FBI Nixed Al Qaeda Mole / Mag: Had chance to infiltrate training camp before 9/11

New York Daily News ^ | 6/01/02 | LEO STANDORA

[kattracks]

The FBI had a chance to infiltrate an Al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan months before Sept. 11, but top agents responsible for tracking terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden rejected the plan, according to a report published yesterday.

The decision by leaders of the Bin Laden unit at FBI headquarters may have wasted a golden opportunity to learn about plans for the strikes on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, according to U.S. News & World Report.

The news magazine said an informant told a bureau field agent months before the Sept. 11 attacks that he was invited to attend a commando training course at an Al Qaeda camp in Afghanistan.

The information was relayed to a supervisor, who passed it on to FBI headquarters, where it hit a brick wall in the Bin Laden unit of the bureau's counterterrorism division.

A field office communiqué asked the Justice Department to authorize what it described as "otherwise illegal activity" — the informant's participation in terrorist training — sources told the magazine.

But the Bin Laden unit flatly rejected the request without even doing an "asset validation" to see whether the informant's information was on target, the sources said.

The FBI declined to comment.

It was unclear which of the bureau's 56 offices made the request or exactly when it was made.

The FBI has come under fire for ignoring warnings from field offices in Phoenix and Minneapolis about terrorist activity.

In New Jersey yesterday, the Bush administration's top prosecutor for anti-terrorism said the U.S. had plenty of evidence before Sept. 11 that a devastating terrorist attack on American soil was likely.

Assistant Attorney General Michael Chertoff, head of the Justice Department's criminal division, cited nearly a decade's worth of hints that foreign terrorists were targeting Americans.

But he didn't say there was specific information that could have prevented the Sept. 11 airliner attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

In a speech to Seton Hall Law School graduates at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, N.J., Chertoff cited warning signs including the bombing of the Trade Center in 1993; a mid-1990s plan in which an Islamic radical was convicted of plotting to blow up jetliners and New York landmarks and assassinate the Pope; a death sentence pronounced on Americans by Bin Laden in the late 1990s, and the failed millennium bomb plot at Los Angeles International Airport.

[BlackbirdSST]

The case for putting these people on the endangered species list grow's daily! Blackbird.

[eastforker]

IMHO,had we been able to intervene and stop the people responsible for 9/11 before it happened we probably wouldn't have even heard about it. Also,had 9/11 been prevented,another terrorist act would have been plotted.One more thing,if 9/11 had been prevented,we would not have the war on terrorism that we have now,the American people would not stand for it.IMOH one must be as ruthless as the terrorist to effectivly fight terrorism and that is our weak point.

[Lion's Cub]

The information was relayed to a supervisor, who passed it on to FBI headquarters, where it hit a brick wall in the Bin Laden unit of the bureau's counterterrorism division.

A field office communiqué asked the Justice Department to authorize what it described as "otherwise illegal activity" — the informant's participation in terrorist training — sources told the magazine.

But the Bin Laden unit flatly rejected the request without even doing an "asset validation" to see whether the informant's information was on target, the sources said.

At least we know where a big part of the problem is. The big question is how far up does it go? I think there's a very good chance it goes all the way to the top. You don't screw up this bad and this long unless it is sanctioned from the top.

[nathanbedford]

Why the FBI? Where was the CIA?

[krodriguesdc]

mistakes will happen...

[philman_36]

Where was the CIA?
Aha!

[Diogenesis]

No wonder they KNOW a new attack is coming.

Too busy going after Americans instead of protecting the US.

[Russell Scott]

There is only one big scandal here. How many government officials were accepting bribes (I mean contributions) from Arab states during the last decade. Follow the money trail from Middle East capitols to Washington, and you will figure out why the FBI was ordered to back off, and the welcome mat was laid out for the terrorists.

[twntaipan]

Either the FBI has been grossly mismanaged (decision making by committee) or OBL has bought himself some FBIers along the way. Hard to believe the latter--much easier to believe the former.

[Betty Jo]

That would be both political parties!

Follow the Big-Oil-Saudi-Big-Business-Bush Family $$$$$ connections form the ME to washington.

$$$$$$$$$$

[OldFriend]

The problem began with the rules put in place by Congress following the abuses by J.Edgar Hoover.

The problem today lies with democrats trying to make political points rather than protect our country from terrorism.

Would it have been too much to ask that democrats rush to the floor of the Senate and tell the President they are ready to do EVERYTHING necessary to secure our national security.

[mewzilla]

Are countries the only entities capable of running moles inside our intellegence and law enforcement agencies? The reason I ask is because I'm starting to wonder if al Caeda might not have one or more on the payroll. This seems to me to be going way beyond incomptence.

[ArneFufkin]

Follow the Big-Oil-Saudi-Big-Business-Bush Family $$$$$ connections form the ME to washington.

Why don't you explain that channel to us?

[Miss Marple]

Good morning, Arne! I would like to hear that explanation myself!

[ArneFufkin]

Hi MM! Betty Jo threw a big heap of crap onto the forum floor and pinged the dung beetles to fly on in an roll their balls around a bit.

Easy as pie: invent a sinister scenario involving the Bush's, invite your party pals over, and then discuss the event as if it is true. That's informed debate!

[rdavis84]

"At least we know where a big part of the problem is. The big question is how far up does it go? I think there's a very good chance it goes all the way to the top. You don't screw up this bad and this long unless it is sanctioned from the top."

Exactly ---- Another Look at East Coast Air Defense

[wheezer]

The information was relayed to a supervisor, who passed it on to FBI headquarters, where it hit a brick wall in the Bin Laden unit of the bureau's counterterrorism division.

I'd like to know the name of this "brick wall".