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State Department Refuses to Address Report on Internal Discussion About Custody of ‘Blind Sheikh’

Sep. 19, 2012 2:32pm Glenn Hall

The U.S. State Department is refusing to answer questions about internal discussions on Egypt’s demands to release the so-called “Blind Sheikh,” the radical Islamist cleric who Egypt’s new leader wants turned over to his country’s custody.

After a report by TheBlaze citing a source close to the Obama Administration saying there have been conversations within the State Department about whether to consider a change in custody of Omar Abdel Rahman, aka the “Blind Sheikh,” a group of Congressional leaders released a copy of a letter sent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Attorney General Eric Holder calling it “extremely disconcerting” that his release might be considered.

Rahman is serving a life sentence in a U.S. prison after being convicted following the World Trade Center attack in 1993 on charges of plotting a campaign of assassinations and bombings. Egypt’s newly elected President Mohammed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, has publicly promised to work for Rahman’s release.

After initially deferring inquiries to the Justice Department, today State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland officially denied plans to release Rahman.

“Let me say as clearly as I can, there is no plan to release the Blind Sheikh – there is no plan,” Nuland said. “To my knowledge we have not been approached about it recently by any senior Egyptians.”

Those comments echo the previous response from the DOJ: “The assertion that the Blind Sheikh may be transferred to Egypt is utter garbage,” DOJ spokesman Dean Boyd told TheBlaze. “The Blind Sheikh is not being transferred to Egypt nor is he being released. He is serving life sentence in federal prison. Suggestions that there are discussions to transfer or release him are absolute garbage and completely false.”

The State Department, however, has not commented on whether there were any internal discussions about possibly engaging with Egypt in a dialog about Rahman or how the State Department is responding to Morsi. Follow-up questions submitted by TheBlaze in writing and through phone calls to the press office have not been answered.

Sources close to the Obama Administration told TheBlaze earlier this week that the State Department has discussed internally whether to engage in talks to transfer custody Rahman.

A veteran intelligence analyst and researcher for TheBlaze said he met with an official within the Obama administration who told him that the transfer of the Blind Sheikh to Egypt is something that is being “actively considered” by the administration as a solution to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. His source asked not to be identified.

Former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy, who was the lead prosecutor in the Rahman case, told TheBlaze that it is plausible that the Obama Administration would consider discussing Rahman’s release considering Obama’s pattern of “trying to mollify Islamists.”

After 20 years in a U.S. prison, Rahman resurfaced in the news after the Arab Spring toppled the former government of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and brought Morsi to power. Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, said in a speech while he was still president-elect that he would work to free Rahman.

Rahman has a sordid history as an Islamic extremist that led up to his conviction in the U.S. after the World Trade Center attack in 1993. Some Middle East experts have connected the recent protests in Egypt as part of an effort to press for Rahman’s release rather just a response to the perceived offense related to an amateur film released in America that mocks Islam.

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Comments (41)

mlimberg
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 6:12pm
Don’t you just want to put a sharp stick in the ugly eye of this monster….

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- Sirfoldallot
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 6:41pm
  Clint E. ” Hangem High “
  
  Report this comment
fastfacts
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:16pm
Did you see Beck’s good friend David Horowitz go after Obama today on pandering to the Middle East and attacking the Constitution… awesome, must see: http://www.thedailycandidate.com/video/2012/sep/horowitz_blasts_obama.html .

No American President should ever bow to another nation, religion, or people. To pander in a time of struggles abroad shows weakness to our enemies.

Did you see the poll, America believes terrorists are more afraid of Romney than Obama… duh.

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- marybethelizabeth
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 6:01pm
  Mr. Beck bragged about coercing some acquaintances to tell false stories to writers preparing biographies on Mr. Beck.
  
  This is a similar situation only the roles are reversed.
  
  Sounds to me like Mr. Beck’s friend got played.
  
  Report this comment
NOTMOHAMMED
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:59pm
I blinded that bastard a while back. He got away and I couldn’t finish the job. I found out later, he hid under the towel I used to dry my dog’s ass. He still wears it to this day.

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JACKTHETOAD
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:31pm
Payback for her and Mrs. Weiner’s trysts. eeeewwwwwww……

The sheik shrieked!

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FightingBear
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:57pm
The official response was:

“I’ll have more flexibility on this after the election.”

Love,

Barrack

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Sirfoldallot
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:47pm
Only We the People will distroy our self. 47 more days.

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LakeHartwellSailor
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:44pm
“Let me say as clearly as I can, there is no plan to release the Blind Sheikh – there is no plan,” Nuland said. “To my knowledge we have not been approached about it recently by any senior Egyptians.”

“To my knowledge….” Well, there’s the “out”….State Department just puts Nuland out there to deny it, and as long as she is not in the loop; it’s a true statement.

Transparency my A$$

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- kiltmaker
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:22pm
  Actually, the real weasel words are later in the sentence.
  “To my knowledge we have not been approached about it recently by any senior Egyptians.”
  How recently? Meaning, they have been approached. And how senior? Are they Egyptian government people or other Egyptians.
  They have been contacted, just not yesterday.
  
  Report this comment
- LakeHartwellSailor
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:43pm
  Good point, Kilt
  
  Report this comment
olddog
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:41pm
Dept of Just Us.

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DEMOCRATS.ARE.EVIL
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:35pm
Obama’s TOP 10 pardons as the door hits his rear end on the way out of DC:

1. Blind Sheikh
2. Rod Blagojevich
3. Tony Rezko
4. Sirhan Sirhan
5. Gov. Don Siegelman, D-AL
6. John Walker Lindh
7. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed
8. José Padilla
9. Congressman William J. Jefferson, D-LA
10. Major Nidal Hasan?

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wildwood
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:33pm
EGYPT CAN HAVE HIM AS LONG AS THEY TAKE OBAMA, HILLARY HOLDR AND SUSAN RICE!!!
What the heck we will just give them the whole aboma administration

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- FightingBear
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:59pm
  I wouldn’t make that deal without throwing in Reid and Pelosi.
  
  Report this comment
EBL
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:27pm
There is something going on! The Egyptians do want Omar Abdel Rahman back and the attackers in Libya actually named their brigade after him. Keep the pressure on them!

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- Shasta
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:37pm
  I am not sure how much we can do. This WILL happen until after the election, whether Obama wins or not. Pleasing the MB and muslims in general is one of his top priorities. He has never cared what the American citizens think.
  
  Report this comment
olddog
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:25pm
You Don’t deal with terrorists unless you are siding with them. The Lockerbe bomber was returned for and oil deal. Just how dirty are the people we have put in our government?

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Pio
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:18pm
There is so much happening! I really believe that our country is on a cliff, and we are about to jump.

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- Gonzo
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:29pm
  We’re not jumping, we’re getting shoved.
  
  Report this comment
calmandcents
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:14pm
I am getting tired of wondering when our elected representatives are going to issue a cease-and-desist order for ALL activities of this Administration. Enough is enough. This is America, not Russia or China or Kenya.

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progressiveslayer
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:10pm
This regime is rotten to the core,lying thieving bastards the lot of them.

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lisalake
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:04pm
Send Prayers to keep Glenn safe; I thank GOD everyday for Beck! He’s my hero! We love you Glenn!

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cubber
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:59pm
Watch the other hand. They are going to do a swap and put Bush in prison.

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riseandshine
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:55pm
More sheep food.

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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:54pm
Refusing to address it means it is happening.

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- UNALIEN
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:55pm
  bingo, we have a winner
  
  Report this comment
- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:17pm
  “The assertion that the Blind Sheikh may be transferred to Egypt is utter garbage,” DOJ spokesman Dean Boyd told TheBlaze. “The Blind Sheikh is not being transferred to Egypt nor is he being released. He is serving life sentence in federal prison. Suggestions that there are discussions to transfer or release him are absolute garbage and completely false.”
  
  What am I missing here? What are you seeing that I am not?
  
  Report this comment
- UNALIEN
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:48pm
  ROTHBARDIAN_IN_THE_CLEVE
  
  That is from the DOJ, they are not and do not speak for the State Department..
  
  The State Department is negotiating,,,
  
  Report this comment
- Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:26pm
  Rothbardin – DOJ is out of the loop on this matter; Dept of State handles international negotiations with other states and nations, hence this is Hillary’s area, on orders from Obama.
  
  Report this comment
barber2
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:53pm
Reminds me of the answers of Boy Scout Carney when he has no answer to a reporter’s query : ” Ah..er…ah… I can not answer that question. That is under investigation .” ( this administration has more investigations going and fewer answers than the FBI…oh, wait….)

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floridareader
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:48pm
How dare you America, question the honorable and almighty government.

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- barber2
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:57pm
  Yours is not to question why : Big Brother will TELL you, DUMMIES , all that you need to know.. like what size sugar sodas you should drink , for example.
  
  Report this comment
Conservativeman
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:46pm
MSM is failing to report that a large group of jihadists took over a multinational force and observer MFO compound in the Sinai. Egyptians are negotiating for the release of some hostages. http://www.timesofisrael.com/gunmen-attack-sinai-headquarters-of-mfo-peacekeeping-force-several-reported-killed/ there are reports that the Egyptians have taken control of the area but that only means they have begun negotiating with the Salafists. I’d bet that Obama is negotiating with terrorists.

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Landon410
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:42pm
you know what no comment means……
holy crap they’re really going to do it.
Just watch it’ll happen in one of two ways
1. Romney wins election, right after Obama releases him
2. Obama wins election, right after Obama releases him

simply put, it’ll happen around Christmas

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- 2MINUTESTOMIDNIGHT
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:58pm
  Which is appropriate considering the Santa Clause hat he is wearing in the photo.
  
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Capt_Gregg
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:41pm
That the DoJ says that there have been no discussions about returning the camel humper to Egypt sure takes a load off my mind. Surely no one in the DoJ would conceal anything from us, would they?

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Verceofreason
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 2:41pm
So they addressed it.

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- Gonzo
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:31pm
  They addressed it alright, just like Holder investigated himself.
  
  Report this comment
- UNALIEN
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:37pm
  VOICEOFTREASON
  
  Sorry,
  
  DOJ is NOT the State Department…
  
  Report this comment

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