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2005-08-27 Home Front: WoT

Enormous Likelihood of Mistaken Identity of Atta by Able Danger

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Posted by Mike Sylwester 2005-08-27 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Relevant quote: "I know nothing about Able Danger other than what I've read, so I can't speak with authority on what the program uncovered about Atta, or when." But then he continues...

3 arguments here:

1) I studied him and didn't find evidence he was in the US. Therefore any i.d. of him is wrong.

2) Mistake of name. Atta wasn't the name he used regularly, or something like that. Those fools probably got the name wrong.

3) Individuals have a propensity to make up the past in accordence with what they know of the present. "There is no reason that a congressman or even two career military men searching for solutions are any less susceptible to seeing what they need to see, where they want to see it." Stupid, stupid Congressmen and Military officers!

In summary, the writer's arguments hinge around how he is better at his job and staying free of mistakes and prejudices than those professional individuals trained to do their job, and who have been doing it for years, and have access to the most sensitive information. How pompous and self important.

Allow me to retort:

Third Source Backs Able Danger Claims

Relevant quote:

""I am absolutely positive that he [Atta] was on our chart among other pictures and ties that we were doing mainly based upon [terror] cells in New York City," Smith said.

Smith said data was gathered from a variety of sources, including about 30 or 40 individuals. He said they all had strong Middle Eastern connections and were paid for their information. Smith said Able Danger's photo of Atta was obtained from overseas."

I don't know what bothers me more; the fact that the comission ignored this, or that fact that some people continue in precisely the same mindset which got us to this situation: I know the answer I'm looking for, so I'll only see the evidence I want. The writer of this piece did it, and you're doing it right now, Mike.

Posted by Mark E. 2005-08-27 08:41|| 2005-08-27 08:41|| Front Page Top

#2 Jayson Blair is alive and well...

Posted by Snease Pheath5636 2005-08-27 10:01|| 2005-08-27 10:01|| Front Page Top

#3 MS must have ben transferred from the defence of Kofi to discrediting of Able Danger. Nothing indicates more to me that this story has legs. Is this a promotion for Mikey? Let's hope things work out better than they did on Annan watch.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-08-27 10:56|| 2005-08-27 10:56|| Front Page Top

#4 Abel Danger tied Atta to Omar Abdel Rahman, the blind sheikh of 1993 WTC bombing fame. Here's two degrees of separation from Rahman to Atta:
1. Rahman closely, closely associated with El Sayyid Nosair, the man who murdered Meir Kahane in 1990.
2. El Sayyid Nosair had a hit list which included the judge and DAs responsible for the deportation of Mohammad Atta.

The problem is that THIS Atta was not the 911 Atta. This Mohammad Atta was the one who attacked a bus in Israel.

The chance for mistaken identity is real. More data please.

Posted by Marlowe">Marlowe 2005-08-27 11:05|| 2005-08-27 11:05|| Front Page Top

#5 had his photo.... On the chart.... Before sept 11th.

Whether mistaken or not, they knew there was "A" Mohammed Atta, if not "the" Mohammed Atta running around.

Posted by Mark E. 2005-08-27 11:22|| 2005-08-27 11:22|| Front Page Top

#6 But the liklihood of mistaken identity is enormous! I'll bet we're talking billions and billions of percents.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-08-27 11:35|| 2005-08-27 11:35|| Front Page Top

#7 Somebody else who doesn't understand data mining. See my and others earlier posts on the topic.

Businesses spend very large amounts of money on data mining precisely because it produces surprising and accurate results that can not be produced in other ways and specifically cannot be produced by a roomful of the best analysts.

Otherwise Mark is correct. The man's argument is 'I don't understand how Able Danger could have identified Atta, therefore it didn't.'

Posted by phil_b 2005-08-27 14:55|| 2005-08-27 14:55|| Front Page Top

#8 And there are plenty of Mark Johnstons and Anne Smiths. The data mining crowd have ways of handling multiple people with the same name. The fact there are 2 mohamed Attas who were terrorists is irrelevant.

Posted by phil_b 2005-08-27 15:09|| 2005-08-27 15:09|| Front Page Top

#9 I have been fearful that the right, I include myself in that movement or political spectrum, has jumped the shark on Operation Able Danger.

However, as more persons come forward, this is one instance where I am so happy to be wrong. Seems that O.A.D. is the real deal!

Posted by The Angry Fliegerabwehrkanonen 2005-08-27 17:10|| http://www.calderonswirbelwind.blogspot.com]">[http://www.calderonswirbelwind.blogspot.com] 2005-08-27 17:10|| Front Page Top

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