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| Home Front: WoT |
| Agencies Shared Intelligence That Led to New Alert |
| 2004-08-02 |
| At 5 p.m. Thursday, acting CIA Director John E. McLaughlin, in his other capacity as acting director of central intelligence, conducted the daily counterterrorism meeting where the first information about the latest detailed al Qaeda threats was discussed among senior CIA, FBI and military officials. They set in motion plans for antiterrorism operations in the United States and overseas, ultimately leading to yesterday's announcement of an elevated terrorism threat more specific than any the government had ever issued. Surrounding McLaughlin were officers who once were prohibited by law or habit from working together: CIA operatives from the clandestine service who work today at its Counterterrorism Center and its Terrorist Threat Integration Center; FBI agents; representatives from the National Security Agency, which intercepts communications around the world; analysts from the Defense Intelligence Agency; and senior military officers who help the CIA execute or coordinate foreign operations. Once considered as separate as church and state in the United States, these agencies have worked together for more than two years, meeting daily at 5 p.m. in response to the missed opportunities recognized after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.The agencies' cooperation on planning counterterrorism activities has not been previously highlighted. Before the developments last week that led to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge's announcement yesterday elevating the terror alert for the financial sector and specific buildings in Washington, New York and New Jersey, this cooperation by the FBI, CIA, NSA, DIA and military had led to the arrest of Jose Padilla in May 2002 at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport for allegedly plotting possible attacks in the United States with al Qaeda. Although federal law prevents the CIA from carrying out operations within the United States, nothing bars it from discussing plans for domestic activities with the FBI, and recent changes in the law permit more open sharing of information. For example, CIA officers are stationed at many of the FBI's joint terrorism task force centers in cities across the country... So GWB and Ashcroft have figured out a way to get around the firewall that Billy Jeff-Gorlick created between the CIA and FBI...good for them! |
| Posted by:rex |