[Media-watch] US mil personnel warned not to read Taguba report on net - Article and leaked pentagon email - Time - 8/05/2004

[Julie-ann Davies]

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,634638,00.html
Saturday, May. 08, 2004
It's not exactly every day that the Pentagon warns military personnel to
stay away from Fox News. But that's exactly what some hopeful soul at the
Department of Defense instructed, in a memo intended to forbid Pentagon
staff reading a copy of the Taguba report detailing abuse of detainees at
prisons in Iraq that had been posted at the Fox News web site.
An email to Pentagon staff marked "URGENT IT (Information Technology)
BULLETIN: Taguba Report" orders employees not to read or download the Taguba
report at Fox News, on the grounds that the document is classified. It also
orders them not to discuss the matter with friends or family members. The
emailed memo was leaked to TIME by a senior U.S. civilian official in
Baghdad, who did not hide his disdain for the "factotums" in the Pentagon.
"I do wonder how incredibly stupid some people in the Pentagon are," he
emailed TIME. "Not only are they drawing everyone's attention to the
report - and where it can be seen - but attempting to muzzle people never
works."

Perhaps realizing that, the email's author in "Information Services Customer
Liaison" said: "This leakage will be investigated for criminal prosecution.
If you don't have the document and have never had legitimate access, please
do not complicate the investigative processes by seeking information." As
the type-face switched to high-alarm red, the 180-word email continues: "THE
INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT IS CLASSIFIED; DO NOT GO TO FOX NEWS TO
READ OR OBTAIN A COPY."

The memo also contained four tips on how to plug the leaks of explosive
prison-abuse tales. The first is "NOT to go to Fox News to read or obtain a
copy" of the Taguba report. The American official in Baghdad received the
email on Friday from the Office of the Secretary of Defense's Policy team,
marked to "MAL POL ALL POLICY," with a note telling employees that those who
have read the Taguba report on the web should "CALL POLICY IT SECURITY
IMMEDIATELY!"

Link to leaked email

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,634637,00.html

-----Original Message-----
From: Dunn, Daniel, CTR, OSD-POLICY
Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2004 10:11 PM
To: MLA POL ALL POLICY
Subject: FW: URGENT IT BULLETIN: Tugabe Report (FOUO)
Importance: High


This applies to all Policy users as well. If you have accessed this document
on the Internet, CALL POLICY IT SECURITY IMMEDIATELY!
703-696-0668
---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Daniel R. (Dan) Dunn, EE, CISSP, CCSA/CCSE
USD(P) IA Officer
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Policy
Policy Automation Services Security Team

p: 703-696-0668, x153
f: 703-696-0588

-----Original Message----- 
From: Easterling, Ron, CTR, OSD-POLICY
Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2004 2:00 PM
To: Mauer, Bill, CTR, OSD-POLICY; Dunn, Daniel, CTR, OSD-POLICY
Subject: FW: URGENT IT BULLETIN: Tugabe Report (FOUO)
Importance: High


-----Original Message-----
From: Information Services Customer Liaison, ISD
Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2004 12:45 PM
To: MLA dd - USD(I) - ALL; MLA dd - NII ALL
Subject: URGENT IT BULLETIN: Tugabe Report (FOUO)
Importance: High

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY


AUDIENCE
All ISD Customers

SUMMARY
Fox News and other media outlets are distributing the Tugabe report
(spelling is approximate for reasons which will become obvious momentarily).
Someone has given the news media classified information and they are
distributing it. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT IS CLASSIFIED. ALL
ISD CUSTOMERS SHOULD:

1) NOT GO TO FOX NEWS TO READ OR OBTAIN A COPY
2) NOT comment on this to anyone, friends, family etc.
3) NOT delete the file if you receive it via e-mail, but
4) CALL THE ISD HELPDESK AT 602-2627 IMMEDIATELY

This leakage will be investigated for criminal prosecution. If you don't
have the document and have never had legitimate access, please do not
complicate the investigative processes by seeking information. Again, THE
INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT IS CLASSIFIED; DO NOT GO TO FOX NEWS TO
READ OR OBTAIN A COPY.

ASSISTANCE
If you have any questions, please contact the ISD Helpdesk at 703-602-2627
or via email at isdhelpdesk at osd.mil.

Thank you for your cooperation.

INFORMATION SERVICES DIRECTORATE

This may contain information exempt from mandatory disclosure under the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).