WASHINGTON, Oct 1: The FBI, heavily criticized for intelligence failings leading up to the Sept 11 attacks, has never developed a comprehensive written assessment of the terrorist threat in the United States, a Justice Department audit showed on Tuesday.
The Office of the Inspector General released an audit of the FBI’s counterterrorism program which found that although the bureau has gone through a major restructuring, it has not followed through with promises to create a written assessment of terrorist risks.
Although the bureau drafted a Terrorist Threat Report after the Sept 11 attacks, it never assessed the likelihood of future attack, potential targets or possible methods a terrorist might use, the report said.
In addition, it said the FBI has never fully assessed the threat and risk of a terrorist attack with chemical and biological materials or with other weapons of mass destruction.
“Because the FBI has not completed a systematic written assessment of the most likely terrorism scenarios — taking into account terrorist methods, capabilities and intent — it may not have fully identified the specific nature of the threat so that it could focus its attention and resources to prepare adequately and respond effectively,” the audit said.
One reason for the inadequacy of the report could be that no single individual was accountable for managing the assessment. The inspector general’s audit also said some officials believed the FBI lacks the analytical capability or resources to complete such a broad threat assessment.
In May, FBI Director Robert Mueller acknowledged that the bureau had mishandled possible clues before the Sept. 11 attacks when he announced plans to transform the crime-fighting agency to one with a primary focus on counterterrorism.
“While the FBI has taken significant steps to revamp its counterterrorism program, we believe it needs to develop a comprehensive, written assessment of the terrorist threat facing the United States,” said Inspector General Glenn Fine.
“Our audit concluded that such an assessment would aid the FBI as it changes its priorities and seeks to prevent, deter and disrupt terrorist acts.”
In addition, the audit showed that the FBI has not yet incorporated any assessment of a terrorist threat or risk of attack into its strategic plan, which has not been updated since 1998.
The full 131-page audit is classified as secret and has been given to the Department of Justice and Congress but a declassified summary of the report was released by the Inspector General’s office.
HOMELAND SECURITY: A divided US Senate refused on Tuesday to cut off debate on stalled legislation to create a Department of Homeland Security as both parties agreed they may be unable to pass any such anti-terrorism measure this year.
Democrats charged that Republicans may be holding up the measure so they can try to blame the Democrat-led Senate for failing to create the department and make it an issue in the Nov. 5 congressional elections.
Republicans countered that Democrats have refused to give President George W. Bush an up-or-down vote on a version of the sweeping legislation he could sign into law.
“I would agree” with Democrats on at least one point, Sen. Fred Thompson, a Tennessee Republican, said before Tuesday’s vote to move to cutoff debate failed 45-52 — 15 votes short of the needed 60.
“We are in the last stages of this discussion. If we do not resolve this matter within the next day or so, there will be no homeland security bill this year,” Thompson said.
There is broad bipartisan support on Capitol Hill for Bush’s call to create a Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security to protect the nation better against another attack like the one on Sept 11 last year.—Reuters
