White House Communication Osama attack 5/1/11 (OSD)

Mr. Smathers:

This is in response to your May 02, 2011, electronic Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) request for “All communications between the White
House and the OSD (or any representative of secretary Gates) concerning the
location and attack on Osama Bin Laden which ended 5/1/11.” You have also
requested “all communication concerning the location of Osama, intelligence
on Osama 's activity, request for authorization to attack Osama and the
authorization given to attack Osama”. You also ask for audio recordings,
video recordings, and written communication. You ask for a waiver of fees.
We received your request on May 3, 2011, and assigned it FOIA case number
11-F-0917.

The FOIA requires federal agencies to provide reasonably described records
that contain information that is responsive to a FOIA request. As you know,
the FOIA does not require agencies to explain records, answer questions, or
conduct research. A reasonably described request is one that would enable a
professional agency employee familiar with the subject area to locate the
records with a “reasonable amount of effort”. It is the requester’s
responsibility to reasonably describe the records sought under the FOIA

I have tolled your requesting pending clarification from you
concerning what records you are seeking. It is not clear what official or
what offices you are seeking records from when you say “the OSD (or any
representative of secretary Gates)”. Considering the size of the OSD staff,
a more specific description is needed such as what office or official. I
have interpreted your request as asking for communications between OSD and
the White House concerning the location of Osama, intelligence on Osama’s
….. activity; and the request for and authorization to attack Osama during
the time period from 4/1/11 through 5/1/11. Can you confirm whether this is
correct? Additionally, please clarify that portion of your request that was
garbled “'s” .

Dear Muckrock:

Can you be more specific on the following: (1) what officials or what offices do mean when you say “the OSD (or any representative of secretary Gates)”. Considering the size of the OSD staff, a more specific description is needed and I would suggest Secretary Gates, Deputy Secretary Lynn and the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense Policy unless you have specific individuals or offices in mind.

Dear Muckrock:

In regards to your case number 11-F-0917, per an email this Office sent you
on July 5, 2011 we asked for further clarification and have yet received a
response from you. You may respond directly to me as I am the action
officer assigned to your case.

Very respectfully,

Mrs. Mary K. Roundy
OSD/JS FOIA Analyst
Com: 703-696-3091

Dear Muckrock:

Your request continues to be tolled as we are waiting for you to clarify what officials or what offices you mean when you say “the OSD (or any representative of secretary Gates)”.

As you no doubt are aware, Muckrock has also submitted almost the same request to U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Central Command. All responses concerning FOIA requests concerning the death of Osama bin Laden will be answered by OSD.

Please read the attached letter which addresses the status of 11 F 0917 and DIA FOIA case 0288-11. The letter also provides a final response to the request you submitted to the U.S. Central Command. The letter was mailed to you in January 2012 and emailed to you earlier this week.

-----Original Message-----
From: requests@muckrock.com [mailto:requests@muckrock.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2012 2:40 PM
To: OSD/JS FOIA Requester Service Center
Subject: Follow up to Freedom of Information Request: White HouseCommunication Osama attack 5/1/11 (OSD)

February 9, 2012
Office of the Secretary of Defense
OSD/JS FOIA Requester Service Center
Office of Freedom of Information
1155 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1155

This is a follow up to a previous request:

Mrs. Mary K. Roundy,

Re: FOIA case number 11-F-0917.

I requested:
"All communication between the White House and the OSD (or any representative of secretary Gates) concerning the location and attack on Osama Bin Laden which ended 5/1/11."

You responded:
Can you be more specific on the following: (1) what officials or what offices do mean when you say “the OSD (or any representative of secretary Gates)”. Considering the size of the OSD staff, a more specific description is needed and I would suggest Secretary Gates, Deputy Secretary Lynn and the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense Policy unless you have specific individuals or offices in mind.

I accept your recommendation, please continue processing this request with the understanding that "any representative of secretary Gates can be limited to "Deputy Secretary Lynn and the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense Policy."

Thank you.

Regards,
Jason Smathers

---

On Jan. 10, 2012:

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 2, 2011. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

---

On Nov. 29, 2011:

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 2, 2011. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

---

On Nov. 29, 2011:

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 2, 2011. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

---

On Aug. 24, 2011:

I accept your suggestion of searching Secretary Gates, Deputy Secretary Lynn and the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense Policy.

Thanks,
Jason

---

On Aug. 17, 2011:

Dear Muckrock:

Your request continues to be tolled as we are waiting for you to clarify what officials or what offices you mean when you say “the OSD (or any representative of secretary Gates)”.

As you no doubt are aware, Muckrock has also submitted almost the same request to U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Central Command. All responses concerning FOIA requests concerning the death of Osama bin Laden will be answered by OSD.

---

On Aug. 8, 2011:

Dear Muckrock:

In regards to your case number 11-F-0917, per an email this Office sent you
on July 5, 2011 we asked for further clarification and have yet received a
response from you. You may respond directly to me as I am the action
officer assigned to your case.

Very respectfully,

Mrs. Mary K. Roundy
OSD/JS FOIA Analyst
Com: 703-696-3091

---

On Aug. 7, 2011:

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 2, 2011. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

---

On July 5, 2011:

Dear Muckrock:

Can you be more specific on the following: (1) what officials or what offices do mean when you say “the OSD (or any representative of secretary Gates)”. Considering the size of the OSD staff, a more specific description is needed and I would suggest Secretary Gates, Deputy Secretary Lynn and the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense Policy unless you have specific individuals or offices in mind.

---

On July 3, 2011:

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on May 2, 2011. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

---

On June 18, 2011:

I confirm that you correctly interpreted my request when you said:

" I have interpreted your request as asking for communications between OSD and
the White House concerning the location of Osama, intelligence on Osama’s
….. activity; and the request for and authorization to attack Osama during
the time period from 4/1/11 through 5/1/11. Can you confirm whether this is
correct?"

---

On May 17, 2011:

Thanks for your reply. We're working on the rest of your questions, but the garbled text should have read "Osama's activity" and not "Osama 's activity".

---

On May 17, 2011:

Mr. Smathers:

This is in response to your May 02, 2011, electronic Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) request for “All communications between the White
House and the OSD (or any representative of secretary Gates) concerning the
location and attack on Osama Bin Laden which ended 5/1/11.” You have also
requested “all communication concerning the location of Osama, intelligence
on Osama 's activity, request for authorization to attack Osama and the
authorization given to attack Osama”. You also ask for audio recordings,
video recordings, and written communication. You ask for a waiver of fees.
We received your request on May 3, 2011, and assigned it FOIA case number
11-F-0917.

The FOIA requires federal agencies to provide reasonably described records
that contain information that is responsive to a FOIA request. As you know,
the FOIA does not require agencies to explain records, answer questions, or
conduct research. A reasonably described request is one that would enable a
professional agency employee familiar with the subject area to locate the
records with a “reasonable amount of effort”. It is the requester’s
responsibility to reasonably describe the records sought under the FOIA

I have tolled your requesting pending clarification from you
concerning what records you are seeking. It is not clear what official or
what offices you are seeking records from when you say “the OSD (or any
representative of secretary Gates)”. Considering the size of the OSD staff,
a more specific description is needed such as what office or official. I
have interpreted your request as asking for communications between OSD and
the White House concerning the location of Osama, intelligence on Osama’s
….. activity; and the request for and authorization to attack Osama during
the time period from 4/1/11 through 5/1/11. Can you confirm whether this is
correct? Additionally, please clarify that portion of your request that was
garbled “'s” .

---

On May 2, 2011:

To Whom It May Concern:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:

All communication between the White House and the OSD (or any representative of secretary Gates) concerning the location and attack on Osama Bin Laden which ended 5/1/11. Please limit records to those created from 4/1/11 through 5/1/11. Please include all communication concerning the location of Osama, intelligence on Osama's activity, request for authorization to attack Osama and the authorization given to attack Osama. Please include audio recordings, video recordings, and written communication.

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.

In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Jason Smathers

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The estimated completion date for your request is May 30, 2012.