I didn't know this was going on. Raises questions about pressure on the Judge.
Judge Dismisses Khobar Towers Suit Against Iran [Andy McCarthy]
Ken Timmerman, via Newsmax, has the story. Ken reports that the Judge refused to weigh testimony from former high-ranking FBI officials (including former Director Louie Freeh) which implicated Iran:
In an opinion handed down June 6, 2006, Judge Deborah A. Robinson asserted that the plaintiffs "offered no evidence regarding the action of any official, employee or agent" or the Iranian regime, its intelligence ministry (MOIS), or the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, IRGC. ...
In her 45-page ruling, Judge Robinson rejected testimony presented by former FBI Director Louis Freeh and his deputy, Dale Watson, on grounds that they "confined their testimony regarding the involvement of the government of Iran in the bombing of Khobar Towers to their opinions – in the words of Mr. Watson – 'as private citizen[s].'"
However, trial transcript of the Dec. 18, 2003 hearing at which Freeh and Watson testified shows clearly that both sought to describe the FBI investigation into the bombing, but that Judge Robinson actively thwarted their testimony.
At one point, lawyers for the victims asked Freeh, "Did the FBI learn of the involvement of any foreign government in the attack?" Judge Robinson struck the question, and insisted on directing the questioning herself after that.
Freeh went on to testify that six suspects, arrested by the Saudi authorities and interviewed by the FBI – including by him personally – "admitted to us that they were members of Saudi Hezbzollah . . . They implicated several Iranian officials in funding and planning the attack."
Freeh named Iranian government officials who organized the attack, provided funds, and assisted in the logistics of preparing the bomb.
"My own conclusion was that the [Khobar Towers] attack was planned, funded and sponsored by the senior leadership of the Government of Iran," he said. "All the training and the funding was done by the IRGC with support from senior leaders of the Government of Iran."
But Judge Robinson found that evidence from the former FBI Director uncompelling.
The State Department filed an amicus brief in the case ... on behalf of Iran, urging dismissal of the suit.
It should be noted that, after viewing the intelligence made available to it, the 9/11 Commission concluded with respect to Khobar that: "The operation was carried out principally, perhaps exclusively, by Saudi Hezbollah, an organization that had received support from the government of Iran. While the evidence of Iranian involvement is strong, there are also signs that al Qaeda played some role, as yet unknown." 9/11 Commission Report, p. 60 & n.48 (emphasis added).
corner.nationalreview.com |
