No, here's the story:
Missed Opportunity: FBI Missed Moussaoui Importance; Source: ABCNEWS; Published: Tuesday, December 11, 2001 Author: By Brian Ross; Posted on 12/11/01 7:59 PM Pacific by JohnHuang2
Dec. 11 — The case of Zacarias Moussaoui represents a huge embarrassment for the FBI.
Moussaoui today became the first to be indicted in connection with the Sept. 11 attacks.
But not only was the French citizen in federal custody well before the hijackings, his alleged terrorist ties were revealed to the FBI the week before the suicide raids.
It was suspicious instructors at a Minnesota flight school who first tipped off the FBI in August about Moussaoui, who showed up with lots of cash and no flying skills.
FBI agents in the field were immediately convinced Moussaoui was up to no good. That's what they said when they interviewed people at another flight school Moussaoui attended in Oklahoma.
"They said he was trying to do something bad," the flight school instructor said.
A Fateful Decision
But lawyers at FBI headquarters turned down requests for a special wiretap to check Moussaoui's computer. And today the FBI director continued to defend the fateful decision not to authorize what's known as FISA warrant.
"The attorneys back at FBI determined that there was insufficient probable cause for a FISA, which appears to be an accurate decision," FBI Director Robert Mueller said.
But after Sept. 11, the FBI found Moussaoui's computer disks full of incriminating information, according to officials.
And on Sept. 5-6 in Paris, French intelligence officials reportedly revealed details of Moussaoui's background — including alleged ties to al Qaeda going back to his student days — to FBI and CIA agents.
"French intelligence claims they informed the FBI and CIA about Moussaoui's background," said former French defense official Alexis Debat.
But as was made clear today, one hand of the FBI didn't know what the other knew. And on Sept. 11, Moussaoui was sitting in a county jail in Minnesota.
Could any of this prevented the Sept. 11 attacks?
"Who can say?" Mueller said today.