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15 April 2014 FBI Sought Informant from Defense Team
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From: Connell, James G III CIV OSD OMC Defense
<James.Connell2[at]osd.mil> Military judge issues order to reveal government questioning FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: James Connell (5322) 5168 Alternate: Erin Daste (5322) 5321 GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA After the recess of military commission proceedings today, Judge James Pohl issued an order requiring any current or past member of a defense team to disclose any government questioning regarding the case, regardless of any non-disclosure agreement. (AE292C). Earlier today, the military commission heard argument from the defense in the 9/11 military commission alleging that the FBI sought to turn a member of the defense team for Ramzi bin al Shibh into a confidential informant. Counsel for all five 9/11 accused asked the military judge to conduct an inquiry into the potential conflict of interest created by this latest in a series of breaches of defense confidentiality. "The FBI's ill-advised attempt to turn a member of the defense team against its own is disgraceful. We look forward to a full inquiry by Military Judge Pohl," said Lt Col Sterling R. Thomas, USAF, an experienced prosecutor who is now detailed to defend Ammar al Baluchi. At the close of today's session this morning, Judge Pohl requested that defense counsel question members of their team to find out if the FBI has similarly approached others in an attempt to create informants. He also gave counsel until 1700 Wednesday 16 April 2014 to provide the court with proposed orders to produce witnesses and documents. "These men have plenty of reasons to suspect their defense teams already, and the government is simply trying to exacerbate that tension," said James Connell, civilian counsel for Ammar al Baluchi. "The government has tortured these men, planted bugs in the attorney-client spaces, read their legal mail, and now attempted to recruit an informant from within a defense team. What is next?" James Connell and Lt Col Sterling Thomas, United States Air Force, are detailed counsel for Ammar al Baluchi, also known as Ali Abdul Aziz Ali. ###
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