Able Danger Update II

UPI reported today that three more individuals have claimed to have knowledge of a chart generated in early 2000, which identified 9-11 ringleader Mohammed Atta as part of a terrorist cell operating in New York.

The three join Defense Intelligence Agency civilian analyst Army Reserve Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer and Navy Capt. Scott Philpott, team leader of a military intelligence program known as Able Danger, who have both previously indicated that Able Danger had identified Atta and the terrorist cell as early as 1999.

Although the chart identifying Atta has not been found, Pat Downs, a senior policy analyst in the office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence has stated, "These people are credible people...There are strict regulations about collection, dissemination and destruction procedures for this type of information. We know that that did happen in the case of Able Danger documentation."

So, five credible people have now affirmed that Atta was known to be operating inside the United States over a year before 9-11. Pentagon lawyers refused to allow the information to be passed on to the FBI, and the matter was never pursued. In 2003, the 9-11 Commission was briefed on the Able Danger information; however, there was no mention of Able Danger or of the information in the Commission's final report.

Stay tuned...