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American Military News
a day ago
- Politics
- American Military News
230,000 pages on Martin Luther King Jr assassination released by Trump admin
President Donald Trump's administration announced on Monday that it was releasing more than 230,000 pages of files pertaining to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prior to the release of the files by the Trump administration, the documents had been sealed since 1977. In a Monday press release, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard confirmed that her office was releasing over 230,000 pages of files on King Jr.'s assassination in response to the president's executive order directing his administration to release classified documents regarding the assassinations of King, former President John F. Kennedy, and former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. 'The American people have waited nearly 60 years to see the full scope of the federal government's investigation into Dr. King's assassination,' Gabbard stated. 'Under President Trump's leadership, we are ensuring that no stone is left unturned in our mission to deliver complete transparency on this pivotal and tragic event in our nation's history. I extend my deepest appreciation to the King family for their support.' Monday's press release explained that the newly-released documents include information on the investigation the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted into King Jr.'s assassination, such as internal FBI memos regarding the case, potential leads, and information on a former cellmate of James Earl Ray, who initially pleaded guilty to assassinating King following the civil rights activist's death in 1968 before renouncing his guilty plea. READ MORE: Video: JFK assassination files released The press release noted that other documents released by the Trump administration include evidence of Ray fleeing the country following King Jr.'s assassination and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) records on the 'international hunt for the prime suspect in the assassination.' 'The American people deserve answers decades after the horrific assassination of one of our nation's great leaders,' Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a Justice Department press release. 'The Department of Justice is proud to partner with Director Gabbard and the ODNI at President Trump's direction for this latest disclosure.' Dr. Alveda King, the niece of the former civil rights activist, said she was grateful that the Trump administration followed through with its commitment to provide transparency by releasing the documents regarding King Jr.'s assassination. 'My uncle lived boldly in pursuit of truth and justice, and his enduring legacy of faith continues to inspire Americans to this day,' Alveda King stated. 'While we continue to mourn his death, the declassification and release of these documents are a historic step towards the truth that the American people deserve.'
Global News
a day ago
- Politics
- Global News
Release of MLK files a ‘distraction' from Epstein saga, activists say
The Trump administration has released hundreds of thousands of FBI files detailing the agency's surveillance of Martin Luther King Jr., ignoring requests from his family and civil rights groups to keep them classified. Some 240,000 pages of intelligence included in the digital document dump had been under a court-imposed seal since 1977, when the FBI first gathered the records and turned them over to the National Archives and Records Administration. In a statement released on Monday, King's two living children, Martin III, 67, and Bernice, 62, said their father's death had been a 'captivating public curiosity for decades,' but reiterated that the files were deeply personal and urged people to read them 'within their full historical context.' 'He was relentlessly targeted by an invasive, predatory, and deeply disturbing disinformation and surveillance campaign orchestrated by J. Edgar Hoover through the Federal Bureau of Investigation,' the King children said in their statement. Story continues below advertisement 'The intent … was not only to monitor, but to discredit, dismantle and destroy Dr. King's reputation and the broader American Civil Rights Movement.' 'These actions were not only invasions of privacy, but intentional assaults on the truth — undermining the dignity and freedoms of private citizens who fought for justice, designed to neutralize those who dared to challenge the status quo.' The Kings said they 'support transparency and historical accountability' but 'object to any attacks on our father's legacy or attempts to weaponize it to spread falsehoods.' View image in full screen After Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was freed from jail (under a $2,000 appeal bond), he was greeted by his wife, Coretta, and children, Martin and Yolanda, at the airport in Chamblee, Ga., on Oct. 27, 1960. Getty Images The King family was granted access to the documents for review before they were unsealed, but was still poring over them when they became public, according to The Associated Press. Included in the files are leads pursued by the FBI following King's assassination, as well as details of the CIA's investigation into King's focus on international anti-war and anti-poverty movements in the years before he was killed. Story continues below advertisement 'As the children of Dr. King and Mrs. Coretta Scott King, his tragic death has been an intensely personal grief — a devastating loss for his wife, children, and the granddaughter he never met — an absence our family has endured for over 57 years,' his children wrote. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We ask those who engage with the release of these files to do so with empathy, restraint, and respect for our family's continuing grief.' They also doubled down on their family's steadfast belief that the man accused of killing their father, James Earl Ray, was not solely responsible, if at all. King was 39 when he was shot dead on April 4, 1968, while standing on his hotel balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn. Bernice King was five and Martin III was 10. Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, said the unsealing of the files was 'unprecedented' but commended President Donald Trump for facilitating their release. During his presidential campaign, Trump also vowed to release files related to former president John F. Kennedy's 1963 assassination and signed an executive order to declassify the JFK records when he assumed office in January, along with files associated with Robert F. Kennedy's and King's 1968 assassinations. The government unsealed the JFK records in March and shared some RFK files in April. Story continues below advertisement Despite King's surviving children's disapproval of the unsealing of their father's file, other family members have expressed support for the Trump administration's actions. Alveda King, Martin Luther King Jr.'s niece, said she was 'grateful to President Trump' for his 'transparency.' Meanwhile, civil rights leader Al Sharpton says the release of the King files is 'not about transparency or justice,' but is merely a 'distraction' from 'the firestorm engulfing Trump over the Epstein files and the public unraveling of his credibility.' The King Center, founded by King's widow and prominent civil rights activist Coretta Scott King and now run by Bernice King, reacted separately from Bernice's joint statement with her brother, framing the release as a distraction from both long- and short-term political controversy. 'The King Center believes it is unfortunate and ill-timed, given the myriad of pressing issues and injustices affecting the United States and the global society, to distract from the critical needs and traumatic outcomes resulting from these issues and injustices,' the statement said. 'Further, we cannot afford to be diverted from how we each can contribute to changing the trajectory of our 'World House.' If we are not careful, that is what the release of the FBI files could precipitate for many.' Trump has spent the last two weeks attempting to quell growing calls from his supporters to release incriminating documents detailing the actions of the former financier and child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein after his administration U-turned on a promise to share a so-called 'client list' and other unseen documents related to him. Story continues below advertisement The president's yo-yoing has splintered Republican support, with some of his staunch allies straying from their otherwise supportive Trump rhetoric. On Monday, outspoken Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on X, 'If you tell the base of people, who support you, of deep state treasonous crimes, election interference, blackmail, and rich powerful elite evil cabals, then you must take down every enemy of The People.' 'If not. [sic] The base will turn and there's no going back,' she warned. 'Dangling bits of red meat no longer satisfies. They want the whole steak dinner and will accept nothing else.' If you tell the base of people, who support you, of deep state treasonous crimes, election interference, blackmail, and rich powerful elite evil cabals, then you must take down every enemy of The People. If not. The base will turn and there's no going back. Dangling bits of… — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) July 21, 2025 Story continues below advertisement Meanwhile, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said on Monday that he will not allow votes on measures related to the Epstein files during the House's final week before an extended recess. It comes less than seven days after Johnson called on the president to release the Epstein files during a podcast appearance with right-wing commentator Benny Johnson. 'It's a very delicate subject, but we should put everything out there and let the people decide it,' Johnson said last Tuesday. 'I agree with the sentiment that we need to put it out there,' he continued, adding that Attorney General Pam Bondi needs to explain why she has not presented Epstein-related documents she had previously said were 'sitting on my desk.' Bernice King and Martin III did not mention Trump in their statement. Nonetheless, later in the day, Bernice King shared a black-and-white photo of her late father, looking annoyed, with the caption 'Now, do the Epstein files.' Story continues below advertisement — With files from The Associated Press
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Pavittar Singh, alias 'Chaura,' arrested by FBI, Punjab cops eye his return
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police is learnt to be in the process of renewing efforts to bring back absconding fugitive Pavittar Singh alias 'Chaura' - one of eight Indian-origin suspects arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the US on July 11 as part of its 'Summer Heat' crackdown on gang violence. A Punjab Police officer, who did not wish to come on record, said they were in the process of asking central agencies to bring back the fugitive. It is, however, not yet clear whether the fugitive would be extradited or deported, added the officer. "It is not clear if Pavittar had been living illegally in the US or had a legal status. If he has been living illegally, there is a possibility of his deportation, which is easier," said the officer. Chaura's status in the US is a mystery as a Punjab Police dossier mentions he had been arrested in the US earlier too, said the officer. In April 2023, Pavittar (30), a resident of Chaura village in Gurdaspur district, was arrested along with an associate in connection with a Dec 2022 shooting in Woodland, US, according to the dossier. The officer said they believe Chaura got bail in the earlier case. Pavittar, according to the dossier, travelled to Singapore on a student visa on Nov 8, 2016, and then left for the US. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Serbia: New Container Houses (Prices May Surprise You) Container House Search Now Undo "He, most likely, went through illegal means," said the officer. According to the officer, in 2023, Pavittar and his associate Husandeep Singh were arrested on charges of attempted murder and criminal conspiracy, as part of a multi-agency crackdown against violent incidents in the US, in what was called 'Operation Broken Sword'. According to the dossier, between Oct 2013 and Nov 2023, Pavittar was named in 12 FIRs registered at police stations in Punjab - including two for murder, five for attempted murder, and others under the Arms Act and at least one under the NDPS Act. The dossier mentioned him as an accused in a case of cheating and another under the Passport Act and the Prisons Act in an FIR registered in Dec 2022 at state special operation cell (SSOC), Amritsar. Pavittar "has been living in California, USA, for the last few years", reads the dossier. An open-dated warrant of arrest, a lookout circular (LoC), and a red-corner notice had been issued against Pavittar before July 11. The dossier reads: "He is also having links with banned militant groups such as Babbar Khalsa International." Another Punjab Police officer said Pavittar and his gang now faced charges of kidnapping for ransom, torture, and possessing illegal weapons in the US. The crimes carry life sentences. "When abroad, Pavittar continued to operate a criminal network in Punjab through local associates. He is believed to have been involved in extortions, targeted killings, and other illegal activities," the dossier said.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Fugitive Pavittar Singh ‘Chaura' arrested by FBI in US, Punjab cops eye his return
1 2 Chandigarh: Punjab Police is learnt to be in the process of renewing efforts to bring back absconding fugitive Pavittar Singh alias 'Chaura' — one of eight Indian-origin suspects arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the US on July 11 as part of its 'Summer Heat' crackdown on gang violence. A Punjab Police officer, who did not wish to come on record, said they were in the process of asking central agencies to bring back the fugitive. It is, however, not yet clear whether the fugitive would be extradited or deported, added the officer. "It is not clear if Pavittar had been living illegally in the US or had a legal status. If he has been living illegally, there is a possibility of his deportation, which is easier," said the officer. Chaura's status in the US is a mystery as a Punjab Police dossier mentions he had been arrested in the US earlier too, said the officer. In April 2023, Pavittar (30), a resident of Chaura village in Gurdaspur district, was arrested along with an associate in connection with a Dec 2022 shooting in Woodland, US, according to the dossier. The officer said they believe Chaura got bail in the earlier case. Pavittar, according to the dossier, travelled to Singapore on a student visa on Nov 8, 2016, and then left for the US. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Global Indices Are on the Move — Time to Trade! IC Markets Learn More Undo "He, most likely, went through illegal means," said the officer. According to the officer, in 2023, Pavittar and his associate Husandeep Singh were arrested on charges of attempted murder and criminal conspiracy, as part of a multi-agency crackdown against violent incidents in the US, in what was called 'Operation Broken Sword'. According to the dossier, between Oct 2013 and Nov 2023, Pavittar was named in 12 FIRs registered at police stations in Punjab — including two for murder, five for attempted murder, and others under the Arms Act and at least one under the NDPS Act. The dossier mentioned him as an accused in a case of cheating and another under the Passport Act and the Prisons Act in an FIR registered in Dec 2022 at state special operation cell (SSOC), Amritsar. Pavittar "has been living in California, USA, for the last few years", reads the dossier. An open-dated warrant of arrest, a lookout circular (LoC), and a red-corner notice had been issued against Pavittar before July 11. The dossier reads: "He is also having links with banned militant groups such as Babbar Khalsa International." Another Punjab Police officer said Pavittar and his gang now faced charges of kidnapping for ransom, torture, and possessing illegal weapons in the US. The crimes carry life sentences. "When abroad, Pavittar continued to operate a criminal network in Punjab through local associates. He is believed to have been involved in extortions, targeted killings, and other illegal activities," the dossier said.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
FBI ‘failed to investigate' Hillary Clinton's email case, declassified documents reveal
The Federal Bureau of Investigation allegedly 'failed to fully investigate' former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server and mishandling of highly classified information while she served in the federal government under former President Barack Obama, a portion of which The declassified documents, released by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, reveal that a confidential source gave thumb drives to the FBI which had State Department's data acquired via cyber intrusions, including mails from ex-President Obama and others. Grassley said, 'This document shows an extreme lack of effort and due diligence in the FBI's investigation of former Secretary Clinton's email usage and mishandling of highly classified information.' The report has been authored by Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz, who holds the same position at the Federal Reserve Board and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. It remains unclear if the FBI has conducted any further thorough investigation in the hard drives it received, since the 2018 watchdog report was released. Hillary Clinton, who served as Secretary of State under Obama's administration from 2009 to 2013, had been accused of improperly storing or transmitting classified materials on a private email server. The FBI had advised the Department of Justice in 2016 that Clinton should not be prosecuted over the matter. It was in 2016 when she ran for presidency from the Democratic Party against Republican leader and now President Donald Trump. In a press release, then FBI director James Comey said 'Although there is evidence of potential violations of the statutes regarding the handling of classified information, our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case.' The declassified documents also reveal that then-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe asked then-US Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates in a memo that if he could refer to the drives for FBI's investigation Russian interference in the 2016 presidential polls.
