Report: FBI Translater Sibel Edmonds Improperly Terminated
The Inspector General's summary report on FBI translater Sibel Edmonds is out. It finds she was fired for reporting misconduct. The ACLU, which represented Edmonds, says (in press release to be online soon):
According to today’s summary, the Inspector General’s investigation found that many of Edmonds’ claims “were supported, that the FBI did not take them seriously enough, and that her allegations were, in fact, the most significant factor in the FBI’s decision to terminate her services.....the Inspector General states, “By terminating Edmonds’ services, in large part because of her allegations of misconduct, the FBI’s actions also may have the effect of discouraging others from raising concerns.”
There's more discredit to the FBI contained in the report summary:
The Inspector General’s summary also criticizes the agency for not investigating Edmonds’ allegations more thoroughly, comparing the FBI’s mishandling of Edmonds’ allegations to the mishandling of the case involving former FBI counterintelligence agent Robert Hanssen, who pled guilty to spying for the Soviet Union. The summary states that Edmonds’ claims “raised serious concerns that, if true, could potentially have extremely damaging consequences for the FBI.”
ACLU's Associate Legal Director Ann Beeson says,
“The Inspector General report leaves no doubt that John Ashcroft hid behind the state secrets privilege to cover up serious wrongdoing within the FBI....The government’s drastic actions to deny Ms. Edmonds her right to a day in court make a mockery of national security and the Constitution. Government employees who risk their careers to expose breaches in national security or misconduct are true American patriots and should be applauded, not punished.”
More on Edmunds case from the ACLU is available here.
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