1996 – Dhahran, Saudi Arabia: Intrigue & Menace Co-Mingle: As calls to prayer waft along the currents of desert winds, Islamic Terrorists were preparing to launch their deadly plan to bomb Khobar Towers. Looking like any other modern high-rise, Khobar Towers were originally built by the Saudi Government to house Bedouin Nomads. The Bedouin Arabs found the permanent housing too confining, hard, unlike their tents which gave them a sense of belonging to the desert. They had been the people of the desert since biblical times. The emptied buildings are occupied by the U.S. Military.
These are the buildings where our Air Force Pilots and hundreds of U.S. Military personnel are housed. The Airman were our daily guardians of the 'no-fly' zone. Guarded inside the perimeter by U.S. forces, the outer side of the perimeter was guarded by the Saudi’s. How much certain elements of the Saudi Government knew in advance about the bombing is still a big question.
Division of responsibility for protection of Khobar Towers was allegedly shared
by the Saudi Government and the U.S.
June – 1996: Embarking on a new assignment in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, Army Intelligence Officer, CPT. James Allen Brady, III asked the CIA to prepare an analysis of threats from Islamic Terrorists in the Middle East. Now declassified, the analysis provided a chilling look into the heart of the growing hate Militant Terrorists had for all Americans, especially those on Saudi Soil. It is clear that Air Force Intelligence was watching, but an Army Major discredited CPT. Brady’s findings.
Hezbollah was about to punish U.S. Military for the beheadings of convicted Terrorists in Saudi Arabia by the Saudi government. The U.S. was standing at the doorway to violent, menacing Jihadists who would stop at nothing to kill Americans. We were their targets and some Army Intelligence Officials were looking in the wrong places.
Arriving in Dhahran, Captain Brady discovered that the Army’s Counter intelligence section had absolutely no current data base on terrorist groups or anti U.S. groups; no current data base on terrorists operating in Dhahran or even in Saudi Arabia.
Even worse, despite the November, 95 bombing in Riyadh, and several terrorist threats during 95/96, no counter intelligence force protection program had been implemented to identify potential threats to U.S. lives, property or interests in Saudi Arabia. No effort had been taken to template or forecast types or locations of possible terrorist attacks.
When Captain Brady queried the Counterintelligence Commander, he acknowledged them and said that Counterintelligence was short handed in personnel, only five to six agents. At approximately 1800 hours, Brady briefed Major Langdorf, ARCENT-SA G2, on the force protection deficiencies.
He responded by trivializing CPT. Brady’s concerns. Brady was ordered to 'stay in his lane.' To stay in the 'receive not transmit' mode. The angry Major said Brady was overreacting to events and did not have the experience or expertise to criticize his operations or Counterintelligence Section. He threw the 'Force Protection analysis' at Brady. Risking his own career was nothing new for Jim Brady. Despite orders to halt his 'Rear Area Threat Assessment,' he began his own 'Saudi Arabia terrorist threat data base.' Unaware that he was being watched, by the Major, Brady collected as much intelligence data as possible. Ultimately his 85 page ' Rear Area Threat Assessment' report predicted an imminent bombing at Khobar Towers. His report called for a Security elevation to THREAT CON CHARLIE
immediately.
The phone rang. One of Brady’s fellow officers had a hurried message, warning him to get back to his offices immediately. When Brady walked in, he found an officer stuffing stacks of reports, records, files, projects into his arms. Alarmed, CPT. Brady asked the officer to make sure that the report would be properly protected.
That afternoon, Brady was informed that his reports and records had been destroyed. On 13, June/96, SPC, Jonathan Tasso, ISE Intelligence Analyst, advised CPT. Brady that he had walked in on SFC Porter shredding all of his files. Porter was taking orders from Maj. Langdorf who later stated that the the Brady report had not been destroyed but secured for safe keeping.
The Brady Rear Area Threat Assessment never reappeared.
The Saudi Arabia terrorist threat reports were among the allegedly destroyed documents. CPT. Brady’s documents vividly predicted the bombing.
Under a cover of darkness, terrorists could be seen drawing pictures of the two Khobar Towers buildings outside the perimeter of the U.S. compound. On other occasions they would ram their trucks into the Jersey Barriers to see how close they could get to the fence. As a result of this Elites TV story, new evidence has emerged indicating that the Air Force Commander had ordered nightly videotaping of the terrorist activity outside the Khobar Towers compound. These Air Force video tapes would have corroborated CPT. Brady’s analysis.
One of the strangest pieces of information to emerge is the fact that some of the terrorists were disguised as women. Saudi women are never allowed out at night alone. Another officer has come forth claiming that a Saudi tanker truck was seen almost daily spraying for mosquitoes.
During the week of the bombing, 5000 lbs of C4 explosives had been imported into Dhahran from Syria. The telltale signs of an impending attack were significant. Again, Brady alerted his Command to elevate security to THREATCON CHARLIE.
He was ignored.
Working 18 hours daily, keeping up with his normal workload during the day and threat intelligence work at night, he was exhausted. His head hit the steering wheel when his car ran into a sand dune. Brady fell asleep at the wheel. He was treated at the Khobar Army Clinic. Several days of mild post-concussion symptoms followed.
His Commander used that incident as an opportunity to remove CPT. Brady from the compound, ordering an insidious psyche evaluation at Landstuhl Medical Facility in Germany. It would serve as cover for not having acted on the bombing warning.
As Brady was being pronounced 'perfectly fit for duty,' Khobar Towers was bombed. Nineteen airman were killed, almost 400 wounded or maimed. Captain James Allen Brady never got over this incident. It ranked as the most deadly attack on American citizens abroad. He blamed himself. An internalized, deep sense of remorse and guilt for not having had the guts to break ranks with his report plagued him for years. In Army culture, the soldier is taught to 'suck it up.' Driving such grief deep down inside his gut would have repercussions years later.
Arriving back at the base after being found fit for duty, a desperate Brady tried to find the missing documents, to no avail. An investigation of the bombing was ordered by President Bill Clinton. FBI Director, Louis Freeh advised Sandy Berger, Deputy National Security Adviser that Iran was behind the bombing. Berger’s response was 'who else knows about this?' Clinton was seeking rapprochement with Iran.
General Wayne Downing’s, 52 FBI Agents on the ground at Khobar Towers were never told of the 85 page report predicting the bombing. It is not even known if the Agents ever interviewed the Major in charge.
In 1997, after a year of protest, Captain Brady was finally interviewed by two FBI Agents for 20 minutes. His immediate observation was that they were only going through the motions and showed no real interest.
Yet, General Downing’s report noted that Brigadier General Schwalier, in charge at Khobar Towers, was poorly served by those under his command.
U.S. Senator Steps in........Arlen Spector, U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania conducted his own investigation of the missing 85 page report in 1997.
No report! No action!
What do Captain Brady’s former Military Intelligence Commanders have to say about these incidents: Plenty! Kendall Gott, MAJ, MI Deputy Brigade S-3 wrote in January of 2000, 'Captain Brady was clearly made a scapegoat by his senior officers during his tour of duty in Saudi Arabia, as evidenced by the insidious psychiatric evaluation he was forced to endure and strong indicators that responsible officers engaged in a deliberate program of providing themselves cover.
Gott goes on to write 'It is key to note that much of CPT. Brady’s additional evidence, fifty-one pages in total were actually available at the time of the Brigade’s original AR-6, but had been withheld improperly or incorrectly. None of his documents were included or considered during the original AR-6 investigation.
More evidence of an insidious attempt to discredit Captain Brady exists. COL. Commanding, James Ward, who held administrative UCMJ authority over CPT. Brady wrote that he had never ordered a 'Letter of Reprimand against CPT. Brady. The LOR meant to discredit Brady was clearly improper.'
Army, SGT. Major, Ann E. Miller wrote, 'Specialist Jonathan Tasso, a Counter intelligence Analyst who served with CPT. Brady in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia said that CPT. Brady had been 'in the right' and had been 'royally screwed.' The incident so effected Specialist Tasso that he felt no desire to remain in the Army.'
February, 2001 – The Army Board for Correction of Military Records wrote: The board recognizes all the effort that you,(Captain Brady) put into your Rear Area Threat Assessment, that may have prevented the Khobar Towers bombing, had it been acted upon.'
It’s one thing for Military Commanders to retaliate against those who try to do the right thing, quite another to enable conditions that allowed a terrorist attack to take place.
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Saudi Arabia: The Saudi Kingdom harbors many Hezbollah cells. One of the terrorists admitted to Saudi Authorities that he had been involved in surveilling Khobar Towers. These were the surveillances written about in the original Brady report. Hezbollah terrorists are Iran’s agents of terror. Bombing takes emotional toll on Captain Brady.....images of wounded and dead haunt him for years.
2001 – Shortly after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, a Reserve Army Captain illegally obtained the password to the highly restricted NAVAIR Website. He was asked by officials what his interest was and under whose orders he was operating. The officer gave names of two Superiors. No one guessed he was lying or what was coming.
April 2003 - Captain James Brady, III, Intel Officer, U.S. Army, 85th Division, Indianapolis, contacted me to help him publicize a serious security breach involving illegal sales on ebay of Restricted, Class 'C' US Army, Navy, Air Force, Jet Fighter and other Counter-intelligence manuals. With the Khobar Towers Towers bombing incident fresh in his mind, CPT. Brady vowed he would never again allow people to die because he had failed to act.
National Security for Sale - Surfing the web with his girlfriend, a Navair Propulsion Engineer, Alan Wirth, the Boeing Sr. Flight Test Engineer for the FA/18E accidentally discovered his current NATOPS Fighter and Performance Manuals for sale on ebay. Wirth immediately sent an urgent email to NAVAIR OFFICIALS stating, 'these guys just don’t understand how dangerous these sales are.' At that point (NCIS) Naval Criminal Investigative Services’ investigators identified, Army Reserve Officer, CPT. Jeffrey Jones as the man who falsified credentials to gain access to the password into NAVAIR’s Secure/Restricted, Website.
Jones downloaded the manuals and sold them on his website for profit. In doing so he altered the front pages of the manuals, removing the 'Restricted, For Official Use Only' statements, as well as 'Destruction Notice Warnings' urging destruction to avoid compromise of material contained in the manuals.
Terrorists now had easy access to flight manuals of all U.S. jet fighter planes And their electronics systems. CPT Brady, asserted that Army officials allowed sales of restricted, sensitive, Class C, jet Fighter Manuals auctioned on eBay to continue. They also prevented intervention by the FBI, Army Intelligence Officer,
Army Whistleblower: Brady said, 'sale of Manuals describing entire electronic systems of our Jet Fighter planes including their vulnerabilities, raised potential for terrorists to compromise the U.S. during a tactical military operation or jam their radar.'
Brady, a 22 year career Intelligence Officer and recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal charged that U.S. Army Commanders at the 85th Division in Indianapolis failed to adequately discipline a Reserve Officer who had illegally downloaded the databases of Restricted, Sensitive manuals to sell-for-profit on his eBay Website, GovPubs.com.
The officer selling the manuals bragged he had made about $100,000 on sales of government publications. He never mentioned sales of restricted Manuals. They were dispersed in between unrestricted publications. Despite removal of his clearance and an order to 'Cease & Desist' his activities, he continued to list the following for sale, only removing Naval Fighter Flight Manuals.
U.S. Air Force F-16 and F15E Operations manuals, NASA Space Station manuals; Federal Air traffic Control Manuals; Navy Electronic Warfare manuals and Electro-magnetic Interference Manuals; U.S. Air Traffic Control Manuals and 17 others.
Brady charged that his command had failed to properly end the officer's sale of manuals putting our Jet Fighter Pilots and military ground forces at risk. Brady’s numerous requests to seek FBI intervention were emphatically denied.
A flashback to Khobar Towers: Fear ran through his veins. Brady was derided with an 'you MI guys are all alike, seeing a conspiracy under every stone. Relax, do your job.' That came from Colonel Bartran, Commander at the 85th.
Navy investigators admitted they were most concerned about the sale of the operations manual describing the EA-6B Prowler, which provides an umbrella of protection over strike aircraft, ground troops and ships by jamming enemy radar, electronic data links and communications.
On April 8th, 2003, I met with Counter Intelligence Special Agents from the Philadelphia FBI Offices. Ultimately, their investigation landed in the Chicago Bureau. Naval Criminal Investigative Services continues its open investigation.
Brady Breaks the UCMJ: He told me he was ripped up inside, scared. Although not as serious as the Khobar Towers bombing, long term effects of sales of Jet Fighter manuals had serious consequences. A significant purchaser trading under a strange front 'gfturandot' purchased 17 manuals in eight days. Army Intel said that the purchaser kept hiding, changing his identify.
Brady believed that obtaining a transfer could provide an opportunity for new Commander to call in the FBI. That was to be his undoing. Garroted, thwarted, at every turn by negligent Commanders, he embarked on an unusual plan of action. 'In a notarized Affidavit, CPT. Brady stated his intent to break the UCMJ in a manner that would not hurt anyone.
'No longer able to be an unwilling participant in a security breach coverup, he notarized A' Statement of Intent' to engage in what he thought was a small act that would result only in a 'Letter of Reprimand' and be transferred. On that specific date, he removed about $30 worth of toiletries from the Selfridge, PX in front of the security camera. His plan was to return the items, then inform his Superiors. This was the fatal mistake that resulted in sacrificing his career. A giddy Col. Bartran saw this as his chance to get rid of this whistleblower.
Captain Brady was brought before a Board of Inquiry. I testified at that Inquiry hearing and can attest to the perjury and jury tampering that took place. Colonel Bartran falsely testified that the Manuals were all 'open source.' 'That the FBI had been in it from the gitko.' JAG Officer, LTC. Alexander Murphy mysteriously developed amnesia, forgetting that he was one of the Army officers involved in the CPT.Jones Investigation about manuals sales.
Colonel Gloria Maser, Board Chair ordered him to stand down. Colonel Bartran had to be asked to leave the witness chair because he was so out of order. Previously, Murphy lied to MAJ. Marc Chmiewelski who was prepared to endorse Brady’s retention. JAG Officer, LTC. Murphy said ' in all likelihood the notarized statement was not properly validated and a bullshit argument.' At the Inquiry, they testified that the Notarized 'Statement of Intent' was valid.
Although, I was warned not to discuss Khobar Towers or the illegal eBay sales, I did. That’s what this case was about. CPT. Brady was removed form the Army with an Honorable Discharge, with a caveat. All healthcare cut off in one day.
Captain Jeffrey Jones, Reserve, was quickly retired out at age 39 with full, benefits, pension, in the 'Ready Reserves.' Naval Criminal Investigative Services has the Jones investigation open and considering Federal Prosecution.
The United States Army Chain-of-Command up to an including, General Peter Pace, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff continues to cover up for Captain Jones. In his 27 January letter to me, he referred to illegal sales on ebay of fighter manuals as 'Captain Brady’s allegations.' Every three and four-star General received documents. They are aware these are not allegations. They are fact! Counter Intelligence FBI Agents in Philadelphia continue to monitor the ebay sales case.
Only the FBI and Naval Criminal Investigative Services have served our national security interests well. The U.S. Army continues their blatant stonewalling. A 'good old boy' network in the Chain of Command bumps distortions up and down the chain. In these times of dangerous security matters and threats from Al Qaeda and Hezbollah, we need Intelligence experts who will be permitted to do their jobs without fear of reprisal.
Where The Story Stands:
James Allen Brady, a soldier who was willing to fall upon his sword to save lives, is currently in Iraq working for contractors under dangerous conditions.
He has been promoted twice this year. Testimony to his intelligence and capabilities. In the eyes of many, he is a hero. His treatment can hardly qualify as just or fair. If this nation continues to kill off its 'messengers, its sentinels' we will have abdicated our futures to the incompetent and dishonest. A vert dangerous policy.
An Army Psychiatrist at Fort Knox, Ky said last year that 'he was utterly convinced by Captain Brady’s meticulous documentation that he was a victim of his Senior Officers to cover up for their incompetence and ineptitudes.'
Dr. George Parker, Harvard Trained 'University of Indiana Psychiatrist' wrote that James Allen Brady is a man who lives his life at the highest levels of ethics even at great sacrifice to himself. 'It is my opinion that CPT. Brady’s behavior in this matter was prompted by his strict internal moral code to do what he felt was necessary to protect national and military security, despite the potential cost to his military career.' Dr. George Parker suggested that he thought CPT. Brady has been grieving for nine years over the deaths at Khobar Towers. '
In the meantime, the entire 85th Division’s Chain of Command engaged in a deliberate campaign of lies, smears and distortion to cover for their negligence in the matter of illegal sales of fighter jets and other manuals on eBay.
We owe it to our officers who served at Khobar Towers; the parents of the airmen who were murdered by Hezbollah and all those who suffered serious wounds to re-invigorate the Khobar Towers matters.
The parents of those who died cannot get closure and many feel abandoned by our government.
The following are a list of manuals sold on CPT. Jones' website.
S NAVY FA/18*
U.S. NAVY FA-16
U.S. NAVY EA-6B*
U.S. NAVY TA-4F & TA-4J
U.S. NAVY E-6A*
U.S. NAVY F-18 E/F
U.S. NAVY KC - 130R
U.S. NAVY F-14A
U.S. NAVY F-14D*
U.S. NAVY NATOPs T-2C
U.S. NAVY UH-3H SEA KING*
U.S. NAVY AH-1W COBRA*
U.S. NAVY T-39D SABRELINER*
U.S. NAVY NATOPS T-34C*
U.S. NAVY UH-1
U.S. NAVY T-54
U.S. NAVY H46D
* Indicates Distribution C Statement:
U.S. AIR FORCE F-16 Operations Manual
U.S. AIR FORCE F-15E FLIGHT OPERATIONS Manual
U.S. NAVY Electronic Warfare Manual
U.S. NAVY ELECTRONIC INTERFERENCE MANUALS
ENERGY RADIOLOGICAL RADIATION MANUALS
U.S. Navy Electronic Communication Manual
U.S. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL MANUALS
NASA SPACE STATION MANUALS
U.S. SPACE NASA APOLLO-SOYUZ MANUALS:
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U.S. Army FM-24-33 Electronic Counter-Counter Measures:
U.S. Army FM 24-11
Tactical Satellite Communications
U.S. Army Countermine Operations Manuals
U.S. Air Force A-10 Flight Operations Manuals
C141 Flight Operations Manuals
U.S. Navy Flight Ordnance Manuals & Navy Air Navigation Manuals
U.S. Army Test Flight Manuals
U.S. Military Counterintelligence Manuals
203 Page Electromagnetic Interference Manuals
120 page HP 141T Spectrum Analyzer Manuals
125 Pg. Energy Radiological Radiological Radiation Manuals
Joint U.S. Air Force and Navy Air Navigation Manuals:
FM 24-18 - FM 24-19 - FM 24-19 - FM 24-22 - FM 24-27 - FM 11-41 - FM 7-8 - FM 7-10 - FM 7-30: (EA-6B restricted to U.S. for official use only believed to have been sold to Europe purchaser).
CPT. Jones notes on his site: FREE FIRST CLASS POSTAGE IN U.S. AND REST OF THE WORLD.
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'Distribution authorized to U.S. government Agencies and their contractors to protect publications required for official use only or for administrative or operational purposes only.' EA-6B Contractors notes that with these manuals our adversaries can design countermeasures against us.
By: Alene S. Ammond, Former NJ State Senator - Power of Attorney for former Army Intel Officer
For comments or questions email: AleneAmmond@gmail.com
