FBI Agents warned of 9/11 attacks in June 2001

 

November 7, 2007 -- In June 2001, New Jersey resident Andras Szekely was visited by two FBI Special Agents from the FBI Newark Division: Agent Robin (Gritz) Laird and Agent Stengel.  Szekely has provided the Muckraker Report with copies of these agents’ business cards that they left with Szekely after their visit.  Szekely had obtained information in October 2000 related to a terrorist attack in NYC in which airplanes would be used. Szekely asked the FBI for protection and legal assistance, prior to being visited by Gritz and Stengel, in exchange for his detailed information.  Szekely has provided the Muckraker Report with copies of two letters he had received from the FBI’s Arthur Radford Baker, Unit Chief, Office of Public and Congressional Affairs, dated March 28, 2001 and June 20, 2001.  These letters indicate that the FBI would offer no protection to Szekely regardless of the information he had to offer.

 

In October 2000, approximately 11 months prior to September 11, 2001, Szekely was collecting English Ivy cuttings at the Gomel Chesed Cemetery located at McCellen and 245 Mount Olive Ave. in Newark, NJ.  The Gomel Chesed Cemetery is a ‘Jewish’ cemetery. 

 

While at the cemetery, Szekely overheard a conversation between three men that included this pronouncement. “The Americans will learn what it is to live with terrorists after the planes hit the twins in September.”

 

For three months, Szekely considered the meaning of what he overheard and what he should do with the information.  If he reported it, would anybody take him seriously? 

 

According to his account, on February 9, 2001, approximately 8 months prior to the airplanes being flown into the twins, he sent e-mail to then Attorney General Ashcroft informing the Attorney General that he had important terrorism-related information.  The Attorney General’s Office did not directly respond Szekely.  It forwarded the e-mail to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

 

Shortly thereafter, on March 28, 2001, Szekely received a letter from Arthur Radford Baker (FBI) informing him that if he had information to share, he should contact the FBI Newark Division.  Szekely contacted the FBI Newark Division and was told that two agents would be in contact with him, but no FBI agents came at that time.

 

Szekely continued to call the FBI Newark Division in an attempt to pass his information onto the agency.  He wanted to do this in person to ensure that it wasn’t carelessly discarded or dismissed.  He also sought a guarantee of protection by the FBI. As September 2001 drew closer, he grew more impatient.  He began to act with a sense of urgency because in his words, “Time was running out!” 

 

As he was getting nowhere with the FBI Newark Division, Szekely decided to write a letter to Arthur Radford Baker on May 21, 2001, the person that sent the letter advising him that he should contact the FBI Newark Division.  In this letter, Szekely reiterated that he had important information to share with the government, but would need a guarantee of protection by the FBI before he could disclose all that he knew.

 

On the day that Szekely received a response letter from Arthur Radford Baker, June 26, 2001, now less than 3 months prior to the 9/11 attacks, two FBI agents finally paid a visit. They were Agent Robin Gritz and Agent Andrew Stengel.  The agents were shown the second letter received that day from Arthur Radford Baker by Szekely.  The letter informed Szekely that the FBI would not be able to do anything on his behalf.

 

Without the guarantee of protection, Szekely was unwilling to disclose the complete details of what he heard at the Gomel Chesed Cemetery in October 2000.  However the two agents, Gritz and Stengel, spent 2-3 hours attempting to draw the information out of him.  What he did tell Gritz and Stengel is that there would be an attack in New York City and airplanes would be used.  He emphasized once again that he could not provide greater detail without a guarantee of protection. 

 

The Muckraker Report contacted the FBI Newark Division on Wednesday, November 22, 2006 to confirm whether Agent Gritz and Agent Stengel met with the Szekely in June 2001.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy S. Winkelman of the FBI Newark Division Legal Unit asked that questions be faxed to her in writing. 

 

On Friday, November 24, 2006 the Muckraker Report received a phone call from Winkelman confirming receipt of the written request. 

 

On Tuesday, November 28, 2006 the Muckraker Report received a phone call from the FBI National Press Office.  The Press Office indicated that the Newark Division Legal Unit decided that a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was required and that the Muckraker Report should submit it to FBI Headquarters in Washington DC and not to the Newark Division. 

 

On Wednesday, November 29, 2006 the Muckraker Report contacted Agent Robin (Gritz) Laird.  Since her meeting with Szekely in June 2001, Agent Gritz has been promoted to a supervisor position within a counter terrorism unit at FBI headquarters.  Once on the phone, Agent Gritz was asked if she met with Szekely in June 2001.  It must be noted that Agent Gritz was already aware of the Muckraker Report inquiries at the Newark Division.  It is suspected that Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Winkelman forewarned Gritz. 

 

Gritz indicated that she understood that the Press Office was handling the Muckraker Report request.  Told that she was called directly to confirm the meeting only, nothing else, Gritz said, “I’m not allowed to discuss this with you.  I would get in trouble.” 

 

On December 7, 2006 the Muckraker Report submitted a FOIA request to FBI Headquarters as instructed by the FBI National Press Office.  In this FOIA request, the following information was requested.

 

1. Documents, reports, time sheets, schedulers / daily planners, telephone records, etc. that reflect that Agent Stengel and Agent Robin Gritz met with Andras Szekely in June 2001
2. Documents and reports that the agents might have filed after their meeting with Szekely to include the content of the meeting

 

On February 7, 2007 the Muckraker Report received a respond to the December 2006 FOIA request.  The FBI Headquarters responded accordingly.

 

This is in response to your Freedom of Information-Privacy Acts (FOIPA) request noted above.

 

To promptly respond to requests, we concentrate on identifying main files in the central records system at FBI Headquarters.  No records responsive to your FOIPA request were located by a search of the automated and manual indices. 

 

The Muckraker Report filed an appeal indicating that the reason the FBI could not find the records requested was because the FBI was looking for the records where they were not.  Documents, reports, time sheets, schedulers / daily planners, and telephone records which reflect that Agent Stengel and Agent Robin Gritz met with Andras Szekely in June 2001 would not be found in the main files of the central records system at FBI Headquarters.  These types of documents would be found at the FBI Newark Division.  Bear in mind that it was the FBI National Press Office that indicated that the initial FOIA request had to be submitted to FBI Headquarters.  The FBI National Press Office lied when it said that no FOIA requests are processed at the Newark Division. 

 

On October 9, 2007 the Muckraker Report received a ruling on its appeal.  The appeal was denied.  Here is how the denial letter from FBI Associate Director Janice Galli McLeod concluded.

 

I note that you have attached copies of business cards of FBI special agents from the Newark Field Office with your appeal.  Please be advised that requests for records held by FBI field offices must be submitted to the field offices directly.  See 28 C.F.R. §§ 16.3(a), 16.41(a) (2007).  Accordingly, if you have not done so already, I suggest you submit a new request directly to the Newark Field Office. 

 

The Muckraker Report submitted a FOIA request to the FBI Newark Division on November 6, 2007. 

 

The fact that the conversation Szekely overheard was spoken in Hebrew has caused much speculation as too the degree of Israeli involvement in the 9/11 events.  It is well documented that the FBI arrested Israelis immediately after 9/11.  From what we know, any Israeli questioned after 9/11 was soon released – many returned to Israel.  It is also well documented that Israeli intelligence, Mossad agents here in the United States, had been and continue to track suspected terrorists on U.S. soil.  Prior knowledge of the attacks reaches far, far beyond what the corporate media and Washington politicians have publicly acknowledged.  Israeli agents in the United States knew the attacks were imminent.  According to numerous credible reports, the Mossad repeatedly warned the U.S. government of the danger, as did German and Russian intelligence sources.  Prior knowledge of the attacks existed in the United States.  High-ranking officials didn’t fail to connect the dots as they claim.  They failed to sound the alarm. 

 

Is it possible that Szekely happened upon a conversation between Mossad agents or operatives, or does it go deeper?  The American people have a right to know. 

 

The FBI can continue to play games and give the run around to shield itself from making the admission pertaining to its June 2001 meeting with Szekely.  However, the FBI needs to understand that the public does not need the admission to know the truth.