Edward Jay Epstein writes in Slate about his recent trip to Prague and meeting with the Czech officials about Prague connection. The Prague connection is shorthand for the possible meeting between terrorist leader Mohamed Atta and one of Saddam's top spies in Prague in April 2001.
Epstein’s article leaves the impression that the U.S. is withholding information about the Prague connection.
After the Prague connection was leaked to the press, in September 2001, the FBI moved to quiet the story. The FBI told journalists that it had car rental and other records that put Atta in the U.S. close to, if not during, the time of the Prague meeting. The numerous press reports, attributed to the FBI, putting Atta in the U.S. when the Prague meeting occurred turned out to be erroneous. According to Epstein, the FBI had no records that put Atta in the United States at the time of the Prague meeting.
Epstein reports that the Czech intelligence services have been very cooperative with the FBI about the Prague connection. He also writes that it has not been a two way street.
The person Atta is alleged to have met with in the Prague meeting, al-Ani, was taken into custody by U.S. forces in July. Presumably al-Ani has been questioned about Atta. However, Epstein reports, nothing has been furnished to the Czechs.
The puzzle will remain incomplete until the missing pieces, including cell phone logs, credit card charges, and interrogation records are made available by the FBI.
What are they trying to hide?
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