|
by Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — An
officer who has claimed that a classified military unit identified four
Sept. 11 hijackers before the 2001 attacks is facing Pentagon accusations
of breaking numerous rules, charges his lawyer suggests are aimed at
undermining his credibility.
Lt. Col. Anthony
Shaffer, a reserve officer in the U.S. Army, at a recent hearing before
the Senate Judiciary Committee. By Alex Wong, Getty Images
The alleged infractions by Army Lt.
Col. Anthony Shaffer, 42, include obtaining a service medal under false
pretenses, improperly flashing military identification while drunk and
stealing pens, according to paperwork from the Pentagon's Defense
Intelligence Agency shown by his attorney to The Associated Press.
Shaffer was one of the first to
publicly link Sept. 11 leader Mohamed Atta to the unit code-named Able
Danger. Shaffer was one of five witnesses the Pentagon ordered not to
appear Sept. 21 before the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss the
unit's findings.
The military revoked Shaffer's top
security clearance this month, a day before he was supposed to testify to
a congressional committee.
Mark Zaid, Shaffer's attorney, said
the Pentagon started looking into Shaffer's security clearance about the
time in 2003 he met in Afghanistan with staff members of the bipartisan
commission that studied the Sept. 11 attacks and told them about Able
Danger.
Zaid said he can't prove the
Pentagon went after Shaffer because he's a whistle-blower, but "all the
timing associated with the clearance issue has been suspiciously
coincidental."
Citing concerns with the Privacy
Act, Cmdr. Terry Sutherland, a Defense Intelligence Agency spokesman,
declined to release any information on Shaffer.
According to papers provided by Zaid,
the Defense Intelligence Agency is questioning whether Shaffer deserved a
Defense Meritorious Service Medal he was awarded. Shaffer, who is
supported by a retired colonel who has praised his work, says those
challenging the medal do not have firsthand knowledge of his actions.
Shaffer says he showed his
government credentials during two incidents in 1990, when he was drunk,
and 1996, when he was pulled over by police. The military says he misused
his credentials, but Shaffer says he was not told he should not have used
them. He also said he has joined Alcoholics Anonymous and has been sober
for 13 years.
As for the pens and other office
supplies taken, he blamed that on "youthful indiscretions" more than 20
years ago.
According to the paperwork, the
alleged infractions against Shaffer also include:
• Falsely claiming $341.80 in
mileage and tolls fees. He said he filed travel expenses based on what he
was told by human resources staff.
• Obtaining $67.79 in personal
cellphone charges. He said the amount was a legitimate expense accrued so
he could forward calls.
• Going over his chain of command to
do briefings. Shaffer said he was providing briefings to higher-ups on
projects even his direct superiors did not know about, and he received
superior review ratings for that time.
• Showing irresponsibility with
$2,012 in credit card debt. He said he paid off the debt, and Zaid said
DIA dropped the issue.
Zaid provided a letter from a
special agent saying she stands by a favorable investigation she did on
Shaffer's actions from 1988 to 1995. During that time, he was accused of
one instance of improperly flashing his military ID, and taking office
supplies.
Shaffer, now a member of the Army
Reserves, has been on administrative leave since March 2004. During the
same time, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel on Oct. 1, 2004.
Shaffer has said he tried three
times to meet with the FBI to convey the Able Danger unit's findings
before Sept. 11, but was ordered not to by military attorneys.
Shaffer's assertions on Able Danger
have been supported by Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa. If correct, they would
change the timeline as to when authorities first learned of some of the
Sept. 11 hijackers.
The Sept. 11 commission has
dismissed the claims. The Pentagon has acknowledged some employees recall
seeing an intelligence chart identifying Atta as a terrorist before the
attacks, but said none have been able to find a copy of it.
Return to Table of Contents |