Clarke in his new book urges the importance of open source information to intelligence analysis and argues it is often overlooked. He says that often the best way to get information is to call the person with the information and ask. He mentions
Alex Rossmiller, STILL BROKEN: A RECRUIT’S INSIDE ACCOUNT OF INTELLIGENCE FAILURES FROM BAGHDAD TO THE PENTAGON (Ballantine Books, 2008)
“The CIA Director recalled the fact that the two al Qaeda terrorists were in the United States as soon as heard about the attacks.
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The Helgerson Report notes that not one or two, but sixty (60) CIA personnel knew about the presence in the United States of al-Hazmi and al-Midhar and did nothing to tell the FBI.” p. 168
“So we prefer to think that repeated incompetence is what happened because we disdain conspiracy theories and would rather not confront the alternative.”
(p. 170)
Note: The “911 imam,” Ali Al-Timimi’s fellow Falls Church imam who coordinated with him, counseled the two hijackers in San Diego and then in Falls Church.