81 yr old is visited by the Secret Service, after claiming "wrong person hung in Saddam's trial."

After writing to an editor, proclaiming that he thought officials hung the wrong person at Saddam's execution, Dan Tilli, age 81, was visited by Secret Service agents. Agents claimed that Tilli's message was viewed as a threat to the President. Tilli states that he hadn't used any names in his message, and could have implied Osama Bin Laden.



The fact that the Secret Service viewed a general remark, such as as this, as a threat to the President really astonishes me. For all they know, he could have wrote about the conspiracy delegating that it was Saddam's body double that was hung, rather than Saddam himself. He didn't even name any individual in his writings, and yet the Secret Service used it as enough means to view it as a threat to the President.

Related News Links:
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[edit] (Changed length of the title)

[edit on 22-1-2007 by DJMessiah]

It's been said before that certain factions of Governmental Security have no senses of humor...and it's true.

The Secret Service are humorless when it comes to such matters.

But I agree, it's a bit outrageous from a civilian standpoint.

Well i made a thread about Saddam, not being the right one.

Wonder if i will get a knock on the door.

Saddams double was hung that day.

From your link, it seems he made some sort of threat?

"He said, 'Keep writing, but just don't make no threats,'" Tilli said of one of the agents.

This guy has a history of political writing, including a letter last year in which he urged for a civil war to overthrow Bush. And notice he's not denying that he was referring to Bush.

Anyway, no harm done, the Secret Service realized quickly that he writes a lot of political material and the matter was resolved. They have no interest in him and he can still write what he wants as long as no one is threatened.

What's the harm in a little talk?

The man is 81 years old, is he a serious risk to national security?

Body double was the first thing that came to my mind. Well, after a visit from the Secret Service, I may look into a subscription from this paper. His next letter should be a real "hoot".

Originally posted by chissler
The man is 81 years old, is he a serious risk to national security?

Did the letter state that he was 81? I didn't read it...

Originally posted by jsobecky
Did the letter state that he was 81? I didn't read it...

Neither have I, but good question. But you would "think" that the Secret Service would look the information on this man up long before knocking on his door. A lot of this just comes across as unnecessary in my mind, but again, I'm not involved in protecting the life of the president.

Reading some of the post I imagine how some here will be sooooo please in a dictatorship and will be more than willing to go after their own mothers if they are told to show their patriotism.

I can imagine how many here in ATS will be visited by the secret service if the real names and addresses were given.

Opsssss, OH my GOsh!!!!!!!

I think is a black Helicopter circling my home!!!!!!!

Come on In I will have my recorder and camera ready for all of you MIB.

Trough out intimidation and fear is how some leaders can control the population. and Is happening in American all the time, too bad that they are so cowards that they chose young children in schools and elderly people to do their fear mongering on.

I'd like to see a copy of the letter that was sent before making my comments here for all to see...

I have found an article in the News agency that Dan Tilli himself wrote to, that goes further into detail about what happened. The report can be found here.

I'm still searching for his letter, though.

You can read Tilli's letter here.

It starts a few lines down the page, with the title 'Bush's Iraq policy led to total failure'.

It doesn't sound very threatening to me.

Edited to add that it's pretty obvious he was talking about Bush. For him to say otherwise is ridiculous.



[edit on 22-1-2007 by Duzey]

Like some 81 y/o man can't pull the trigger or detonate a pipe bomb?

Should government agents come and take me away, I would much prefer a speedy hanging to being incarcerated. "Live Free or Die". Good words to live by as the alternative is not living, it is slavery.

Even if he is 81 he can still be a threat. That's true. However in a democratic society he still should be able to have an opinion without the secret service knocking his door.

This whole can't say anything about "the prez" seems to be going too far.

I just can't see Clinton's people going out and "talking" to an 81 year old man about a comment in a letter.

I mean are they not suppose to check out people's backgrounds before they go hounding them down? I am sure they could have found out that he is a constant writer of articles or whatever and not had to take the time to interview him.

Also if he really was a threat to the President, would he really tell them? It just makes no sense, and seem to be over acting.

Though I agree an 81 year old can be a threat, I still think an 81 year old should be able to speak their minds without a knock from the secret service.

This guy has a history of political writing, including a letter last year in which he urged for a civil war to overthrow Bush. And notice he's not denying that he was referring to Bush.

And where's that letter in which he calls for a civil war to overthrow Bush?

Based on the interpretation, the Secret Service may have think that the old man was telling them that Bush should have been hanged instead of Saddam.

"hanged the wrong man." Get it? Its like saying somebody who is a critic of Bush would say, Saddam wasn't a war criminal, Bush is, he should be the one with a rope around his neck.

And anyways it was a visit to investigate. If this country wasn't democratic, the man would have been shot and left there for dead. The Secret Service is not like Hitler's SS.

Originally posted by deltaboy
Based on the interpretation, the Secret Service may have think that the old man was telling them that Bush should have been hanged instead of Saddam.

You are actually right, but that is a matter of speaking and personal opinion.

Funny that . . that is exactly what many has hinted here in this boards but I wonder how many have been visited by the SS.

Can anyone spell dictatorship?

It doesn't matter how old this guy is, or whether or not he mentioned Bush by name. What he said was,

"They hung the wrong guy."

I happen to agree:

They did hang the wrong dictator.

Saddam Hussein at least restricted his shenanigans to his own territory; he did not direct trillion$ of dollar$ into First Strikes against innocent civilians in other nations, nor did he create foreign policy to promote war-mongering and corporate profiteering.


BRB - have to go answer the door.

Originally posted by soficrow

They did hang the wrong dictator.

BRB - have to go answer the door.

Watch out it may be the SS at your door.

Originally posted by soficrow

They did hang the wrong dictator.

BRB - have to go answer the door.

Watch out it may be the SS at your door.