WTH was this about?
by digby
Nobody seems to care much about the stories over the past couple of weeks about the Saudi Arabian government being closely involved in terrorism despite the fact the New York Times published the stories on A1. The latest by James Risen discussed the history of the lawsuits against the Saudis by the families of 9/11. It’s mostly a recitation of legal errors and judicial findings with a focus on lead lawyer Ron Motley. But at the end it had this weird little story:
By far the most mysterious episode in the case revolves around some of the investigators Mr. Motley brought in to investigate Saudi Arabia. Working through a small investigative firm called Rosetta Research and Consulting, which was formed to work on the case, some of the investigators also became involved in operations with the F.B.I. and later the Drug Enforcement Administration. Most notably, they were involved in an operation to lure an Afghan drug lord to the United States. In 2005, they persuaded the Afghan, Haji Bashir Noorzai, to go to New York, where he was arrested by the Drug Enforcement Administration. He has since been convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
The role of the investigators from the Sept. 11 lawsuit in the Noorzai operation was baffling and embarrassing to many top officials in the government, and the connections between the investigators and the F.B.I. prompted an investigation by the Justice Department’s inspector general, which never made its findings public. Mr. Motley and his firm, Motley Rice, ultimately cut their ties, and Rosetta collapsed.
I don’t know what in the world to make of that and Risen doesn’t offer anything more.
This we do know — the GWOT has offered tremendous tremendous opportunities for government to work hand in glove with the private sector to the benefit of both. This weird little sideshow is probably just the tip of the iceberg.
.