Senator Says White House Pre-Attack Briefings May Have ‘Probative Value’ as 9/11 Evidence

New Tom Flocco article on the 911-Commission

by Tom Flocco

WASHINGTON, June 17, 2003 (TomFlocco.com) --

For those Americans watching recent C-Span replays of 9/11 Commission testimony, particularly air force generals and other government officials addressing issues surrounding U.S. military air defense failures, a number of revelations suggested additional doors for further inquiry and witness scrutiny.

And U.S. lawmaker witnesses also offered probing analysis at impromptu news briefings outside the hearing room. Breaking new ground, Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), a member of the intelligence committee, hinted that multiple terrorism updates in the months prior to the attacks at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon could have “probative value” as evidence in the Commission’s ongoing investigation. This was the first reference by a government official to the White House briefings as 9/11 evidence.

Shelby had waited patiently to take questions while we queried Senator Bob Graham (D-FL) as to whether he had personally examined the various July and August briefings in their un-redacted form or not. At the time of the hearings Graham was co-chairman. READ MORE

The Florida Democrat and presidential candidate replied to a direct question from TomFlocco.com, revealing that “We obtained the [White House intelligence] briefings in classified form [sections blacked out],” as he stepped back to allow Shelby to take a turn.

Thus far, no one has questioned why Graham, chairman of the inquiry, has yet to see the un-blacked out documents which sources familiar with the reports say warned that “the attack will be spectacular and designed to inflict mass casualties against United States facilities; preparations have been made; attack will occur with little or no warning.”

The sources also revealed that the briefings had been seen by President Bush in the months prior to the attacks, according to a Newsweek report.

Earlier that morning before Graham’s testimony, we had the opportunity to break the ice and casually chat with the engaging Senator after running into him outside, entering the Hart building and walking up to the hearing room.

It was instructive to understand that Bush has directed his lawyers to withhold key prior- knowledge information even from the senate intelligence chairman, as previously, Graham had been somewhat unclear about the redaction issue during last summer’s hearings.

Congressional testimony by Eleanor Hill, 9/11 inquiry staff director, revealed that Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director George Tenet has shielded the President from possible negligence or impeachable offenses by classifying Bush’s knowledge of all information contained in the briefings -- whether or not the content eventually becomes public. It has not been resolved whether court battles over Bush’s prior awareness will ensue.

Bush’s daily briefings had been described during the hearings by Commissioner Jamie Gorelick as “frantic” in the days prior to the attacks. Interestingly, Gorelick is also a member of Bush’s CIA National Security Advisory Panel, as well as the President’s Review of Intelligence committee, according to her Commission biography.

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printed from Senator Says White House Pre-Attack Briefings May Have ‘Probative Value’ as 9/11 Evidence on 2004-05-25 23:05:50