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Intel sharing reviewed on Mumbai terrorist

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Mugshot"If we had information that could have helped to prevent the attacks or pinpoint specific aspects of the attacks, we certainly would have shared that," said Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for strategic communication. (Associated Press)
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Indian Home Secretary G.K. Pillai said this week that the Indian government was "disappointed that the name of David Headley was not provided, if not pre-26/11 at least post 26/11. So that when he came subsequently in March 2009 to India at least at that time we could have nabbed him here."

India refers to the attacks that began on Nov. 26, 2008, as "26/11."

Headley, a former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) informant, had been under U.S. surveillance for at least two years before his arrest in Chicago on Oct. 3, 2009.

ProPublica, citing unidentified federal officials, said Headley received terrorist training in Pakistan while he was working as a DEA informant.

Earlier in 2008, the U.S. warned India that an attack was being planned in Mumbai. Security was beefed up at potential targets in the port city but was relaxed when weeks passed without incident.

U.S. officials did not tell their Indian counterparts whether Headley was the source of that information, prompting speculation in New Delhi that they were trying to protect their source.

Mr. Rhodes said the information present with U.S. officials prior to the Mumbai attacks was "far more general and far less specific."

"If we had information that could have helped to prevent the attacks or pinpoint specific aspects of the attacks, we certainly would have shared that, too," Mr. Rhodes said. "The fact of the matter is that the information we had before 26/11 was not of that nature."

"There is a vast amount of information within the U.S. intelligence system, and the nature of the kind of information we received in this instance from Mr. Headleys ex-wives again was of a more general nature," Mr. Rhodes said.

"Let's get all of the facts completely together … and when that review is completed it is certainly something we will share with the Indians as well," he added.

Story Continues →

© Copyright 2010 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

About the Author
Ashish Kumar Sen

Ashish Kumar Sen

Ashish Kumar Sen is a reporter covering foreign policy and international developments for The Washington Times.

Prior to joining The Times, Mr. Sen worked for publications in Asia and the Middle East. His work has appeared in a number of publications and online news sites including the British Broadcasting Corp., Asia Times Online and Outlook magazine.

 

Comments

Hyderali says:

5 hours, 52 minutes ago

Mark as offensive

It is understandable there is mistrust between Pakistan and USA over terrorism because Pak Army intelligence always alerts the terrorists whenever the information to attack the terrorists is shared with them. That is how all the Al Qaeda and Taliban chiefs have managed to evade capture or death at the hands of US drones. Pak Army was at the forefront of creating such Islamic terror groups and they are not going to help anyone destroy their own creations.

However, there is no real reason such mistrust of countries like India who are under similar attacks from such terrorists. Indian authorities had no hand in forming such terror groups. The only real reason for such mistrust is racism. Islamic terrorists can exploit such racism among potential allies to divide them and attack them one at a time. USA with better intelligence service has the obligation to take a lead in co-operating with all the democratic states to share intelligence and work together. Otherwise, you can’t guarantee USA intelligence would remain good without the co-operation of like minded states.

jamalagrinaolcom says:

8 hours, 37 minutes ago

Mark as offensive

This is a laugh! President Obama wants a review of Intelligence sharing as to prevent terrorists' attacks. He and his liberal cohorts in the Administration, and in Congress, have insulted the intelligence branches over and over again, and have stifled them with prior inquires and with investigations into abuse, etc. For years, liberals have passed measures and laws that prevented Intelligence and Justice Depts. from sharing info that led up to the attacks on 9/11 of 2001. Does the name of Jamie Gorlick, under Janet Reno ring a bell? She personally stifled the intelligence and Justice Depts. with stifling regulations.

How about Frank Church, a Democrat Senator in the 1970s who wanted to dumb down the Intelligence Branches and take away their power thinking they were too strong.

Obama already declared that we are not fighting a war on terrorism like those liberals say who live in a fantasy world of eternal peace and love. But, now, Obama is coming into the world of reality that there are bad people in the world who want to kill us and destroy our country, and that his megalomaniac view of himself as some type of Messiah to the world is not working with radical Islam and the communists.

The blame cannot be laid at the feet of our intelligence agencies as they gather more than enough Intel for politicians to make the right decisions, if they would only take heed and make the right decisions based on that Intel. Also, Intel agents need to be put on the ground around the world to infiltrate groups who are plotting dastardly deeds against our nation. This is not in the play book for Obama liberal types who want to appease the enemy through useless talks rather that to be prepared for an enemy’s methods of attacks to destroy us.

We need to vote out these sleepwalkers and “peace at any cost” appeasers and return our nation with leaders who understand economics, individual freedoms, sovereignty, and that there are bad people in this world who will only back off from attacks from a nation who is strong on defense, and ready to retaliate with power if it is attacked, or provoked.
.

realtimer says:

1 day, 3 hours ago

Mark as offensive

Another FISA failure?

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