Critics say the government fails to quickly process and analyze information that might help unravel terrorist plots. Often, crucial intelligence is found to have been sitting in the files, but is recognized as significant only in hindsight, after a terrorist incident.
EARLY WARNINGS
For instance, US officials noted that the CIA had gathered evidence in August that Khalid al-Midhar, identified on Friday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as one of the hijackers aboard the plane that smashed into the Pentagon, had met with suspect associates of bin Laden in Malaysia in January of last year. Subsequently the CIA determined that some people at that meeting may have been involved in the plot to attack the USS Cole in October 2000.
The CIA also determined that Nawaq Alhamzi, another hijacking suspect aboard the same plane, had previously traveled to the US with al-Midhar.
In late August, the CIA notified the Immigration and Naturalization Service that both men should be placed on the watch list intended to prevent their entry into the US. The INS responded that both men had already gotten into the country, using their real names.
The FBI was notified, and began looking for them. But too late.
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