WASHINGTON, Jan 7: A still classified internal CIA investigation has determined that its former chief, George Tenet, and his deputy, James Pavitt, failed to heed to the threat posed by terrorism before the Sept 11, 2001 , attacks, The New York Times said on Friday.

Commissioned by a Congressional panel, the report - six weeks from being completed - said the spy chiefs "failed to meet an acceptable standard of performance" and recommended that Pavitt's conduct be assessed for possible disciplinary action, officials who had read the document told the daily.

The officials did not say whether the report, drawn up by Central Intelligence Agency inspector general John Helgerson - who reports to Congress, singled out Tenet for possible disciplinary action as well.

Tenet and Pavitt resigned in mid-2004, and Tenet in December was awarded a Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush. The current and former government officials who read the report and who remained anonymous said its conclusions could still change on the basis of pending responses Helgerson has solicited from Tenet and Pavitt.

The CIA report's conclusions echo those reached by two previous investigations of the 9/11 attacks by a joint Congressional panel and by an independent commission, said the daily, but its criticisms of senior CIA officials are more direct and personal.

Neither the CIA, Tenet or Helgerson commented on the report, the daily said, but Pavitt confirmed he had read parts of it and disagreed with its findings "on many accounts." Pavitt acknowledged that the agency's directorate of operations, which he supervised, did not have adequate resources before the 9/11 attacks. -AFP