CIA Panel: 9/11 Failure Warrants Action [View All]

CIA Panel: 9/11 Failure Warrants Action


Friday August 26, 2005 7:46 AM

By KATHERINE SHRADER

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - CIA Director Porter Goss must decide whether to heed
the recommendation of his top watchdog to hold disciplinary reviews
for current and former officials who were involved in faulty
intelligence efforts before the Sept. 11 attacks.

The proceedings, formally called an accountability board, were
recommended by the CIA inspector general, John Helgerson, The
Associated Press learned late Thursday. It remains unclear which
people are identified for the accountability boards in the highly
classified report spanning hundreds of pages.

The report was delivered to Congress on Tuesday night.

Following a two-year review into what went wrong before the suicide
hijackings, Helgerson harshly criticizes a number of the agency's most
senior officials, according to people familiar with the report. Among
those singled out for criticism are former CIA Director George Tenet,
former clandestine service chief Jim Pavitt and former
counterterrorism center head Cofer Black.

The former officials are likely candidates for proceedings before an
accountability board, which could take a number of actions, including
letters of reprimand or dismissal. The proceedings also could clear
the former officials of wrongdoing.