Dear Inspector General Fine:
I am requesting that the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Inspector General investigate the FBI's handling of a warning it received last summer regarding suspicions that Middle Eastern men affiliated with Osama bin Laden were obtaining flight school training for terrorist purposes.
As you may know, recent press reports revealed that an agent in the Phoenix FBI Field Office last summer sent a memorandum to headquarters with the aforementioned warning. Also, it has now been revealed that the memo specifically cited a connection to Osama bin Laden. It is my personal understanding that this was not an off-hand reference, but an important part of the warning in the memo. Despite all this, the FBI states that officials did not thoroughly investigate the matter or follow through.
This memo has emerged as one of the most significant and alarming warnings that the FBI had before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. I am not declaring that pursuing the leads in this memo would have prevented the attacks, nor am I asking your office to investigate such a claim.
But the recent revelations about this memo and other apparent missteps have put the FBI's credibility at risk. As all of us move forward in the war on terrorism, investigating what happened before the attacks can better prepare us to prevent potential attacks in the future. Lessons need to be learned from what happened, or did not happen, before September 11, 2001. Moreover, the American public needs to be assured that the FBI is held accountable and is transparent to Congressional oversight in light of these very important questions.
It is for these reasons that there must be an independent review of exactly what action was taken or not taken in regards to this memo. I realize that the House and Senate Select Intelligence Committees are conducting a joint review of factors and events that led up to the attacks, and I appreciate their work. However, their investigation comes from a different perspective, and it certainly does not preclude the Judiciary Committee from carrying out its oversight responsibilities.
In accordance with my oversight responsibilities of the FBI through the Judiciary Committee, it is essential that there be an outside review of this matter by your office to answer all outstanding questions, ensure accountability at the FBI, and reaffirm the trust of the American people.
I ask that your review include how this warning came about, which FBI officials were aware of it, when the warning was provided to them, what actions were taken or not taken and why, along with any other relevant lessons to be learned.
In light of the excellent work you and the Office of the Inspector General have done on FBI oversight issues, I know you will rise to the challenge in this matter.
Cordially yours,
Charles E. Grassley
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs
cc: Robert Mueller
Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation