No, they don't do that, do they? "Preconceived notions?" Hogwash! < /sarcasm >
October 11, 2001, Thursday
CAPITOL HILL HEARING
HEARING OF THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE,
SUBCOMMITTEE ON TERRORISM AND HOMELAND SECURITY
SUBJECT:
THE ROLE OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL IN THE CURRENT CRISIS
CHAIRED BY:
REP. SAXBY CHAMBLISS (R-GA)
PANEL I:
TIM CARUSO, DEPUTY ASSISTANT FBI DIRECTOR FOR COUNTERTERRORISM
PANEL II:
FRANK CARLUCCI, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER;
RICHARD ALLEN, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
PANEL III:
COL. EDWARD M. EITZEN, JR., INSTITUTE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
LOCATION: 2118 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING, WASHINGTON, DC
REP. CHAMBLISS: This hearing of the Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism & Homeland Security will come to order.(snip)
REP. CHAMBLISS: Thanks. All right, Mr. Caruso, we look forward to hearing from you.
MR. CARUSO: Good morning, Mr. Chairman, Ms. Harman, members of the subcommittee. I appeared before this subcommittee last week to address inaccurate media reports surrounding the terrorist attacks of September 11th and their aftermath. Unfortunately, the past week has brought additional media reports of potential terrorist acts, some of which are inaccurate, which I would like to briefly address.
On October 3rd, at approximately 4:00 a.m., a Greyhound bus crashed near Manchester, Pennsylvania (sic/means Tennessee) after a passenger, Damir Igric, attempted to slash the throat of the driver. Igric and six other passengers were killed. Approximately 38 passengers were on board the bus at the time of the crash, most of whom were sleeping.
The driver of the bus was approached by Igric two to three times and asked how much longer until the next stop. The driver advised Igric that they would be making a stop in Manchester, Pennsylvania -- Tennessee -- and that he should go back to his seat. When Igric approached the driver for the last time, he did not say anything but produced a sharp object and attempted to slash the driver's throat. Igric then grabbed the steering wheel, causing the bus to crash.
Media attention to this event was intense, with suggestions of terrorist activity. A temporary nationwide shutdown of the Greyhound bus service was put into effect. The FBI's investigation into this event is continuing, but there is nothing to suggest a connection between Igric and any terrorist organization. This appears to be an isolated, random act of violence, unrelated to the events of September 11th.
Days later, a passenger on board an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Chicago attempted to force his way into the cockpit. The pilot sent a distress call to the Federal Aviation Administration, and two F-16 fighter jets were dispatched to intercept the airliner and to escort it to Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
The passenger did not possess any weapons and was subdued by the flight crew and passengers. As with the Greyhound bus, this incident appears to be an isolated act by a disturbed individual. The FBI has not been able to confirm any connections between the passenger who rushed the cockpit and any terrorist organization.
By far the most disturbing media reports are reports of the potential use by terrorists of the biological agent anthrax in South Florida. At this time, the presence of anthrax appears to be limited to the American Media building located in Boca Raton, Florida. The building, which has been evacuated and sealed, consists of three floors totaling 66,000 square feet. The building, inside and out, including air-conditioning ducts and soil, is being painstakingly searched and swabbed for any microscopic presence of anthrax spores.
At this time, the presence of anthrax has been confirmed in a number of locations, and testing continues. Anthrax was confirmed first in the body of Robert Stevens, an employee of American Media, who died last week of inhaled anthrax; second, on the computer keyboard belonging to Mr. Stevens; in the building's mailroom is the third location; and in two other American Media employees who have been in contact with the bacteria but have not developed the anthrax disease. These two individuals are being treated with antibiotics and are expected to make a full recovery.
The FBI is working diligently with the Department of Health & Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and state and local authorities to determine the source of the anthrax in the American Media building. Although we do not yet have the complete picture, we do know several key elements.
First, the anthrax bacteria has not been discovered in unlikely places or in unnatural states anywhere else in the country nor anywhere else within Palm Beach County. Second, each of the five instances within the American Media building appears to involve the same strain of anthrax.
It is important to emphasize that, despite media suggestions to the contrary, there is no evidence that the presence of anthrax in the American Media building is a terrorist act. The FBI has found no connection between the anthrax discovery in Florida and the terrorist attacks on September 11th. As with the crash of the Greyhound bus and the rush of the cockpit door, the presence of anthrax bacteria appears to be an isolated incident.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to once again address the subcommittee and to dispel some of the misinformation currently reported. In short, there is no need for the American people to panic. We are all on heightened alert and understandably react to unusual occurrences in a way we may not have reacted prior to September 11th. All of our lives have changed in that sense.