Memo contradicts Condoleeza Rice (AlJazeera Alert!)

AlJazeera ^ | 10 April 2004

[MegaSilver]

The White House has released a classified intelligence document that warned a month before the September 11 attacks of a possible al-Qaida strike inside the United States.

The document titled "Bin Ladin Determined to Strike Inside the United States" was de-classified on Saturday amid an escalating row over whether the Bush administration had received any prior warnings about the attacks and if they had been ignored.

National Security adviser Condoleezza Rice insisted in her public testimony to the 9/11 commission last week that the document relating to the 6 August, 2001 presidential briefing contained mostly historical information and did not warn of any coming attacks.

Contradictory

But the page-and-a-half memo contradicts Rice, revealing that President George Bush had been warned of al-Qaida planning to attack the US.

The report said it had not been able to corroborate some of the "more sensational threat reporting" such as a report in 1998 that bin Ladin wanted to hijack a US aircraft to gain the release of those responsible for the 1993 bombing at the World Trade Centre.

"The FBI is conducting approximately 70 full field investigations throughout the US that it considers bin Ladin-related. CIA and the FBI are investigating a call to our Embassy in the UAE in May saying that a group or bin Ladin supporters was in the US planning attacks with explosives," the documents said.

Unspecific

The document gave neither a time nor a suspected target for such an attack.

But the document's contents are nevertheless damning for the Bush administration and could further dent its credibility.

Contrary to Rice's claim that the memo contained only historical intelligence, the warning in the document was based on a May 2001 intelligence report that suggested bin Ladin followers wanted to cross from Canada into the US.

It said bin Ladin had implied in US television interviews in 1997 and 1998 that he would "bring the fighting to America."

"Clandestine, foreign government and media reports indicate bin Ladin since 1997 has wanted to conduct terrorist attacks in the US," the document further said.

[MegaSilver]

Propaganda at its best.

[Mike Bates]

The NY Times, Washington Post, etc. will probably pick up the story this way.

Michael M. Bates: My Side of the Swamp

[muawiyah]

Now there can be no doubt that AlJazeera actually wanted the United States to invade and conquer Afghanistan BEFORE 9/11.

[YaYa123]

"But the document's contents are nevertheless damning for the Bush administration and could further dent its credibility"

Al Jazeera, Ted Kennedy, Al Jazeera, Ted Kennedy...who's writing their script?

[Bogey78O]

You can always tell the newspaper of theocrats and communists by the way they run a headline that counters the truth then tells you what the report says without actually letting you read it.

"Take my word friend. It says right here bin Laden was planning to hijack planes"

[katz]

And the 9/11 families will side with Aljazeera." We, the not for scamming the US $$$$, want the truth".

[Delta 21]

This is the latest release of "Democratic Party Talking Points"

[RBroadfoot]

Gee, I thought Al Jazeera had concluded that 911 was the work of Zionists! When did they change their mind?

[Cold Heat]

Good grief!

This is the same thing that NBC said.....

LOL! More garbage. It would not matter to them what was in the memo. They will refuse to contradict their beliefs and their desire to get rid of GWB and company.

We are being attacked from within, without and all in between. It will not cease and I will not bend, bow of flee in the face of it. It only gets my blood moving more efficiently.

W in 2004! We will continue to take it to them...........

[God luvs America]

Tom Daischle!

[listenhillary]

James Carville!!

[syriacus]

The report said it had not been able to corroborate some of the "more sensational threat reporting" such as a report in 1998 that bin Ladin wanted to hijack a US aircraft to gain the release of those responsible for the 1993 bombing at the World Trade Centre.

That part sounds like an historical retrospective to me.

CIA and the FBI are investigating a call to our Embassy in the UAE in May saying that a group or bin Ladin supporters was in the US planning attacks with explosives," the documents said.

That part didn't happen.

This sounds like a cheater's version of Connect-the-dots, in which the losing player counterfeits several extra dots.

[syriacus]

Gee, I thought Al Jazeera had concluded that 911 was the work of Zionists! When did they change their mind?

Excellent, excellent point.

[Polybius]

But the page-and-a-half memo contradicts Rice, revealing that President George Bush had been warned of al-Qaida planning to attack the US. ....... The report said it had not been able to corroborate some of the "more sensational threat reporting" such as a report in 1998 that bin Ladin wanted to hijack a US aircraft to gain the release of those responsible for the 1993 bombing at the World Trade Centre.

As I recall, that is exactly what Rice testified: There were only general predictions without specifics.

Any highjacking specifics dealt with traditional airline highjacking hostage scenarios and U.S. airlines have been taking highjacking precautions for decades.

It is not enough to simply state that "al-Qaida is planning to attack the US". Everybody with an I.Q. above room temperature can predict such generalities.

What was missing was what, where, who, how and when.

We know now that al Qaeda is planning still more attacks on the U.S. If anybody can predict the "what, where, who, how and when" of the next attack, step forward, tell us, save thousands of lives and get your face on the cover of Time Magazine.

[StriperSniper]

Late to CNN:

Schneider: Memo 'could be seriously damaging'(CNN Spins the 08/06/01 Memo)

[nmh]

That's ridiculous. I heard the memo read. It was vague and had NO difinitive threats upon which to act on. It was also George Bush who ORDERED this summary be put together because he WAS concerned about this group.

[nmh]

"As I recall, that is exactly what Rice testified: There were only general predictions without specifics."

EXACTLY!

[CyberAnt]

Here ya go:

NEW YORK TIMES
April 11, 2004
Pre-9/11 Secret Briefing Said That Qaeda Was Active in U.S. By DOUGLAS JEHL and DAVID E. SANGER

ASHINGTON, April 10 — The classified briefing about Al Qaeda that President Bush received a month before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks reported that the terrorist network had maintained an active presence in the United States for years, was suspected of recent surveillance of federal buildings in New York, and could be preparing for domestic hijackings. But the briefing did not point to any specific time or place of attack, and did not warn that planes could be used as missiles.

SOURCE: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/11/politics/11INTE.html?ei=5062&en=9e7f143b787872cc&ex=1082260800&partner=GOOGLE&pagewanted=print&position=

[Smartass]