Sibel Edmonds

Sibel Edmonds is a former contract translator for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the founder and editor-in-chief of the independent news website NewsBud. The FBI hired her as a translator shortly after 9/11 but fired her after less than seven months. She identified herself as a whistleblower and challenged her termination; however, the courts dismissed her lawsuit for wrongful termination because the FBI would need to disclose privileged information. She accused a colleague of covering up illicit activity involving Turkish nationals, alleged serious security breaches and cover-ups and that intelligence had been deliberately suppressed, endangering national security. Following her accusations, the US attorney -general imposed a state secrets privilege order on her, which prevents her from revealing more information about the FBI. The PEN American Center awarded her the PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award in 2006. She published a memoir in March 2012, titled Classified Woman – The Sibel Edmonds Story. In 2004, Sibel Edmonds founded and published the Boiling Frogs Post, an online media site that states it offers nonpartisan investigative journalism. In 2016, as editor-in-chief, Sibel expanded and founded NewsBud independent news media outlet, with associates and partnered with BFP.