Susan Lindauer

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Susan Lindauer, a "former journalist and one-time press secretary for four members of Congress was arrested Thursday [March 11, 2004] on charges she served as a paid agent for the Iraqi intelligence service before and after the U.S. invasion. ... She was accused of conspiring to act as a spy for the Iraqi Intelligence Service and engaging in prohibited financial transactions involving the government of Iraq under dictator Saddam Hussein. Prosecutors say she accepted $10,000 for the work." [1]

The Indictment

See the Indictment (pdf file) provided by FindLaw.

  • WLUC-TV/Channel 6's AP News Story, March 12, 2004, reported that "An American woman is under arrest -- on charges that she spied for Saddam Hussein's government."
"Authorities in New York say Susan Lindauer was arrested today at her home in Maryland, just outside Washington. She's due in court later today in Baltimore.
"She's accused of conspiring to act as a spy for the Iraqi Intelligence Service. She's also charged with engaging in illegal financial transactions involving Saddam's government.
"According to an indictment, Lindauer made a number of visits to the Iraqi Mission to the United Nations in New York between October of 1999 and March of 2002.
"It says she met there with several members of the foreign intelligence arm of Iraq's government. The Iraqi Intelligence Service allegedly played a role in terrorist operations -- including an attempted assassination of the first President Bush."
  • "An indictment filed by federal prosecutors said that from October 1999 to March 2002, Lindauer met with members of the Iraqi Intelligence Service, an arm of the Iraqi government involved in terrorist operations. The indictment said she violated federal law by accepting money from a country that sponsored terrorism." [2] "The indictment did not specify a motive." [3]
  • David Rennie, in the March 12, 2004, Telegraph/UK reports that Lindauer "was also accused of seeking funds for Iraqi resistance groups. ... Lindauer visited Baghdad in 2002 and had many meetings with Iraqi agents at its United Nations mission in New York, it was alleged." [4]
  • The Hour Online reports on March 12, 2004, that the "indictment makes no mention of her congressional staff work. She was not directly charged with espionage."
"She could get up to 10 years in prison on the most serious charge. According to the indictment, Lindauer delivered a letter 'to the home of a United States government official' on Jan. 8, 2003, in which she described her access to members of dictator Saddam Hussein's regime 'in an unsuccessful attempt to influence United States policy.' The U.S. official was not identified. But a government official, speaking on condition on anonymity, said the recipient of the letter was White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, a distant cousin of Lindauer." [5]
  • "White House spokesman Scott McClellan said that the last time Card recalls seeing or talking to Lindauer was during January 2001 inaugural events. McClellan said the FBI interviewed Card about his contact with Lindauer and that Card cooperated fully. ... Card told the FBI that Lindauer had tried to contact him on behalf of the former regime several times." [6]

According to the February 11, 2004, online edition of USA Today [updated February 12, 2004], which provided the FindLaw link on its web site, [7]

"The grand jury said the Jan. 8, 2003, letter outlined Lindauer's contacts with Saddam's regime. A U.S. government official who is familiar with the case said the letter also urged the Bush administration to explore additional sanctions against Iraq -- and to allow United Nations inspectors more time to find banned weapons there -- before launching last year's invasion.
"Lindauer is not charged with espionage. She was charged with conspiring with Raed Al-Anbuke and Wisam Al-Anbuke to violate a law that requires agents of foreign governments who are in the USA to register with the attorney general. The Al-Anbukes are sons of Iraq's former liaison to the U.N. weapons inspectors.
"Lindauer also is charged with violating a law that bars financial transactions with Iraq. She could face up to 35 years in prison if convicted.
"U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Gauvey in Baltimore released Lindauer on a $500,000 bond. But she was ordered to stay at a halfway house and to undergo a psychiatric examination."
  • FOX News reports March 12, 2004, that "Charges brought Thursday by federal prosecutors in Manhattan against 41-year-old Susan Lindauer hinted at Hollywood-style espionage with packages left in what the prosecutor's office described as prearranged 'dead drop' operations in Baltimore."
"In court, Lindauer was relaxed and smiling as she faced charges that carry a potential penalty of 25 years in prison. She declined to speak afterward, as did two court-appointed defense lawyers."
"The indictment said she accepted $10,000 for working for the Iraqi Intelligence Service from 1999 to 2002, including payments for lodging at the Al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad and expenses during meetings in New York City with Iraqi agents.
"The government portrayed the agency as a spy nest responsible for foreign intelligence collection, counterintelligence, covert actions and terrorist operations including the attempted assassination of former President Bush."
"The indictment stems from a series of encounters and exchanges in recent years. ... The government said Lindauer returned in March 2002 from a trip to Iraq with $5,000 in cash received from Iraqi agents, breaking a law prohibiting transactions with a government that sponsors terrorism.
"Lindauer's work allegedly continued through last month, when she maintained contact with an FBI agent posing as a Libyan intelligence service operative who wanted to support resistance groups in postwar Iraq.
"The indictment said she met the agent last July in Baltimore, 'and discussed the need for plans and foreign resources to support resistance groups operating within Iraq.' Acting on the agent's orders, Lindauer left documents at a spot in Takoma Park twice last August, the indictment said."

Anti-War Activist

  • "Lindauer reportedly denied the charges to a Baltimore TV station: 'I'm an anti-war activist, and I'm innocent. I did more to stop terrorism in this country than anybody else. I have done good things for this country. I worked to get weapons inspectors back to Iraq when everyone else said it was impossible. I'm very proud, and I'll stand by my achievements.'" [8]

Employment Background

Andy Serwer, in the March 11, 2004, online edition of FORTUNE writes "THE REPORTER WAS A SPY? I have always been of the mind that when you have some bad news, don't hide it, get it out! So here goes: A woman named Susan Lindauer was arrested today on charges she spied for Iraq. Lindauer worked at FORTUNE as a reporter associate on a temporary basis from August 1986 through December 1986. Wow! What does Street Life remember about Ms. Lindauer? Soft-spoken, reasonably intelligent, nice enough, blond, 5'-3"ish, displaying absolutely no political leanings whatsoever. I had dinner with her one time, and she called me once or twice after she left looking for work or some such. I probably never spoke to her after, say, 1987. She kind of struck me as a person who always was looking to find herself, and obviously she didn't stick around at FORTUNE very long. I'll say it again: Wow!" [9]

The March 12, 2004, Portland Tribune reported that "Agents make spy arrest": "In 1993 and 1994, Susan Lindauer, 41, worked as press secretary for Rep. Peter DeFazio and then-Rep. Ron Wyden, who is now in the Senate, both Oregon Democrats. She later worked for Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun, D-Ill." in 1996. [10]

The September 1993 issue of Media Watch reported that "Three West Coast Democrats have tapped media veterans to fill Press Secretary slots in their Capitol Hill offices, Roll Call reported. Oregon's Peter DeFazio chose Susan Lindauer, a reporter for U.S. News & World Report in 1990-91."

This was followed up by a similar announcement in the March 1994 issue of Media Watch when it was reported that "Susan Lindauer, a reporter with U.S. News & World Report from 1990 to 1991, has switched Democratic offices within the Oregon congressional team. She's jumped from the office of Peter DeFazio, where she had been Press Secretary, to handle the same duties for Ron Wyden."

And, on March 12, 2004, Associated Press writer Erica Werner reported Lindauer "was employed [as press secretary] by Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, for two months in 2002. ... House records show she made $8,000 for her work from mid-March to mid-May 2002. ... Before her work as a political publicist, she was a journalist for Fortune, U.S. News & World Report and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer."

SourceWatch Resources

External links

Headlines

  • Spring 1996: "Senator to speak at SIUC" by Donita Polly, Daily Egyptian.
  • 6 November 1997: "The "Information Superstation", on channel 28, is a new TV channel that will broadcast unfiltered, unedited coverage of the White House and federal agencies all over the Washington area. It's licensed for low-powered transmission, so it will be limited the area within and around the Beltway. Station spokeswoman, Susan Lindauer. . ." Question: Same Susan Lindauer?
  • 28 May 2000: "Lockerbie -- CIA witness gagged by US government" by Neil McKay and Ian Ferguson, Sunday Herald (UK).
  • 1 July 2000: "Lockerbie Trial Document: Susan Lindauer Deposition, 4 December 1998," Middle East Intelligence Bulletin.
  • 11 March 2004: "American woman says she's innocent of spying for Iraq," AP: Lindauer, "...describing herself as an 'anti-war activist' ... said she worked to get weapons inspectors back into Iraq when others said it was impossible."
  • 11 March 2004: "Ex-Congressional Aide Charged With Spying" by Larry Neumeister, AP.
  • 11 March 2004: "U.S. woman charged with spying for Iraq," AP.
  • 11 March 2004: "Susan Lindauer's Work Record. The woman charged with spying for the Iraqi Intelligence service spent the 1990s working on Capitol Hill" by Katherine Mangu-Ward, Weekly Standard.
  • 11 March 2004: "Former Alaskan Charged with Spying for Iraq" by Jeff Turner, KTVA Anchorage.
  • "Her father, John, was the Republican nominee for governor of Alaska in 1998. ... Lindauer's father owned newspapers in Alaska. After his defeat in the governor's race, he pleaded no contest to two charges related to his campaign finances. He received probation and a fine." [11]
  • 11 March 2004: "U.S. Says Maryland Woman Tried to Aid Iraq Resistance (Update4)," Bloomberg News.
  • 12 March 2004: "Susan Lindauer a liberal activist in years before arrest," New York Times.
  • 12 March 2004: "Susan Lindauer - Iraq Spy? The story's REALLY fishy!" by DirtyGreek, Daily Kos.
  • 12 March 2004: "Former U.S. Aide Accused of Working With Iraq" by Richard W. Stevenson and Eric Lichtblau, New York Times.
  • 12 March 2004: "Ex-Braun aide allegedly was Iraq agent" by Eric Herman, Chicago Sun-Times.
  • 12 March 2004: "Suspect is remembered as worldly. EAST HIGH: Former classmates say she was smart, craved attention" by Liz Ruskin, Anchorage Daily News.
  • 12 March 2004: "Accused Spy Held Several Journalism, Press Jobs" by Matthew Daly, AP.
  • 12 March 2004: "From Capitol Hill Aide to Iraqi Spy" by Lisa Hoffman and Lance Gay, Capitol Hill Blue.
  • 12 March 2004: "Alleged spy for Iraq gave Lockerbie deposition. Former Democrat congressional aide was at center of CIA controversy" by Sherrie Gossett, WorldNetDaily.
  • 12 March 2004: "Former DeFazio, Wyden employee accused of spying. Federal authorities arrest the one-time press secretary on charges that she worked for Saddam Hussein's regime" by Jeff Kosseff and Jim Barnett, The Oregonian.
  • 12 March 2004: "An indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court charged Susan Lindauer, a former Congressional staffer, with acting as an unregistered agent of the Iraqi Intelligence Service (IIS) and engaging in prohibited financial transactions with the government of Iraq," PakTribune.
  • 12 March 2004: "Member of Prominent Republican Family Arrested For Spying For Iraq:Alleged Spy Linked to White House" by DHinMI, Daily Kos: "That's the headline you could have seen but didn't."
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