Background: Preparing for Possible Terrorism

TOM BEARDEN:

This morning, CIA Director George Tenet and the FBI's Robert Mueller told the Senate Intelligence Committee just how serious they consider the threat of terrorism.

GEORGE TENET:

Mr. Chairman, as you know, the United States last week raised the terrorist threat level. We did so because of the threat reporting from multiple sources with strong al-Qaida ties. The information we have points to plots aimed at targets on two fronts: In the United States and on the Arabian Peninsula. It points to plots timed to occur as early as the end of the Hajj, which occurs late this week, and it points to plots that could include the use of a radiological dispersal device, as well as poisons and chemicals. The intelligence is not idle chatter on the part of terrorists or their associates. It is the most specific we have seen, and it is consistent with both our knowledge of al-Qaida's doctrine and our knowledge of plots in this network, and particularly its senior leadership has been working for years.

TOM BEARDEN:

FBI Director Mueller said the greatest threat is from al-Qaida cells within the country that they've yet to identify.

ROBERT MUELLER:

Finding and rooting out al-Qaida members once they have entered the United States and have had time to establish themselves is our most serious intelligence and law enforcement challenge. But in addition, the threat from single individuals sympathetic or affiliated with al-Qaida acting without external support or conspiracies is increasing.

TOM BEARDEN:

Committee Chairman Pat Roberts wanted to know how the average person should respond to the current threat.

SEN. PAT ROBERTS:

I know this has really disturbed many Americans and I suspect many members of the public are wondering what they can or should do in light of the increased dangers. So what advice would you offer to the man or woman in the street other than to get out of the street?

ROBERT MUELLER:

I do believe that our day in, day out life has changed since Sept. 11. We do have a heightened risk of attack from terrorist organizations, most particularly al-Qaida, and during certain periods we believe, and this is one of them, there is a heightened risk of an attack both overseas and in the United States. By saying that, we also must indicate our belief that Americans should go about their business, not cancel plans that they have because we have no specifics as to particular places or timing, but that we should all be more alert.

TOM BEARDEN:

Maine Republican Olympia Snowe asked if there was any hesitation before issuing the alert.

SEN. OLYMPIA SNOWE:

It seems to me that there was a lot of questions as to whether or not to even issue the alert. And I know, Director Tenet, you said that this chatter was significant, but I gather it wasn't specific enough to encourage the alert, and where were you both in terms of whether or not this alert should be issued?

GEORGE TENET:

Well, I think it's fair to say that with regard to the issuance of the alert, we both believed that this was something that should be done. I mean, this is a story that's been pieced together that was very specific and credible information, it was sourced well over multiple sources, so I think from Bob and I's perspective we had to issue this alert. We made our case. Obviously the director of homeland security, the attorney general make the policy decision, but from where we sat, putting us at a heightened state of alert, being disruptive, throwing people off our feet, generating additional operational opportunities in this environment is important. Now people will come back and say, "Senator, well if it doesn't happen in this time period, what does that mean?" It's really irrelevant to the point of there was enough credible data that takes us to a time period, and it increases our vigilance and we have a plot line that we will continue to run and follow so I think, Bob can speak for himself, but I think we were both in the same place.

ROBERT MUELLER:

We absolutely were both in the same place, having access to... both of us, both institutions having access to the same intelligence, and the intelligence was not just foreign intelligence, but also domestic intelligence. And I believe we draw the same conclusions as to the necessity of raising the alert based on... based on our common understanding of that intelligence, and this process, I think, speaks volumes about the information sharing capabilities now as opposed to before Sept. 11.

TOM BEARDEN:

This afternoon, Mueller and Tenet returned to a closed session before the committee to deliver a classified briefing on the terrorist threat.