A virtual hearing was held in federal district court in Seattle on December 16, 2021, in the USS Liberty FOIA lawsuit. As a result of the underlying FOIA requests and subsequent lawsuit, Kinnucan v. National Security Agency et al., no. 2:20-cv-01309 (W.D. Wash., filed Sep. 1, 2020), it has been confirmed that, together, the NSA and the CIA are withholding from public disclosure a minimum of 302 pages of documents concerning the deadly, unprovoked attack 54 years ago by Israeli forces on the USS Liberty (AGTR-5).
Included in this trove of documents is a US House Appropriations Committee report that the late Rep. Robert L. F. Sikes—who was a committee member—reportedly said contains testimony from a CIA witness who testified that on June 7, 1967—the day before the attack—the Israeli government threatened to attack Liberty if she was not moved away from Israel. You can read more about the lawsuit and the documents sought in the Station HYPO post below.
USS Liberty Lawsuit Reveals US Gov’t. Withholding Hundreds of Pages about Deadly 1967 Israeli Attack (Guest Post)
Thursday’s hearing was on plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment and defendants’ cross-motion for summary judgment. At least two Liberty survivors monitored the hearing via Zoom. One of them, Joe Meadors, reports he “Couldn’t tell from the Judge’s comments how she will rule but her repeated reference to the length of time that has transpired since the attack is a good sign (at least to me).” Others also noticed Judge Pechman’s attention to the passage of time and her seeming skepticism that, contrary to the government’s assertion, the documents at issue could pose a real threat to national security if released.
The judge reportedly said she plans to issue her decision on December 29, 2021—less than two weeks after the hearing. This is an unusually short timeline for such a decision from a federal district court.
Station HYPO 
21 December 2021 at 22:19
For those who were crewmembers on board the USS Liberty and those of us who were to have been on board the Liberty had it made a port call at Naples it is time that the full truth be revealed as to the events of that day. We deserve to know if Israel sought deliberately to kill us. It is well known that we intercepted Israeli communications and that we had Hebrew Linguists who provided information as to what Israel did and was doing. It is well known that the Israelis had the ultimate reason for attacking the Golan Heights, and that it was feared that the United States would have sought the United Nations to have them removed from the Golan the same way the United States had them removed from Egypt back in 1956 should the Liberty have gained such knowledge of the Israeli attack with sufficient time to contact the United Nations before Israel became so entrenched that they could not be forced to abandon their positions. It is more than time for us to know the truth!
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22 December 2021 at 05:37
I agree with ‘Oakpalms’ post and I know in my heart that release of these 302 pages – hopefully not heavily redacted –
could provide some closure for the survivors before they (and some of us that were closely involved) all die off. The
truth has been hidden under the rug for far to long.
Thank you for this post Mario. MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your family and may your NEW YEAR be a happy
on.
Jim King
CTOC Ret.
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22 December 2021 at 06:10
Israel just admit that they own this infamous attack on very proud servicemen that fought off torpedoes ,napalm and airstrikes with full ensign clear in the breeze the Captain of the Liberty did not abandon ship or strike his colors, the crew performed well and they aided the wounded under fire, single gunner valiantly challenged the in coming , I worry that this tragedy will be air brushed from history as it has been. President Johnson basically said we did not wish to offend an ally. Why are we accused of being anti semitic when we just look at the facts? if Israel has documents that concern this attack and so does DC,sealed .I will contact my Congressman to verify this as fact. I just wish to see closure to this tragedy before I die.
J.Welles
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22 December 2021 at 14:29
Both the Liberty and Pueblo incidents both occurred just before I became a CT and then EC-121/Beggar Shadow. Truth and Justice must be served
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22 December 2021 at 21:58
I joined USN, Jan 2, 68. Called my Dad,
and of month, to tell him I got choice
of CTO school, and he informed me
of Pueblo incident! Worked atSecgru
Hdqrters, and Azores!😊
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23 December 2021 at 13:11
What I found unusual, after being selected to be a CTO, was that no one would/could tell me what was involved in being a CT. All I was ever told, we’re sending you to school at Corry Field, Pensacola and all the interviews I had with all the alphabet people. I was still at home when the Pueblo incident occurred, just weeks away from Pensacola. Lights started to go off. Also, quite a few parents of my friends were interviewed by government people before I got home on leave. Everybody thought I had gotten into trouble. Had no idea about background checks etc. What did i know, I was just a street wise kid from New York
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22 December 2021 at 19:36
As a survivor of that attack, I have felt abandoned by my country for never allowing us closure on that event. It is my hope that all 302 pages get released because after 54 years any damage to the national security would be minimal. The world needs to know the Truth and we crewmembers need to have the closure.
Larry Bowen
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24 December 2021 at 19:50
This tragedy is left behind in history. Survivors are left with unanswered questions. The years of memories and those unanswered questions remain. Perhaps truth will put this all to rest. I’ve grown old hoping so.
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27 December 2021 at 20:17
As the POIC of the body recovery down below, I often take a look at my oath that I declared when I joined the Navy, and I thought about the solemn promise we gave to this nation, to your family, and mine. At one time, after my discharge, I thought that oath was null and void, but realizing how this nation has changed, made me give that another thought. The men I served with, gave the ultimate, well 34 of them did, and the rest of us who knew the truth have been trampled on, including myself. My biggest disappointment is how we could not get the cooperation of the American Public to get the truth out, and I was thoroughly disappointed with my church who turned their back on me. We have asked for nothing more, then what we deserved. We have never gotten the Congressional Investigation we asked for. Write your congressman, and ask for a copy of one, if you get it, I would like to see it. It has gotten a little better, and that is somewhat satisfying. I personally lost my home, and everything I owned twice. Treated like a criminal in divorce court and have never been in jail or charged with anything all my life. I certainly would never have gotten my Top-Secret Clearance, if I had any trouble like that. I am now 82. We have all given up plenty, and we did it for you, for this once great nation. When I took my oath, I was warned to never break it, but they never told me what to do when my leaders did. I am proud to be a member of the most decorated crew for a single action in the U.S. Navy. Folks as the Chaplain for the USS Liberty Veterans Association, I was able to observe miracle, after miracle that kept the Liberty afloat. In my personal opinion it was Devine Intervention.
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28 December 2021 at 06:42
It is way past the time that the documents should have been released.
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