Posted on: Friday, July 23, 2004
Hawai'i lawmakers critique 9/11 report
| • | 9/11 Commission report cites FBI, CIA failures |
| • | Passengers never got to cockpit |
| • | 9/11 commission Final Report |
By John Yaukey and Frank Oliveri
Advertiser Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — Some Hawai'i lawmakers yesterday supported the recommendations of the independent commission probing the Sept. 11 attacks, but Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawai'i, said the report failed to assign blame.
The final report cites 10 opportunities where U.S. intelligence or law enforcement and immigration agencies might have thwarted the hijackings.
But the document stops short of saying the attacks were preventable, noting that some missed opportunities were long shots.
"I was disappointed that the commission did not hold accountable those individuals in positions of responsibility who were in a position to prevent the 9/11 tragedy but failed to act," Abercrombie said.
Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawai'i, said: "These intelligence failures underscore the threat that al-Qaida and other terrorist networks continue to pose to Americans at home and abroad, and the challenges and hard work ahead as we work to reform the way the CIA, FBI, this and future administrations and Congress meet the terrorists' threat."
"We did not do the job we needed to do to prevent 9/11," said Rep. Ed Case, D-Hawai'i. "Now the question is, are we going to act on this report? I think it should be, and will be, a difficult debate."
Sen. Dan Inouye, D-Hawai'i, would not comment until he had read the entire report, said Inouye spokesman Mike Yuen.
