Reply #24: The Looming Tower is not the definitive

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account of the 9/11 attacks. One theory discussed in the book was the idea that CIA was attempting to recruit al-Hazmi and al-Mihdhar and that is why they kept the knowledge of their presence in the US from the FBI until late August. IMO, this is a pretty weak theory. Are we to believe CIA didn't care what these al Qaeda operatives were doing in the US AFTER the Cole attack? How can Tenet and Clarke claim they were extremely worried about an attack yet fail to make sure the agency tasked with preventing a terrorist attack on US soil had the names of KNOWN al Qaeda operatives with links to the Cole attack?

Wright says that CIA conduct in regards to the Cole investigation was basically obstruction of justice. According to Wright, FBI agent Ali Soufan made three requests that were passed on to CIA by the FBI. He didn't get an answer to his queries until after 9/11.