UPI: Transcripts Came From Lawyers Defending United, American In Civil Trials

We may now know more about the motives behind what some analysts have termed the "incredible" legal blunders of TSA attorney Carla Martin. As you might recall... she's the government lawyer who nearly derailed the government's case for putting admitted al-Qaeda terrorist Zacarious Moussaoui to death.

Last week, federal prosecutors told Judge Leonie Brinkema that Martin had broken the court's rules on information provided to seven FAA witnesses -- some for the prosecution and some for the defense. A string of emails she wrote to them -- including an attachment of the prosecution's opening arguments -- has led to accusations she was coaching the witnesses in the penalty trial of confessed al-Qaeda conspirator Moussaoui.

But to what end? We may now have the beginnings of an answer to that question.

"What we know from the email chain that was disclosed by prosecutors last week, is she was first sent those transcripts by lawyers who represent the two big airlines defending themselves in a series of massive civil cases against them by the victims of the September 11 attacks," Shaun Waterman, Homeland and National Security Editor at United Press International, told ANN Senior Editor Pete Combs Monday.

In addition to forwarding those transcripts to seven FAA witnesses, Waterman says Martin also voiced her concerns about prosecutors’ opening arguments -- when they said, had the FAA been aware of the precise threat of the suicide hijackings, it would have been able to warn airlines to take precautions against short-bladed weapons being allowed as carry-on items.

That refutes United's and American's civil suit assertions that there was nothing they could have done to stop the 9/11 attacks, no matter what information they may have had. It’s a key to point in their defense against allegations brought by the families of 9/11 victims, who say the airlines could have done much more to protect their loved ones on that deadly day in 2001. Attorneys for the victims' families have already stated they believe Martin might have coached transportation witnesses, in an effort to help airline companies defend against the civil lawsuits.

In the days after the email revelation, United and American have both distanced themselves from Martin.

Waterman says that American wrote to Brinkema over the weekend, denying their lawyers have ever contacted Martin, nor had any contact with her at all for at least a year. United issued a statement asserting its conduct, and that of its outside council, has been "appropriate" in the Moussaoui trial.

Martin will soon have to stand before Brinkema to answer for her conduct. That should be an interesting conversation... and, of course, ANN will bring you the highlights.

FMI: Shaun Waterman's report on Carla Martin's possible airline connection, www.usdoj.gov/