Pentagon: Officials ‘Don’t Know’ if Bulgaria Bomber Was Once at Gitmo
- Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:28pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Bulgarian authorities released this image of the suicide bomber, captured on an airport camera prior to the attack.
A Pentagon spokesman said Thursday he doesn’t know whether the suicide bomber that blew up a bus full of Israeli tourists in Bulgaria was a former Guantanamo Bay detainee.
Bulgarian media identified the bomber as 36-year-old Swedish-born Mehdi Ghezali and said he’d been held at Guantanamo between 2002 and 2004, the Times of Israel reported. At least seven people — including five Israelis, the Bulgarian bus driver and the bomber — died in Wednesday’s attack at the airport in the city of Burgas.
“I’m aware of reports that we’re recently seeing out of the region,” said Pentagon spokesman George Little said, according to Politico. “I cannot confirm those reports at this time.”
Little said he “can’t rule it out, either,” according to The Hill.
“I‘m simply saying we don’t know at this stage,” he said.
Swedish officials have denied the Bulgarian reports, telling the Miami Herald that Ghezali was not the bomber.
“We can confirm that it was not Mehdi Ghezali,” Mark Vadasz of Sweden’s security services told the newspaper Thursday.
According to the Herald, Vadasz would not say how Swedish officials knew it was not Ghezali, whether they had seen him since the bombing or knew his current whereabouts.
“We can’t go into more details regarding that part of our operations,” Vadasz said. “But we can definitely confirm that it’s not him.”
Smoke rises into the sky after an explosion at Burgas airport, outside the Black Sea city of Burgas, Bulgaria, some 250 miles east of the capital, Sofia, Wednesday, July 18, 2012. (AP Photo/ Burgasinfo)
Shortly after Wednesday’s attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu charged that “all signs point to Iran” and also blamed the Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah.
White House press secretary Jay Carney said Thursday the Obama administration is working with Israel and Bulgaria.
“I would note as a general principle that Hezbollah has backed, and Iran has backed, terrorist actions against innocent people in third countries in the past. And we condemn that, as we condemn the heinous assault that took place in Bulgaria and resulted in loss of life,” Carney said.
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Comments (63)
acovenantinblood
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 9:22amWhite House press secretary Jay Carney said Thursday the Obama administration is working with Israel and Bulgaria.
Oh that’s good! That way they can tell us that it’s not radical Islam but he was just angry at American occupation of the Middle East. I’m glad we got people who let the Muslim Brotherhood into high levels of our government there to figure this one out.
Report Post »tothepoint
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 7:38pmObama will call it a “Workplace Incident” as he did with the Fort Hood massacre.
Report Post »Choctaw25
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 8:17amNOTE TO SELF: Don’t forget that the Knife and Gun Show is this week-end. Have enough guns, buy more ammo. lots more ammo.
Report Post »poster
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 7:55am“Pentagon: Officials ‘Don’t Know’ if Bulgaria Bomber Was Once at Gitmo”
Maybe that headline should be rewritten — “Pentagon Officials Don’t Know”.
Report Post »poorrichard09
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 8:27amOr won’t say-lest they really piss off a lot of people this close to the election.
Report Post »spikebu
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 5:06amHoly cow! The Swedes can’t confirm? Aren’t they Shariah? I believe they are. I believe Sweden has become the most correct state in the world. Way to bend over, Sweden. Thanks! Wimps!
Report Post »Metalstr8jckt
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:18pmIn shock at the ignorant comments here. If the photo shown by Bulgarian officials is indeed the “Mule’ for this explosive device, look at this guy. I absolutely beyond a doubt say he DID NOT place the device on his person or even have knowledge he was carrying this. A dupe and blatantly obvious that Your worst friggin nightmare is that The Soviet Bear has merely put the West into Hibernation during a false communist collapse! WOW! The manifesto is in The Final Phase! 1917/2012 Revisited. and mighty Russia rearmed to the teeth with 30,000 plus Nukes and America down to 1500.
Report Post »moosern
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 3:03amSome of you people are the reason Obama is gonna be President for 4 more years. You’re either too stupid or too blinded by your hatred to remember to vote. Wouldn’t surprise me if this was a false flag operation, not like Israel has never pulled those off.
Report Post »BehindBlueEyes
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:31am@MOOSERN
Report Post »Do you have anything of substance to say or are you just here to make stupid unsubstantiated remarks?
turbo
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 8:07amWouldn’t surprise me that you end up burning in Hell.
Report Post »Yakov-Yurovsky
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 2:54amYou know, I always say the nastiest things about the Jewish left and those Trotskyites within the Republican party! But then I read about innocent people being blown up on a bus and I think, WTF! We have Obama (US gov.) offering Israel a doubling of their airforce/F-35′s for a 3 month settlement freeze in addition to what, a $3bil defence deal. Then we have Home Land Security giving Jewish NGO’s 97% of a $100mil grant. Ladies and gentilemen, Israel is going to strike Iran. And I’m going to be at the beach reading a book on the Soviet Polish conflict 1919-1922! WTF
Report Post »Tom70
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:40amWhy ? I guess it must have been one of those days … what with the gay pride parade up coming and the pink ribbon‘s and the appointed Generals put in place by the Clintong’s they just couldn‘t keep track of the released murderer’s from Gitmo. Why doesn’t out fearless killer leader Obama who single handed killed Ben Laden do something about it.
Report Post »Oh sorry that was what the media tried to make him out to be but alas can’t kill a damn thing with a nine Iron and checkered pants.
Skrewedretiree
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:34amDidn’t know if he was at Gitmo, don’t know who was behind Fast and Furious, but just SO SURE the People need to have Gun Control and Total Government Control of their Health Care and their Private Property.
Yup….DEMOCRATS!
Report Post »historyguy48
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 6:06amComrade of course we need gun control! If we have our guns we actually do have control, provided we are willing to use them.
Report Post »If we don’t have our guns, Dear Leader is in control, and he will use his (not personally unless its a tied up woman or little kid, or perhaps a man that was badly beaten first, kind of like Saddam Hussein, kind of neat having the same middle name). Don‘t worry they are still recruiting for the State Dept’s private army so he will have plenty of shooters to do the job for him.
cookcountypatriot
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:04amthat would be so obama ……..im sure they had his word he was gonna be a good boy when they released him….lol or at least not before the elction…
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:19amAnother of Obamas people strikes again……………
Report Post »Polarized America
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:26amare you talking about his “ Senate ” election ?
Report Post »and wow i didn’t know that a community organizer from Chicago had so much power .:-O
Kewl Hand Lewk
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:45pmThat’s all well and good, but Mehdi Ghezali was released from Guantanamo Bay in 2004, by GW Bush.
I like your attention to detail though. Have you considered going into politics?
Report Post »OperationNorthwoods
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:02amAll intellegence agencies need to do to stage a helpful bombing is recruit somebody like this and tell them they are part of a drill to test security procedures. Then when they get on the bus, the pack they thought was carrying a dummy bomb goes off for real. Then their security experts will go on TV and make sure the right country or group is implicated. Notice how Iran was immediately blamed without any proof.
Report Post »NDPINDNT
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:49amIf it is one of the released detainees that blew up the bus the Obama administration will cover it up with lies and spin the findings, or just deny it and refuse to talk about it. Mainstream media will support them and not cover it in the news to make it just….go away. Just like they do everything with this administration. I hope people like Beck will not let it go away if it was one of the detainees.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:57amI found it interesting that it is being reported the bomber had a “fake” MICHIGAN drivers license. With all the Muslims living in Michigan (Dearborn) I have to wonder if it was “fake” or issued through the state and obtained by / for the bomber.
http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/zieve/070111
Report Post »Kewl Hand Lewk
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:47pmLet me make this easy for you… Ghezali was released, in 2004, by G W B u s h.
Ummmmmmmkay?
Report Post »Kewl Hand Lewk
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 10:49pmHey Independent, try a little indy research. He was released in 2004, by GWB.
Report Post »Lone Ranger
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:35amWait! That’s Howard Stern!
Bulgaria is working to identify the remains with DNA, fingerprints, etc. Soon as that’s done it will be time to pressure the Pentagon for answers.
Report Post »QuincySmith
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:28amWe have the TSA, bungler-in-chief, fleet and frenetic, department of injustice, out-of-control supreme court, traffic (spy) cameras, and our government cannot confirm if a single released Gitmo prisoner bombed a Belgrade bus. We cannot afford Obungler, Oblama, Odumbo for another four years.
Report Post »LoveBringsTruth
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:15amThe guy looks very nervous, glasses, hands in pocket, walks forward to the middle of the floor then turns around. He does not look calm, he looks anxious.
Report Post »texanpatriot
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:24amCan anyone explain why, over the centuries, the Jews have been continual targets by various groups? Why is Israel, a very small and seemingly insignificant country, always in the news and also under attack. No or few natural resources, very little land, and yet continuing to be the ‘center’ of something.
Just makes no worldly sense…
Report Post »PATTY HENRY
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 3:32amTEXANPATRIOT: Jews are GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE. Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Sts. Paul, Peter, John, Mark et al were Jewish. The Jews wrote the Old Testament. Jesus is the light of the world. So who is against that? Satan. Satan in the form of ISLAM. He tried it in the year 1000 and almost succeeded, now he’s trying it again. The raging war of GOOD v. evil goes on. Those who have ears will hear and will get very close to GOD. GOD wins, if that’s a comfort for you…but that’s what is really going on.
Report Post »chattin
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 7:29pmHe was doing the very things that the Israelis watch for in their airports and have tried to teach our TSA workers to spot.
Report Post »KidCharlemagne
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:06amI saw this comment on another blog:
“Looks awfully relaxed for a guy about to blow himself up. Frankly he appears more likely to fire up a bong than blow up a bus.
Makes you wonder if the guy knew what he was carrying in his backpack.”
Come to think of it, he does appear rather calm in the surveillance camera footage, doesn’t he? Not exactly the type of body language of someone that you would anticipate that knows that they will soon be headed for a fiery death in the next couple of hours or so.
Was this guy an unwitting mule who might have let his backpack get out of sight at some point before he boarded the bus?
Report Post »texanpatriot
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:15amI like the theory of the ill timed bus backfire better myself.
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:23amThey might have found some fingers or thumbs intact enough to make an ID. Then again, the bus does look well toasted. I retired before the military started keeping personnel DNA on file. Anybody know if they did that with EPWs at Gitmo?
Report Post »tzion
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:36amIf that’s your definition of calm your must lead a stressed out life. I see him with his hands in his pockets, hat brim low over his eyes, and it looks like he might even be wearing sunglasses though it’s hard to be certain. He walks in and turns around as though waiting for something or pondering. He clearly is trying to avoid drawing attention to himself and seems to be very self-conscious. He definitely stands out the way I’d expect.
Report Post »riseandshine
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:54pmI doubt it was a suicide bombing.
Report Post »texanpatriot
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 12:12amI with you Rise — I suspect it was an ill timed bus backfire… happens all the time.
Report Post »riseandshine
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 1:07amGood job, Texan.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 2:03amYou both said that with so much feeling & conviction. I bet you could get Janet Napolitano to her you as DHS spokespeople.
Report Post »riseandshine
Posted on July 20, 2012 at 2:26amBombing….yes. Suicide?….I doubt it.
Report Post »snidley-whiplash
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:35pmhezbolla—-dearbornastan—michigan drivers license—gitmo—– guess they really don’t know this murderer.
Report Post »Constructionist
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:13pm“We can’t go into more details regarding that part of our operations,” Vadasz said. “But we can definitely confirm that it’s not him.”
That’s code for, “We capped that idiot six months ago”.
Report Post »RLTW
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:55pmThe fact they say they don’t know means he was, simple as that.
Report Post »deano24
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:20pmGood point. If they knew they would’ve said so. Swedish intelligence agents were supposed to monitor Mr. Mehdi Ghezali after his release from Gitmo. I have a feeling they never did. i actually saw this story earlier on Debbie Schlussel’s webpage.
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/51881/bush-released-bulgaria-bus-bomber-of-jews-from-gitmo-to-freedom-mi-fake-drivers-license-no-coincidence/#more-51881
Report Post »TRILO
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:54pmI thought it was Iran that was behind the bombing? Israel and Bolton said so. The fact that government agencies keep coming up with different stories makes me very suspicious. Are they trying to find a story line that fits the objective?
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:15pmOf course, it’s election season
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:49pmEverybody else knows but the Pentagon…….Go figure!
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:56pmDont forget, they are part of the government
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:38pmThe pentagon doesn’t have the power anymore, it’s DHS that has the power. Soon HHS will head all investigations, and the IRS will follow up all leads.
Wait, why do we even have a foreign dept. anymore, we all agree and know, the enemy is the Tea Party, and of course middle america. We must disarm them and send in the clowns….er…..security forces.
This is Barrack Obama, I approve this message.
Report Post »rickc34
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:47pmWe had him, we let him go , and he killed again. Smooth move Obama.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:57pmblame obama for everything. Is it rational to think the president is to blame for mid-level pentagon decisions?
Report Post »TruthHurts
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:04pmLet’s see… 2002 and 2004… nope, Obama wasn’t the President. I can’t stand Obama, but not enough to be foolish enough to post something that would make me look that silly Rick.
Report Post »philipzhao
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:18pmIt‘s all Bush’s faults !
Report Post »KidCharlemagne
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:39pmHere’s the entire 15 seconds of surveillance camera footage of the guy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E37c-RncXG8
The guy looks like a stoner with long red hair to me.
Report Post »shanis78
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:39pmIs an isreali and an American citizen…. It look like the beginning of the end. This is a sad day…
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 10:35pmTranslation: Obama has ordered them to keep quiet even if the bomber was freed by Obama after a stay at Gitmo.
Report Post »TruthHurts
Posted on July 19, 2012 at 11:07pmDid you read the story… 2002 – 2004!!!! Obama wasn’t President! This is why people should have to pass some kind of test before posting on the Blaze. people like you and Rick make us Conservatives look silly. You know how Obama blames Bush for everything… and we all think it is silly? Isn’t it silly to blame everything on Obama as well? Let’s stick to the things he is responsible for… huge unemployment, massive deficit spending, huge deficit, etc, etc, etc….
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