Condoleezza Rice's press briefing is now online on the whitehouse web site (www.whitehouse.gov) in both text and audio formats.

TEXT:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/05/20020516-13.html
AUDIO:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/05/20020516-13.a.ram

In the text version there is an interesting omission.

21 paragraphs from bottom:

Q Dr. Rice, are you aware of the reports at the time that -- was in Washington on September 11th, and on September 10th, $100,000 was wired to Pakistan to this group here in this area? While he was here meeting with you or anybody in the administration?"

DR. RICE: I have not seen that report, and he was certainly not meeting with me.


The two dashes are normally included in transcripts to indicate a pause, but Dr Rice clealy understands the question that is being asked, hence her reply.

This excerpt is at 31:20 in the audio. Here, it is clear that the journalist asks "... at the time that ISI chief was in Washington".

ISI is the Pakistani intelligence service.

It's chief Lt-Gen Mahmud Ahmad

The question relates to this story, reported initially in the times of India


"India helped FBI trace ISI-terrorist links

by MANOJ JOSHI
12 October 2001
'THE TIMES OF INDIA'

NEW DELHI: While the Pakistani Inter Services Public Relations claimed that former ISI director-general Lt-Gen Mahmud Ahmad sought retirement after being superseded on Monday, the truth is more shocking.

Top sources confirmed here on Tuesday, that the general lost his job because of the "evidence" India produced to show his links to one of the suicide bombers that wrecked the World Trade Centre. The US authorities sought his removal after confirming the fact that $100,000 were wired to WTC hijacker Mohammed Atta from Pakistan by Ahmad Umar Sheikh at the instance of Gen Mahumd.

[continued at]

 http://www.timesofindia.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=1454238160


The omission in the transcript is clearly intentional as the words "ISI chief" are extremely audible, yet have been reported as simply dashes. Dr Rice should certainly be aware of the allegations surrounding Mahmud Ahmad, given her role as National Security Advisor, and her response simply serves to brush off any further questions.

I find this omission very interesting. I believe that it warrants further investigation which is why I am forwarding this for your attention.

Thank you for your time. Please contact  burningbush@operamail.com with any infomation you find and send this story out to as many sources as you can before it is changed on the whitehouse site.