The existence of the tape was first reported Wednesday afternoon by Internet columnist Matt Drudge, who said it was obtained last weekend in Pakistan by ABC News. Drudge quoted an unidentified “senior ABC News source” as saying the network was “working 24 hours a day trying to authenticate” it.
U.S. officials told NBC News that the tape included now-standard militant Islamist rhetoric promising widespread destruction inside the United States. The man cannot be identified, the officials said, because his face is covered by a headdress.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said ABC gave the CIA a complete copy of the tape Monday.
= = = =
They got it during the weekend (Saturday?/Sunday?) and it was in CIA hands by Monday. I'm not going to blame ABC for this. It takes at least a day to fly it here.
Well let me say this.
You're in Pakistan...you get handed a video.
Do you think they viewed it in Pakistan, probably, right.
They knew what was on it, and could have notified the US authorities in Pakistan and the military could have had it to the CIA in a matter of hours.
Instead they say they have been working "24 hours a day" to authenticate it.
Why do they need to authenticate it, why not just turn it over, since it deals with a threat to our national security?