Thread by @MarkSZaidEsq

1/NEWS DEVELOPMENT:

New #FirstAmendment lawsuit filed in federal court in DC today against @TheJusticeDept/@FBI challenging prepublication review classification delays & decisions re: “Because There Are Monsters” by former FBI Special Agent #HarrySamit, who served 1999-2020.

2/#Samit served as lead case agent on #ZacariasMoussaoui 9/11 terrorism investigation prior to & following attacks in NY, DC & PA.

His 852 page Manuscript has been undergoing review since April 2021. Less than half has been approved for publication.

famous-trials.com/moussaoui/1816….

3/“Because There Are Monsters” is true crime/intelligence memoir describing Samit’s first 9 years assigned to Minneapolis Joint Terrorism Task Force. Following discussion of Samit’s background & quest to become FBI Special Agent, substantive portion of Manuscript begins ...

4/...in Spring 1999 with his arrival in Minneapolis & assignment to JTTF. The Manuscript discusses unclassified details regarding number of investigations, both terrorism & non-terrorism, that will catch reader’s attention. The terrorism cases are particularly important ...

5/... not merely to illustrate what FBI Field Office in Minneapolis was doing to thwart terrorism before 9/11, but also because demonstrates kinds of sophisticated, creative & audacious steps JTTF was taking to target Al Qaeda in the early days of the War on Terror.

6/The Manuscript refutes contention by FBI officials that Minneapolis Field Office & Samit were inexperienced when fateful events of August & September 2001 began to gather momentum.

Centerpiece of Manuscript is description of #Moussaoui investigation & trial.

7/In addition to detailed narrative description of dramatic days between opening of investigation on August 15, 2001 & attacks that occurred not even one month later, Samit reveals blunders & misconduct committed by @FBI HDQs officials, to include events ...

8/...on fateful tragic day of September 11, 2001. The Manuscript describes 4 1/2 year effort to prosecute #Moussaoui against backdrop of other @FBI Minneapolis counterterrorism investigations.

Throughout time #FBI HDQs-run PENTTBOMB team was investigating attacks & preparing ...

9/... try Moussaoui, those in Minneapolis Field Office were continuing to battle Al Qaeda & arrested two other operatives – Mohammed Warsame and Mohamed Kamal El Zahabi – in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Both individuals were exceedingly dangerous Al Qaeda operatives ...

10/... & their stories, incl El Zahabi’s largely uninvestigated role as senior figure directing 9/11 attacks from inside U.S., are revealed in detail for first time. Regrettably, the two subjects escaped appropriate punishment for their crimes & Manuscript ...

11/ ... explains why Samit believes that occurred.

Manuscript also discusses @FBI’s efforts & activities to disperse blame for 9/11 attacks & ignore/conceal cultural & organizational flaws which caused mistakes that cost our nation so much.

12/None of the national security investigations discussed in Manuscript were opened later than 2003 & all were closed more than a decade ago.

Until Samit receives final approval from FBI, he is restricted by past secrecy agreements & statutes from sharing his important story.

13/My firm routinely litigates #FirstAmendment cases for former federal officials who are having their manuscripts reviewed for classification purposes.

https://twitter.com/mvhaydencenter/status/1273663848847945728?s=20&t=CEojGDEOtMCa7-bv5cPuWA

14/Samit case is just but one of many we are handling.

https://twitter.com/MarkSZaidEsq/status/1453901619922362374?s=20&t=CEojGDEOtMCa7-bv5cPuWA

15/Last year, we had a very informative discussion on prepub review w/@IntlSpyMuseum, @INTLSpyCast

thecyberwire.com/podcasts/spyca…

END/If anyone would like a copy of the lawsuit Complaint, you can e-mail me at [e-mail]