Israel Matzav

What the State Department is trying to hide

On October 15, 2003, a convoy of clearly identified United States diplomatic vehicles was attacked by 'Palestinian' terrorists in Gaza resulting in the deaths of John Branchizio, Mark Parson, and John Marin Linde, and the injury of a fourth American.

John Branchizio, Mark Parson, and John Marin Linde were contract employees providing security to United States diplomatic personnel who were visiting Gaza in order to identify potential Palestinian candidates for scholarships under the Fulbright Program.

Senior officials of the Palestinian Authority have stated that they were aware of the identities of the Palestinian terrorists who killed John Branchizio, Mark Parson, and John Marin Linde.

Following her visit to Israel and the West Bank on February 7, 2005, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced that she had been `assured by ['moderate' 'Palestinian'] President [Mahmoud] Abbas of the Palestinian Authority's intention to bring justice to those who murdered three American personnel in the Gaza in 2003'.

Since the bombing on October 15, 2003, United States Government personnel have been prohibited from all travel in Gaza.

The United States Rewards for Justice program is offering a reward of up to $5,000,000 for information leading to the arrest or conviction of any persons involved in the murders of John Branchizio, Mark Parson, and John Marin Linde.

The Palestinian terrorists who killed John Branchizio, Mark Parson, and John Marin Linde have still not been brought to justice.

What you've read until now are the proposed findings of Congress under H.R. 2293, a bill introduced by Representatives Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Mike Pence (R-Ind.) and Tom Lantos (D-Cal.). The bill seeks "To require the Secretary of State to submit to Congress a report on efforts to bring to justice the Palestinian terrorists who killed John Branchizio, Mark Parson, and John Marin Linde." (Hat Tip: Daled Amos). The reports would have to be rendered within thirty days after the bill has been enacted, and every 120 days thereafter. It was referred to committee on May 14.

One would think that it would not take an Act of Congress to get the State Department to bring the murderers of its own personnel to justice. But when those murderers are 'Palestinians,' a whole different set of rules applies. Just ask the families of US ambassador to the Sudan Cleo Noel Jr. and George Curtis Moore, the American charge d'affaires at the United States Embassy in Khartoum. Noel and Moore were murdered in 1973 under the orders of Yasser Arafat. Although this was known and whispered about for many years, it was just a few months ago that the State Department finally acknowledged the truth. Arafat, having been wined and dined by the US government for years - and especially by former President Bill Clinton - will only face Heavenly justice for Noel's murder.

Who murdered John Branchizio, Mark Parson, and John Marin Linde? This was written two months after the murders:

Shurat HaDin - Israel Law Center Director Nitsana Darshan-Leitner has written to United States Attorney General John Ashcroft alerting him to the fact the Palestinian Security Service commander assigned to investigate the October bombing attack on American personnel in Gaza was very likely the terrorist who planned it.

Gaza Commander Col. Rashid Abu Shabak's has been entrusted by the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation with hunting down the terrorist cell responsible for the October 15, 2003 bombing which left three Americans dead.

The three Americans, John Branchizio, 37, of Texas, John Linde Jr., 30, of Missouri, and Mark Parsons, 31, of New Jersey, were security personnel guarding a convoy of diplomatic vehicles which was attacked by Palestinian Arab terrorists who detonated a powerful roadside bomb at the Beit Hanoun junction in Gaza. The Americans were visiting Gaza to interview candidates for Fulbright scholarships.

Darshan-Leitner's letter accuses the Palestinian commander of being the mastermind behind numerous terror attacks perpetrated by Yasser Arafat's Fatah organization in Gaza. Shurat HaDin urges the Department of Justice to investigate Abu Shabak's involvement in prior roadside bombings.

Not surprisingly, there have been no arrests made by the Palestinians in the current investigation.

According to the Shurat HaDin letter, Abu Shabak, a protege of Palestinian leader Mohammed Dahlan, has an extensive terrorist past. Abu Shabak, along with Dahlan are the leading suspects in several other Gaza terror attacks.

...

In her letter, Darshan-Leitner writes: "It is a disgraceful that the individual assigned by the Palestinian Authority to investigate the murders of Branchizio, Linde and Parsons is himself a leading terrorist suspected of numerous other roadside bombings in Gaza. If the United States is sincere about making arrests then it must not tolerate Rashid Abu Shabak heading up this crucial inquiry. The similarities between the October 15th roadside bombing and the roadside bombing of the Kfar Darom school bus in November 2000 cannot be ignored. We urge the Department of Justice to initiate its own investigation of Abu Shabak and his role in prior Gaza terror attacks, some of which have seriously injured American citizens."

Why is the State Department covering for Dahlan and Abu Shbak? First, because the US and the EU have decided that they will talk to 'non-Hamas' members of the current 'Palestinian unity' government. One of those non-Hamas members is Muhammed Dahlan.

Second, because while the US is financing the Force 17 terror organization, it is also financing Muhammed Dahlan's office.

Third, because Rice's 'benchmarks plan' depends heavily on Dahlan taking control of the security situation in Gaza.

Fourth, because if the State Department admits that Fatah is behind the murders of John Branchizio, Mark Parson, and John Marin Linde, it couldn't very well continue holding 'political horizon' talks with Fatah, could it?

State Department employees beware: If you are murdered in the line of duty and it's too inconvenient politically to bring your murderers to justice, they may be ignored. Pleasant thought, no?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:41 AM