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(Washington, DC) -
For Immediate Release
Contact: John Judge 202-225-1955
In a recent public statement, 9/11 family members spoke out on continuing refusal by the Transportation Security Administration to release files used in a public prosecution of a terrorist responsible for the attacks. Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA 4th) supports them and adds a call to release all non-classified documents, interviews and forensic evidence from the 9/11 Commission files.
Grace Parkinson-Godshalk of Yardley, Penna., whose son, William Godshalk, died at the World Trade Center, complains that TSA refuses to comply with U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema's multiple orders to turn over to the 9/11 Families all non-SSI information it provided to convicted terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui's attorneys. U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein has termed TSA's efforts to withhold documents "lawyers' games" which have caused "intolerable" delay that is "cruel and inhuman to the people involved."
Julie Sweeney Roth of Yarmouthport, Massachusetts, whose husband, Brian Sweeney, was a passenger on United Flight 175, pointed out that TSA took four years to turn over to the 9/11 Families the Checkpoint Operations Guide (COG) that was in effect on 9/11 and did so only after it became apparent the House was prepared to pass language putting controls on TSA's abuses in designating documents as Sensitive Security Information (SSI). "By TSA's own admission, this COG was non-operational after 9/11, so keeping this document from us did nothing to protect aviation security - but it did protect the aviation industry," said Sweeney Roth "In fact," she said, "TSA seems more concerned with retaining unchecked, unwarranted and unaccountable authority to keep secrets than it does with its real mission of protecting the nation's transportation system."
"Contrary to TSA's misleading statements, we are not challenging the SSI system," Parkinson-Godshalk said. "The Senate should swiftly enact the House language establishing fair and responsible procedures for SSI and bring a renegade agency under control."
Rep. Cynthia McKinney agrees, "The Transportation Security Administration's excessive secrecy proves that the agency must be brought under strong oversight to inform the public on the war on terrorism, and reveal what is known about the 9/11 suspects." Rep. McKinney calls on the Senate to pass Section 525 of the House DHS Appropriations bill, which would require TSA to:
' -- Release all information that is more than three years old and not incorporated in a current, active transportation security directive or plan unless TSA demonstrates a compelling reason why it would present a risk of harm to the nation;
-- Standardize and justify its practices for classifying documents as secret; and
-- Turn over documents requested by a judge in a legal proceeding unless TSA demonstrates a compelling reason why it would present a risk of harm to the nation.' |
