The Pentagon today released a report refuting the claims that a secret military program called 'Able Danger' could have prevented the terror attacks of 9/11. Able Danger was the brainchild of PA-07's Congressman in the crosshairs, Curt Weldon. The claim that 'Able Danger' could have prevented 9/11 is a crock. Even Weldon himself, who once claimed that Able Danger identified hijacker Mohammed Atta 13 times before 9/11,
now admits that he's not even sure that Atta was identified once, much less 13 times.
Too bad for Crazy Curt. It must suck to have the most important work of your political career shot down in flames like that. This report is definately not good for the Weldon campaign. When voters compare Weldon's failed military `work,' which has now been proven to be a crock, with Sestak's years of service at the highest level of the Navy, it should be clear which man will really be strong on homeland security. Hint: it won't be the man who wants to personally dig up WMD in Iraq.
From the AP, via MSNBC:
A new Pentagon report knocks down the idea that a secret military unit had garnered intelligence a year before the Sept. 11 attacks that might have stopped the hijackers, a senior defense official said Thursday...
The report was ordered following the assertion last year that the unit had identified four of the 19 hijackers in 2000. That claim was made by a former intelligence officer who worked on Able Danger, Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer, and by Rep. Curt Weldon, vice chairman of the House Armed Services and Homeland Security committees.
Weldon, R-Pa., has said the unit used data-mining to link Atta and three other hijackers to al-Qaida more than a year before the attacks.
The 71-page report, blacked out in parts, also rejected Weldon's claim that the unit wanted information given to the FBI but that Pentagon lawyers would not allow it.