Washington, DC – At a hearing today of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) called on President Bush to launch an investigation into the release of sensitive information about the capture of Al Qaeda operative Muhammed Neem Khan.
Details of Khan’s Al Qaeda role and how U.S. intelligence services were using him to track down other terrorists are reported in the August 16th issue of Newsweek magazine.
“Khan’s capture could have been the intelligence breakthrough of a lifetime. Instead, it is a wasted opportunity,” said Mikulski in a letter addressed to President Bush released at the hearing (attached). “We had the man, we had the computer, we had the address book, and we were using technology to track down terrorists around the world. Our ability to pursue these leads was destroyed by the release of detailed information about him and our intelligence operations.”
Senator Mikulski also addressed the urgent need for intelligence reform at today’s hearing. “The 9/11 Commission made 41 recommendations. The President can do 16 right now by executive order. Nine require funding. Congress can pass appropriations by October 1. Sixteen recommendations require Congressional action. Let’s get to work, focusing on reform, resources and let's be relentless to get the job done.”