancelled by Panetta was plan to target Al Quaeda

by albertacowpoke | July 13, 2009 at 10:14 am

152 views | 48 Recommendations | 12 comments

Last week Democratic Senators were referring to a CIA briefing by Leon Panetti, that alleged that a secret CIA program had been canceled by Panetti that had been kept from Congress.

As the story developed there were allegations that Dick Cheney had personally ordered the CIA to keep this from Congress. Republicans alleged that this was an effort to bail out House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from her statement that the CIA had lied to Congress.

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, the secret initiative canceled by Leon Panetti was an attempt to carry out a 2001 presidential authorization to capture or kill Al Quaeda operatives. The WSJ contributes this story to former intelligence officials familiar with the matter.

The CIA was acting on a 2001 presidential legal pronouncement, known as a finding, which authorized the CIA to pursue such efforts.

WASHINGTON -- A secret Central Intelligence Agency initiative terminated by Director Leon Panetta was an attempt to carry out a 2001 presidential authorization to capture or kill al Qaeda operatives, according to former intelligence officials familiar with the matter.

The precise nature of the highly classified effort isn't clear, and the CIA won't comment on its substance.

According to current and former government officials, the agency spent money on planning and possibly some training. It was acting on a 2001 presidential legal pronouncement, known as a finding, which authorized the CIA to pursue such efforts. The initiative hadn't become fully operational at the time Mr. Panetta ended it.

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cyn.khoo

at 15:54 on July 13th, 2009

Interesting, thanks for the coverage.

albertacowpoke

at 15:59 on July 13th, 2009

Thank you cyn.khoo for commenting and recommending

Roy C

at 16:19 on July 13th, 2009

Apparently, it is legal not to inform congress of operations being planned. Only when the intention to actively implement the program is immediate is there an obligation to inform congress.

Otherwise the CIA would have to keep congress up-to-date on all manner of speculation.

albertacowpoke

at 16:28 on July 13th, 2009

This is one of the comments Arlen Spectar made in his opening remarks at the Sotomayor confirmation hearings. He commented to her that he would be interested in her criteria of what cases should be heard by the Supreme Court. Spectar quoted the wire tapping law and the recent secret CIA program. Those cases were rejected by the Supreme Court and in Spectar's words have caused confusion in the law. He said that it is not known whether or not to brief Congress on this issue is legal or illegal.
Link to Sotomayors hearings is here

marianmo

at 16:38 on July 13th, 2009

an interesting story , thank you for this story

Michael_Johnston (not verified)

at 09:09 on July 15th, 2009

A few years ago, I was a diehard patriotic American and believer in the US's democratic principles who could not imagine the US government engaging in severe human rights violations. But sadly, I've witnessed a number of things which have made me realize I had a naive perception of the US government (at least parts of it). Unfortunately, unless one has been directly affected by some of these violations, they would just seem so unbelievable, most Americans would not be able to believe it. But ultimately, it will reach, affect and destroy everyone. And if you think it won't have anything to do with you, mark my words ... in time IT WILL!!! Americans, it's your responsibility to become aware, educate yourself, take time to understand some of these violations going on right now on American soil and TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOURSELF NOW! There is a massive disinformation campaign to conceal these human rights violations and the standard government protocol will be an to attempt to brush off your inquiry and concerns as delusionary or conspiracy nonsense. DON'T BE FOOLED AND MANIPULATED! GET TO THE TRUTH! AND LOBBY THE GOOD PEOPLE IN OUR GOVERNMENT TO STOP THIS BURGEONING EVIL, TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, TO RESTORE AMERICA TO ITS RIGHT PATH AND PRESERVE OUR GREAT DEMOCRATIC NATION! Read these articles to start educating and protecting yourself:

http://www.haarp.net/tennessee.htm

http://www.newswithviews.com/Peterson/rosalind117.htm

It's your responsibility to find out. IT'S ABOUT YOUR COUNTRY! IT'S ABOUT YOUR AND YOUR FAMILIES' LIVES! GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

Mike

OurGreatNation (not verified)

at 10:14 on July 15th, 2009

Mike,

Interesting articles. You're right about the disinformation campaign, there's a lot of wacko information deliberately being disseminated to hide the truth about these human rights violations on American ground ... and ironically, the truth seems so science-fiction, no one could believe it to be true unless like you said, he or she has had a direct experience with it.

I agree if anyone cares about his or her family or children, Americans have to educate themselves on this. It's a tough information arena to navigate with all the crazy disinformation deliberately being spread especially on the net, you have to be very careful about your information sources. A good source to start with to get a sold understanding is the book "Controlling the Human Mind : The Technologies of Political Control" by Dr. Nick Begich. (Don't let the title throw you, just read it!) You'll realize what seems like science fiction is actually a frightening reality.

Good luck! Tim