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Posted on 09/17/2001 2:51:07 PM PDT by jern
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were supposed to be the first wave of a sustained, days-long campaign of terror around the United States and the world, U.S. Sen. Bob Graham said Monday.
Graham, chairman of the Senate's Select Committee on Intelligence, told the Orlando Sentinel that hijacked airliners were only one facet of a widespread plan by a cabal of terrorists likely headed by Osama bin Laden.
Graham, a Democrat from Miami, was personally briefed about the findings Sunday by the Central Intelligence Agency.
"There has been very credible evidence gathered since Tuesday that Tuesday's attacks were not designed to be a one-day event," he said. "There were other acts of terrorism in the United States and elsewhere that were part of this plan."
Other attacks likely would not have involved commandeered airliners, Graham said. "Not necessarily hijacking another airliner, but maybe putting a chemical in a city's water system, or blowing up a bridge in a major urban center," he said.
As recently as Sunday morning, intelligence agencies worried that follow-up attacks still might take place, he said. Graham could not identify possible targets of other attacks, and would not reveal how U.S. intelligence agencies learned of the plans.
Graham also said a lack of coordination among American intelligence services contributed to the failure to obtain warning of last week's attacks.
At least two suspects linked to the attacks had, at some point, been under CIA surveillance.
"There was a serious lack of coordination among federal agencies," he said. "There were some people with suspect backgrounds whom the CIA had been following outside the U.S., who were able to enter the U.S., which raises questions about our immigration service. And once they were in the U.S., they were able to lose themselves in the crowd."
On Thursday, Graham is expected to introduce a package of intelligence reforms. Among the changes would be the creation of a coordinator over all U.S. intelligence agencies, to be based in the White House.
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(c) 2001, The Orlando Sentinel (Fla.).
Visit the Sentinel on the World Wide Web at http://www.orlandosentinel.com/. On America Online, use keyword: OSO.
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
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Read the American Battle Hymn -- A serviceman's anthem for the coming fight.
Ahem, Mr. Graham. OUR immigration service?
Your President. Your party. Your fault.
And just exactly who has been in charge of these agencies for the last 8 years? And just which party is it that did all they could to diminish security measures - even those involving entry into the White House down to the credentialing process of staffers? And just which side of the aisle has continually voted to reduce defense spending?
Have you just seen the light or are you really that stupid?
Of course the terrorists have more planned! This one was in the works for at least five years. You would have to be a complete idiot to think that nothing else is headed our way. The ONLY question is whether we can prevent it from happening.
Let's hope that the terrs have shot their wad.
It's possible.
Proper counter-intelligence practice would deny the enemy information about who is in custody and who is not. Who might be talking...and who can't/won't.
If they don't know where their assets are -- and we do -- we have gained a tactical advantage.
Accordingly, I strongly suspect that there have been more arrests and detainments than have been announced.
I doubt anything else will happen until the US intervenes in the Middle East.
For maximum effect, the second strike ought come after most are under the impression the terrorists have been defeated.
I'd say six or seven months from now at the earliest.
Countering terrorist threats to our national ports and waterways is a mission of the U.S. Coast Guard; one that they have been seriously prepapred for. For example, cargo ships entering the Puget Sound are being boarded and inspected BEFORE they enter port.
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