CIA report on September 11 faults leaders

Former CIA chief George Tenet failed to follow through on his 1998 declaration of war against al Qaeda and the agency diverted counter terrorism money for other uses in the years before the September 11 attacks, according to an agency report released...

Former CIA chief George Tenet failed to follow through on his 1998 declaration of war against al Qaeda and the agency diverted counter terrorism money for other uses in the years before the September 11 attacks, according to an agency report released on Tuesday.

A summary of the 2005 report by the CIA inspector general was declassified under protest by agency Director Michael Hayden in response to a law passed by Congress earlier this month. The report said top CIA officers "did not discharge their responsibilities in a satisfactory manner" and it described a "systemic breakdown" in a watch list for tracking terrorism suspects who seek to enter the US.

"It's really pointing the finger at the CIA's executives," including Chief Tenet, said Barbara Elias of the National Security Archive, which collects and publishes declassified documents.

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