Shrek
Oct 18, 2002, 12:37 AM
http://www.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/10/17/intelligence.inquiry/index.html (http://www.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/10/17/intelligence.inquiry/index.html)
CIA chief: Al Qaeda poses new threats
'Threat environment' as bad as summer 2001
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The al Qaeda terrorist network has reorganized after its ouster from Afghanistan and "intends to strike us here and overseas," CIA Director George Tenet told a congressional committee Thursday.
The domestic "threat environment" is as bad as it was in the summer of 2001, before the September 11 attacks, Tenet said.
"When you see the multiple attacks that you have seen occur around the world, from Bali to Kuwait; the number of failed attacks that have been attempted; [and] the various messages that have been issued by senior al Qaeda leaders, you must make the assumption that al Qaeda is in an execution phase and intends to strike us here and overseas," he told the Joint Intelligence Committee. "That's unambiguous, as far as I am concerned."
Tenet's testimony came as attacks believed tied to al Qaeda or affiliated terror groups have escalated.
On Thursday, five people were killed and more than 140 injured after bombs exploded in Zamboanga in the southern Philippines. Philippine officials are blaming the bombings on "Islamic extremists."
The city also was the scene of an October 2 blast that claimed four lives, including a U.S. Green Beret.
In Bali last week, back-to-back explosions at a crowded nightclub killed more than 180 people and injured hundreds more. Investigators say they suspect al Qaeda may have had a direct or indirect role in the attack.
On October 6, audiotaped statements purportedly made by al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and his top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri warned of new attacks. That same day, a French tanker was bombed off Yemen. Two days later, in Kuwait, gunmen killed a U.S. Marine. Both of those attacks are believed connected to al Qaeda.
Intelligence oversights
In earlier testimony, Tenet said the agency should have placed two September 11 hijackers on a "watch list" long before it did.
Khalid Almidhar and Nawaf Alhazmi first came to the CIA's attention in December 1999, when they attended a meeting of known terrorists in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tenet told lawmakers. Yet the CIA did not warn the FBI and other law enforcement agencies that they might try to enter the United States until August 23, 2001 -- more than 11 months after the two had been in the country.
"Before August 2001, the CIA should have sent the names of both Alhazmi and Almidhar to the State Department for inclusion on its watch list," Tenet said Thursday. "The error exposed weaknesses in our internal handling of watch listing, which have been addressed. Corrective steps have been taken."
Tenet defended the CIA's performance against al Qaeda, but said 1990s budget cuts stretched the agency's capabilities.
"The last decade saw a number of conflicting and competing trends: military forces deployed to more locations than ever in our nation's history; a growing counterproliferation and counterterrorism threat; constant tensions in the Mideast; and to deal with these and a host of other issues, far fewer intelligence dollars and manpower," Tenet said.
In the late 1990s, said Tenet, he warned U.S. intelligence officials to consider themselves "at war" with bin Laden. The agency then began shifting more resources into counterterrorism, and the results showed in the spring and summer of 2001, he said.
"We increased the tempo of our operations against al Qaeda," said Tenet. "We stopped some attacks and caused the terrorists to postpone others."
In the months before September 11, 2001, CIA sources told the agency "spectacular attacks" were planned, said Tenet. "Nevertheless, with specific regard to the 9/11 plot, we never acquired the level of detail that allowed us to translate our strategic concerns into something we could act on."
Terrorism indicated
The Bali explosions, say investigators, bear the trademark of the sort of terrorist attack for which al Qaeda is known. Authorities have questioned four suspects in the attack, but say they haven't arrested anyone.
Police have said they think the attack was planned by the al Qaeda terrorist network, possibly in conjunction with the Jemaah Islamiya regional Islamic militant group. (Full story (http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/10/17/bali.plot/index.html))
Investigators also are taking a close look at the blasts Thursday in Zamboanga. Seven bombs detonated in two department stores, and Philippine authorities say they think Islamic extremists may be behind the attack. (Full story (http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/10/17/philippines.bomb/index.html))
In Washington, meanwhile, efforts to create an independent commission to conduct a longer, broader investigation remained at an impasse.
About 10 relatives of September 11 victims met on Capitol Hill with lawmakers and two White House officials, Nicholas Calio and Jay Lefkowitz, in an unsuccessful attempt to break a deadlock, stems from differences between the White House and victims' families and congressional leaders about who the commission would be formed.
"Our frustration level has never been higher," said Beverly Eckert of Voices of September 11.
Uh oh. :(
CIA chief: Al Qaeda poses new threats
'Threat environment' as bad as summer 2001
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The al Qaeda terrorist network has reorganized after its ouster from Afghanistan and "intends to strike us here and overseas," CIA Director George Tenet told a congressional committee Thursday.
The domestic "threat environment" is as bad as it was in the summer of 2001, before the September 11 attacks, Tenet said.
"When you see the multiple attacks that you have seen occur around the world, from Bali to Kuwait; the number of failed attacks that have been attempted; [and] the various messages that have been issued by senior al Qaeda leaders, you must make the assumption that al Qaeda is in an execution phase and intends to strike us here and overseas," he told the Joint Intelligence Committee. "That's unambiguous, as far as I am concerned."
Tenet's testimony came as attacks believed tied to al Qaeda or affiliated terror groups have escalated.
On Thursday, five people were killed and more than 140 injured after bombs exploded in Zamboanga in the southern Philippines. Philippine officials are blaming the bombings on "Islamic extremists."
The city also was the scene of an October 2 blast that claimed four lives, including a U.S. Green Beret.
In Bali last week, back-to-back explosions at a crowded nightclub killed more than 180 people and injured hundreds more. Investigators say they suspect al Qaeda may have had a direct or indirect role in the attack.
On October 6, audiotaped statements purportedly made by al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and his top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri warned of new attacks. That same day, a French tanker was bombed off Yemen. Two days later, in Kuwait, gunmen killed a U.S. Marine. Both of those attacks are believed connected to al Qaeda.
Intelligence oversights
In earlier testimony, Tenet said the agency should have placed two September 11 hijackers on a "watch list" long before it did.
Khalid Almidhar and Nawaf Alhazmi first came to the CIA's attention in December 1999, when they attended a meeting of known terrorists in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tenet told lawmakers. Yet the CIA did not warn the FBI and other law enforcement agencies that they might try to enter the United States until August 23, 2001 -- more than 11 months after the two had been in the country.
"Before August 2001, the CIA should have sent the names of both Alhazmi and Almidhar to the State Department for inclusion on its watch list," Tenet said Thursday. "The error exposed weaknesses in our internal handling of watch listing, which have been addressed. Corrective steps have been taken."
Tenet defended the CIA's performance against al Qaeda, but said 1990s budget cuts stretched the agency's capabilities.
"The last decade saw a number of conflicting and competing trends: military forces deployed to more locations than ever in our nation's history; a growing counterproliferation and counterterrorism threat; constant tensions in the Mideast; and to deal with these and a host of other issues, far fewer intelligence dollars and manpower," Tenet said.
In the late 1990s, said Tenet, he warned U.S. intelligence officials to consider themselves "at war" with bin Laden. The agency then began shifting more resources into counterterrorism, and the results showed in the spring and summer of 2001, he said.
"We increased the tempo of our operations against al Qaeda," said Tenet. "We stopped some attacks and caused the terrorists to postpone others."
In the months before September 11, 2001, CIA sources told the agency "spectacular attacks" were planned, said Tenet. "Nevertheless, with specific regard to the 9/11 plot, we never acquired the level of detail that allowed us to translate our strategic concerns into something we could act on."
Terrorism indicated
The Bali explosions, say investigators, bear the trademark of the sort of terrorist attack for which al Qaeda is known. Authorities have questioned four suspects in the attack, but say they haven't arrested anyone.
Police have said they think the attack was planned by the al Qaeda terrorist network, possibly in conjunction with the Jemaah Islamiya regional Islamic militant group. (Full story (http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/10/17/bali.plot/index.html))
Investigators also are taking a close look at the blasts Thursday in Zamboanga. Seven bombs detonated in two department stores, and Philippine authorities say they think Islamic extremists may be behind the attack. (Full story (http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/10/17/philippines.bomb/index.html))
In Washington, meanwhile, efforts to create an independent commission to conduct a longer, broader investigation remained at an impasse.
About 10 relatives of September 11 victims met on Capitol Hill with lawmakers and two White House officials, Nicholas Calio and Jay Lefkowitz, in an unsuccessful attempt to break a deadlock, stems from differences between the White House and victims' families and congressional leaders about who the commission would be formed.
"Our frustration level has never been higher," said Beverly Eckert of Voices of September 11.
Uh oh. :(
