Enabled Danger

9-11: Officially, the government says it had no idea beforehand that people were plotting terror against the U.S. But recent comments from seemingly credible sources suggest that might not be true.

Both the Pentagon and the 9-11 commission have now officially denied claims made by Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., that a U.S. military spy program dubbed Able Danger had identified leader Mohammed Atta and three other 9-11 attackers as members of an active al-Qaida cell operating in the U.S.

First, Weldon's seemed like a wild story, and Weldon was roundly criticized for lacking proof. Though vice chairman of the House Armed Services and Homeland Security committees, Weldon has a history of making unverifiable (but possibly true) allegations — such as his claim that Iran is harboring Osama bin Laden. But Weldon has found strong support for his most recent claims.

Last week, Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer, liaison between the Able Danger team and defense intelligence, confirmed the congressman's story. Shaffer said his team had even identified Atta in early 2000 — significant, since the 9-11 commission determined that Atta didn't arrive in the U.S. until the summer of 2000.

Then on Monday, a third person — Capt. Scott Philpott, the Navy officer who managed Able Danger for the Special Operations Command — offered corroboration of his own.

Both Philpott and Shaffer were in positions to know, definitively, of Able Danger's findings. They tell a similar story: The team tried to bring the information to the FBI's attention but were stymied by the legal "wall" that prevented spy agencies from sharing intelligence with law enforcement.

That wall was first erected by congressional Democrats in the 1970s. In 1995, it was shored up in a memo by President Clinton's Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick

When we hear Democrats complain that Bush could have done something, remind them of this from Weldon on the floor of the Senate. It's clear that Clinton could have done something in 2000; cells were located and identified and a plan of action to take them out were provided. But NOTHING was done.

(Source Congressional Record: May 21, 2002 (House) Page H2820-H2834) :

In fact, Mr. Speaker, there is another interesting development that occurred. After the Army showed the capability of the LIWAC model at Ft. Belvoir, other services began to take interest. Special forces command down in Florida contacted the Army and said, hey, we hear you are doing some neat things.

We want to build a mini version of what you are doing down at our headquarters.

I did not find out about this until October of 2001, after the attack on the trade center. A year before, special forces command developed their own mini version of a data processing or collaborative center with very limited capabilities. But what they did, Mr. Speaker, they did a profile of al Qaeda 1 year before 9-11.

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Issa). The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) is recognized to continue until midnight.

Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, here is the chart, the unclassified chart of what special forces command had 1 year before 9- 11. Interesting. The entire al Qaeda network is identified in a graphic chart with all the linkages to all the terrorist groups around the world.
In fact, Mr. Speaker, I was told by the folks who developed the capability for special forces command that this chart and the briefing that was supposed to be given to General Shelton, Chairman of our Joint Chiefs, had a recommendation to take out 5 cells of bin Laden's network. Mr. Speaker, this was 1 year before 9-11.

This was not during President Bush's administration. This occurred in the fall of the remaining term of President Bill Clinton.

The key question I have been trying to get at is why was this 3-hour briefing, which I also got, I got General Holland to bring his briefers up from Florida with special forces, I went in the Pentagon, went in the tank, and they gave me the briefing, as much as they could give me, because part of it is being used for our operational plan, why was that 3-hour briefing with the recommendations to take out 5 cells of bin Laden's network condensed down to a 1-hour brief when it was given to General Hugh Shelton in January of 2001?

And why were the recommendations to take out 5 cells not followed up on? That is the question we should get answered, Mr. Speaker.

Because 1 year before 9-11, the capability that special forces built actually identified to us the network of al Qaeda. And they went beyond that and gave us recommendations where we could take out cells to eliminate their capability.

So for those pundits out there sitting in their armchairs criticizing President Bush, they have it all wrong.

LAWRENCE DI RITA

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs

Lawrence Di Rita is Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. In addition, he serves as Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense. He joined the Department after serving as Legislative Director, then Chief of Staff, for Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) from 1996-2001.

A former Naval officer, Mr. Di Rita served in several ships and shore assignments before leaving the service in 1994. His final tour was on the Joint Staff.

After leaving the Navy, Mr. Di Rita joined the Washington-based Heritage Foundation in 1994 as Deputy Director of Foreign Policy and Defense Studies.

Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Mr. Di Rita is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and Johns Hopkins University.

When you hear someone like Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer, who is CIA make no mistake about it, out in the open proclaiming a major foul, believe it.

The info he is bringing to light shows that the Clintonistas were more worried about covering their asses than U.S. security.they basically allowed 911 and probably knew it, this is and should be a crime.

This whole thing, the wall and ensuing circumstances, wreak of Hillary Clinton and when we get to to the bottom IMHO,you will find her hand prints all over this.

Sunday on c-span, I asked the col if Hillary was behind the wall, I think he knows but can't say.

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