T2 B5 Intel Authorization Bills Fdr- Memos And Requests For Briefing-interview With Cia606

TO:

Dan/Steve

FROM:

Gordon

CC:

Kevin

DATE:

May 15, 2003

RE:

Requests for Briefings, Interviews, and Documents From the Intelligence Community

(.

Good afternoon. Kevin and I would be grateful if we can meet to discuss the process for requesting briefings, interviews, and documents from the Intelligence Community. For _ example, we have_some questions about the relative roles of Adam Ciongols/n closed by statute 9/11 closed by statute^ we would jjke to discuss our interest in receiving overview briefings about the Intelligence Community's structure and processes. Thank you.

TO:

Adam Ciongoli Department of Justice

THROUGH:

Dan Marcus

FROM:

Kevin Scheid

SUBJECT:

Briefings and Interviews Regarding CIA

Please arrange a background briefing by the end of May 2003, to be held at the Commission's office, that covers the topics set forth below. The briefing should be held at the TS/SCI level. A.

Community Management: The organizations that perform Intelligence Community coordination (intelligence policy formulation, collection [National Intelligence Collection Board], analysis [National Intelligence Production Board], budget, financial oversight, legal review, Congressional affairs, and inspector general responsibilities).

B.

The Intelligence Priorities Process. The process by which the Intelligence Community establishes priorities.

C.

The Budget Process: The process by which the Intelligence Community formulates its budget.

D.

The General Counsel: Statutes, Executive Orders, and regulations governing the Intelligence Community's structure and operations.

E.

The Central Intelligence Agency.

I

•

The Directorate of Operations: Its organizational structure and processes, and the tradecraft of HUMINT.

•

The Directorate of Intelligence: Its organizational structure and process, and the tradecraft of analysis.

•

The Terrorist Threat Integration Center: Its organizational structure and processes.

•

The Counterterrorist Center: Its origins, organizational structure, and operations. 9/11

Closed by Statute

I

Central Intelligence Agency

C:\WINNT\Profiles\kevin\Personal\InterviewRequestsCIA05152003.doc

TO:

Dan Marcus and Steve Dunne

FROM:

Gordon Lederman

DATE:

May 16, 2003

SUBJECT:

Request for Interview

closed by statute

I would like to request an interview \/.lJ; closed by statute-^ QA. to learn about the Director of Central Intelligence's authorities vis-a-vis covert action. Attached is a draft request to be sent to|9/11 closed bv statute]^ Adam Ciongoli at DOJ. I would be grateful if you would transmit this document or let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you. CC:

Kevin Scheid

"TO:

9/1:L

Closed by Statute

Central Intelligence Agency THROUGH: Dan Marcus, General Counsel Steve Dunne, Deputy General Counsel National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States FROM:

Gordon Lederman National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States

DATE:

May 16, 2003

SUBJECT:

Request for Interview wg/'n closed by statute

Please arrange an interview for me \?/i.j closed by s t at u tender to discuss the Director of Central Intelligence's statutory and regulatory authorities (including the National Security Act and Executive Orders) and how they relate to counterterrorism. The briefing should be held at the unclassified level. In the future, I may request followup interviews9/Ai-_c]-osed bv statutgiassified level. I may be reached at Kevin Scheid's telephone number, (202) 331-4069. Thank you.

CC:

Adam Ciongoli Department of Justice Kevin Scheid National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States

The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Against the United States requests a follow-up discussion as soon as possible with appropriate CIA experts on the development and evolution of al-Qaeda as a terrorist entity. This discussion may be either "on the record" or "off the record," and will be attended by a limited number of Commission staff (no more than four) whose dominant focus is this issue. We would like to meet with members of the DCI Review Group, together with any other appropriate Agency experts (as determined by the Agency). We envision an informal discussion, rather than a formal briefing, and, as noted above, the discussion may be off the record. The discussion would be directed at information obtained by the United States, not on means and methods by which it was obtained. We see no reason why any information on U.S. covert actions need arise in this discussion. Among the issues we would like to discuss are: 1) What is the current thinking on whether major terrorist attacks from the early and mid 1990s, including the first World Trade Center bombing and the aborted Bojinka plot, werejM-Qaeda operations? Was Ramzi Yousef an Al Qaeda operative, and if so, when did he become such? 2) Al Qaeda' s development and evolution includes various ties with other foreign terrorist organizations worldwide. We are interested in obtaining as comprehensive a picture as possible on the extent and nature of these links, from Al Qaeda' s early days through its development and evolution while headquartered in Sudan and Afghanistan. 3) State sponsorship of Al-Qaeda. In addition to the obvious examples of Sudan and Afghanistan during the periods that Al-Qaeda was headquartered in those countries, there have been allegations that foreign governments, in particular Iraq and/or Iran, or elements of yegkt governments', have supported al-Qaeda or turned a blind eye to its operations. We are interesed in an assessment of this issue. 4) Al-Qaeda and nonconventional weapons of mass destruction. We are interested in discussing the history and development of Al-Qaeda' s attempts to develop or obtain biological, chemical, radiological, and nuclear weapons. Finally, we note that at the March 20 off-the-record briefing provided to Commission staff by the DCI Review Group, we were told that 1) the Commission would be provided access to a CIA-prepared chronology of events relating to the evolution of alQaeda, and 2) the DCI Review Group would prepare a selected bibliography of classified analytical assessments. If at all possible, the Commission would greatly appreciate receiving access to these documents at or before the meeting that is the subject of this request.

Thomas H. Kean CHAIR

CIA BRIEFING REQUEST NO. 5

Lee H. Hamilton

The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the "Commission") requests an informal background briefing as soon as possible from the Director and any other appropriate officials at the Counterterrorism Center ("CTC") on CTC's activities since the attacks of September 11, 2001, including changes to CTC's organizational structure, leadership, personnel, funding, and processes, as well as an overview of CTC's major analytical products for internal or external use since September 11,2001.

VICE CHAIR

Richard Ben-Veniste Mia. Cleland Fred F. Fielding Jamie S. Gorelick Slade Gorton

James R. Thompson

This request is for an "off the record" briefing that will be attended by a limited number of Commission staff whose investigative focus encompasses these issues (and possibly one or more Commissioners). The requested briefing is for general background purposes only and will not be a substitute for subsequent interviews the Commission and its staff may wish to conduct.

Philip D. Zelikow

June 25, 2003

John Lehman Timothy J. Roemer

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Daniel Marcus General Counsel

TEL (202) 331-4060 FAX (202) 296-5545 www.9-1 lcommission.gov