Terrorist Information Known Prior to 9/11

WASHINGTON – U.S. Army Lt. Col Anthony Shaffer, a former member of a classified Pentagon intelligence unit, publicly announced Wednesday that in collaboration with Rep. Curt Weldon, vice chairman of the House Armed Services of Homeland Security committees, he determined that “there was a significant amount of information [about terrorist activity prior to the 9/11 attacks] that was totally deleted or not provided to the 9/11 commissioners.” Shaffer was a member of a task force that was involved with Able Danger, an intelligence unit that sought al Qaeda terrorists. Without releasing specific facts, he claimed that in a search through public databases, Able Danger had discovered information in 2000 about lead hijacker Mohamed Atta. Shaffer tried to set up meetings with FBI officials in 2000. The meetings were cancelled on the premise that the Special Forces unit, which Able Danger was a part of, could not legally disclose potential terror suspects located in the U.S. with domestic law enforcement. Thomas Kean and Lee Hamilton, chairman and vice chairman of the 9/11 commission released the statement that Able Danger “did not turn out to be historically significant, set against the larger context of U.S. policy and intelligence efforts that involved bin Laden and al Qaeda.” Lt. Col. Shaffer stated that he had hesitated to come forward with this new information because of the possibility that there was a classified addendum to the commission’s report or that there were some other reason why the information wasn’t already publicly disclosed.

Worm Infilitrates Microsoft Systems

Computers in the United States, Germany and Asia were shut down Tuesday after the attack of a fast-moving computer worm on Microsoft operating system. Offices on Capitol Hill, at CNN, ABC, The New York Times and Caterpillar Inc. were all among those that were hit by the worm. The computer problems did not appear to be part of a widespread attack FBI told the press. Technological security consultants reported that the worm primarily affects Windows 2000, but can also affect some earlier versions of Microsoft XP. One major symptom of attack by the worm is constant shutting down and rebooting of a computer. Experts are pointing to a virus called worm-rbot.cbq, which has several different versions that have been released, and are unsure about how long it will take to get the virus under control. Microsoft is working with law enforcement to target those responsible for unleashing the worm. The director of Microsoft’s security response center, Debra Fry Wilson, advises that customers install security updates as soon as possible.

NY Releases 9/11 Firefighter Files

NEW YORK, NY – New York city has released thousands of fire department files dealing with the World Trade Center attacks of September 11. The files include transmissions recorded on that day and testimonies from firefighters that were later compiled. A lawsuit filed by The New York Times forced the city to release the documents. A congressional inquiry into the 9/11 attacks determined that there was a breakdown in communications between emergency systems that added to the chaos of the situation. In 2002 The New York Times asked for release of the documents under the Freedom of Information Act and proceeded to sue the city when it refused release of the documents. Among the reasons that the city gave in their refusal was a confidentiality agreement with firefighters and the possible interference with the prosecution of terrorist suspect Zacarias Moussaoui. Nearly 15 hours of radio communications between dispatchers and firefighters at the World Trade Center and more than 12,000 pages of individual oral histories compiled by the fire department in October of 2001 were released by New York city on Friday. Some, including relatives of attack victims, hope that the release of these documents will clarify confusion about whether or not firefighters heroically chose to ignore warnings.