McCollum Says Terror Ignored

The Hill ^ | November 26, 2003 | Sam Dealey

[quidnunc]

The former chairman of a congressional task force on terrorism accuses the Clinton administration of repeatedly ignoring detailed warnings of terrorist threats against the United States issued nearly a decade ago.

“It was pretty clear during the Clinton era that they heard our reports but just didn’t care,” said former Rep. Bill McCollum (R-Fla.).

McCollum founded and chaired the Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare from 1989 to 1995. The panel produced a number of sensitive reports that were selectively distributed within the congressional leadership and intelligence community. He is now seeking the Republican Senate nomination in a highly contested primary campaign.

At The Hill’s request, McCollum released several of these reports. Although unclassified, many of them have never before been revealed. They identify the threat of global terrorism well before the Sept. 11 attacks.

Culled from open sources, such as Middle Eastern radio and newspaper reports, and from the network of informants the task force nurtured, the reports describe the anti-Western goals of radical Islam around the globe.

On Feb 1, 1993, for example, a report noted a recent spate of seemingly unconnected terrorist acts in the Middle East. “Despite the different circumstances of these incidents, they do not appear to be isolated events,” it concluded. “Rather, they are the first incidents in the escalation of an Islamist Jihad against the ‘Judeo-Christian world order.’ Thus, the climax of this struggle could well be an increase in terrorism throughout the West.”

Less than a month later, on Feb. 26, the World Trade Center was first bombed.

The same report identified key players in an increasingly interconnected terror network who would subsequently become public enemies in America’s national security efforts.

Among them was fundamentalist Sheik Omar Abdul Rahman, head of the terrorist Islamic Group. The blind Egyptian cleric was convicted for plotting the initial World Trade Center attack.

Another prominent leader was Ayman Al-Zawahiri, a top lieutenant of Osama bin Laden’s and Al Qaeda’s. Zawahiri was indicted for his alleged involvement in the Aug. 7, 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya and is listed on the FBI’s “Most Wanted Terrorists” list. In task force reports, the Sudanese is listed as a principal organizer who brought the disparate terrorist groups together into an umbrella jihad structure.

Most importantly, McCollum’s task force repeatedly warned the Clinton administration of the spread of terrorism from Iranian Shiite groups to those of Sunni Muslims, and their collaboration in plotting attacks against the West. The panel prepared a comprehensive list, ranging from Middle East to Asia to the Horn of Africa.

While much of this is now considered conventional wisdom, the task force’s conclusions were not widely viewed that way at the time. The U.S. intelligence community generally saw the terrorism threat in terms of isolated acts that were confined to regional players.

“McCollum was way ahead of the curve,” said anti-terrorism expert Steve Emerson of the Investigative Project. “By and large, there was no recognition or effort to look at this problem in the global sense or the interconnectedness among these groups.”

-snip-

[soozla]

"The former chairman of a congressional task force on terrorism accuses the Clinton administration of repeatedly ignoring detailed warnings of terrorist threats against the United States issued nearly a decade ago."

To quote the great Homer Simpson.........."DOH!!!!"

[NormsRevenge]

Bump

[goodnesswins]

I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of these "reports" the closer we get to the election.....the facts will pile on...finally.

[ladyinred]

There have been numerous reports, books written and statements given saying this very same thing. Yet all we hear is that Bush lied, when did he know, blah, blah, blah. The act on Sept 11th, 2001 lies at the door of Bill Clinton and Al Gore. That is the reason for my tagline, and the reason the mainstream media never mentions any of this.

[bjcintennessee]

Clinton was occupied in other pursuits. When I say this really sucks, I am not just referring to Lewinsky's "under the desk" performance.

[Fledermaus]

While I agree Clinton did almost nothing to fight terror, you have to also remember Reagan started the bad example of "cut and run" when the Hezzbollah bombed the Marines in Beirut.

But the Dems can't remember that either since they are too busy, now, saying Hamaz and Hezzbollah and Islamic Jihad aren't attacking Americans. Yeah, right.

Bush 41 didn't make matters any better when he pulled his Bay of Pigs and left the Saddam opposition (Kurds and Shiites) to die in the desert.

Fortuanately, we are finally repairing those mistakes. And with the cold war over, we should be more forceful.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Funny that there's a thread up tonight about alGore saying GW isn't fit to be President....

[First_Salute]

Bump.

[Valin]

Sad to say but good points.

[Lancey Howard]

Bookmarked and BUMPED

[Valin]

alGore...alGore? Nope the name doesn't ring a bell. Did he used to be someone?






Wait a minute, now I remember! He's Tippers husband, right?

[Brad’s Gramma]

He's Tippers husband, right?

Someone's DRUNK? And someone has a (hahahahaha...in your DREAMS) Husband? WOWOWOWOWOWOW

[js1138]

I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of these "reports" the closer we get to the election.....the facts will pile on...finally. Timing is everything in politics. There really isn't anything to be gained by making a fuss prior to next year's election season. I suspect things will build to a crescendo.

[Valin]

:-)