NewsMine — deceptions — ussliberty — Viewing Item

Navy attorney coverup of attack { October 23 2003 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/4170180.html http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/4170180.html Ex-Navy attorney alleges coverup of '67 Israeli attack Jennifer C. Kerr, Associated Press Published October 23, 2003 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A former Navy attorney who helped lead the military investigation of the 1967 Israeli attack on the USS Liberty that killed 34 U.S. servicemen says former President Lyndon Johnson and his defense secretary, Robert McNamara, ordered that the incident be declared an accident. In a signed affidavit released during a Capitol Hill news conference, retired Capt. Ward Boston said Johnson and McNamara told those leading the Navy's inquiry to "conclude that the attack was a case of mistaken identity despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary." Boston was senior legal counsel to the Navy's original 1967 review of the attack. He said in the sworn statement that he stayed silent for years because he's a military man, and "when orders come . . . I follow them." He said he felt compelled to "share the truth" after the recent publication of "The Liberty Incident," a book that concluded the attack was unintentional. The Liberty was an intelligence-gathering ship that was cruising international waters off the Egyptian coast on June 8, 1967. Israeli planes and torpedo boats opened fire on the Liberty in the midst of what became known as the Israeli-Arab Six-Day War. In addition to the 34 Americans killed, more than 170 were wounded. Israel has long maintained that the attack was a case of mistaken identity. Israel claimed its forces thought the ship was an Egyptian vessel and apologized to the United States. It was "one of the classic all-American cover-ups," said retired Adm. Thomas Moorer, a former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman who spent a year investigating the attack as part of an independent panel he formed with other former military officials. "Why would our government put Israel's interests ahead of our own?" Moorer asked at the news conference. He was chief of naval operations at the time of the attack. Moorer, who has long held that the attack was deliberate, wants Congress to investigate.

1967 israeli attack on uss liberty covered by lbj { June 8 1967 } Attack deliberate { April 23 2001 } Call for uss liberty investigation { July 8 2003 } Coverup alleged probe uss liberty { October 23 2003 } Israeli pliot admits liberty attack was intentional Lbj ordered false results { October 22 2003 } Navy attorney coverup of attack { October 23 2003 } New charges vs israel 67 ship attack { June 8 1967 } President ordered accident verdict Reminder history channel Ussliberty navytimes { June 26 2002 } Washpost style front { February 1 2003 } Wp article timing { February 16 2003 } Files Listed: 13

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