Phoenix Memo
Encyclopedia
The Phoenix memo is a letter sent to FBI headquarters on July 10, 2001 by FBI special agent Kenneth Williams recommending the assembling of a worldwide listing of civil aviation schools. Williams, then stationed in Phoenix, Arizona
, was at the time investigating students at some of these schools for possible terrorist
links.
The recommendations outlined by Williams were ignored or put aside due to other concerns. David Frasca was the head of the FBI's fundamentalist terrorist unit at the time and was considered to be responsible for not making these recommendations known to other relevant investigative units. Frasca was promoted by the Bush administration after the 9/11 attacks.
took advantage of the federal Whistleblower Protection Act
provisions to inform FBI Director Robert Mueller
that his public statements about lack of "advance knowledge" by the Bureau have no basis in facts. In her memo, Rowley wrote about the alleged suppression of the investigation concerning Zacarias Moussaoui
.
of The Washington Times suggests that the lack of attention to the memo is one of several intelligence failures leading to the September 11, 2001 attacks
.
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, was at the time investigating students at some of these schools for possible terrorist
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
links.
Content
According to Williams, the purpose of the memo was toadvise the Bureau and New York of the possibility of a coordinated effort by USAMA BIN LADEN (UBL) to send students to the United States to attend civil aviation universities and colleges. Phoenix has observed an inordinate number of individuals of investigative interest who are attending or who have attended civil aviation universities and colleges in the State of Arizona.
The recommendations outlined by Williams were ignored or put aside due to other concerns. David Frasca was the head of the FBI's fundamentalist terrorist unit at the time and was considered to be responsible for not making these recommendations known to other relevant investigative units. Frasca was promoted by the Bush administration after the 9/11 attacks.
Coleen Rowley (2002)
The memo became the subject of another communiqué in 2002 when FBI agent Coleen RowleyColeen Rowley
Coleen Rowley is a former FBI agent and whistleblower, and was a Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidate for Congress in Minnesota's 2nd congressional district, one of eight congressional districts in Minnesota in 2006...
took advantage of the federal Whistleblower Protection Act
Whistleblower Protection Act
-Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989:The Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 is a United States federal law that protects federal whistleblowers who work for the government and report agency misconduct...
provisions to inform FBI Director Robert Mueller
Robert Mueller
Robert Swan Mueller III is the 6th and current Director of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation .-Early life:...
that his public statements about lack of "advance knowledge" by the Bureau have no basis in facts. In her memo, Rowley wrote about the alleged suppression of the investigation concerning Zacarias Moussaoui
Zacarias Moussaoui
Zacarias Moussaoui is a French citizen who was convicted of conspiring to kill citizens of the US as part of the September 11 attacks...
.
Analysis
Bill GertzBill Gertz
Bill Gertz is an American editor, columnist and reporter for The Washington Times. He is the author of six books and writes a weekly column on the Pentagon and national security issues called "Inside the Ring". During the administration of Bill Clinton Gertz was known for his stories exposing...
of The Washington Times suggests that the lack of attention to the memo is one of several intelligence failures leading to the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
.
See also
- Bin Ladin Determined To Strike in US, August 6, 2001
- Capture of Zacarias Moussaoui, August 16, 2001
- Khalid al-MihdharKhalid al-MihdharKhalid Muhammad Abdallah al-Mihdhar was one of five hijackers of American Airlines Flight 77, which was flown into the Pentagon as part of the September 11 attacks....
- Nawaf al-HazmiNawaf al-HazmiNawaf Muhammed Salim al-Hazmi was one of five hijackers of American Airlines Flight 77, which was crashed into the Pentagon as part of the September 11 attacks....
- Risk aversionRisk aversionRisk aversion is a concept in psychology, economics, and finance, based on the behavior of humans while exposed to uncertainty....