Mea Culpa?

Representative Curt Weldon says that he’s no longer sure that Mohammed Atta’s name was mentioned in the Able Danger report.

In a particularly dramatic scene in Weldon’s book, Countdown to Terror, the Pennsylvania Republican described personally handing to then-Deputy National Security Adviser Steve Hadley, just after Sept. 11, an Able Danger chart produced in 1999 identifying Atta. But Weldon told TIME he’s no longer certain Atta’s name was on that original document. The congressman says he handed Hadley his only copy. [SNIP]

Pentagon officials are playing down any controversy. They say they can find nothing produced by the Able Danger program, which involved fewer than half a dozen intelligence analysts, mentioning Atta’s name. A senior Pentagon official briefed on the program told TIME, “This is much ado about nothing.” a source close to the former 9/11 commission aides who chased down the story last week said they had been led to believe the Pentagon would issue a statement along these lines on Friday.

This is odd, however.

But as of Sunday, this had not occurred. "We have been working with the 9/11 public discourse project to gain more clarity into this issue," said a Pentagon spokeswoman, Air Force Lieut. Col. Ellen Krenke. "Clearly there was information that was developed through this program, but it is unclear what was provided to the 9/11 Commission." Krenke said she did not know about any statement planned that would say no information had been developed about Atta before the Sept. 11 attacks.

We will patiently wait for that statement. The folks at the Pentagon are, after all, a bit busy just now. (Aside: there’s something about this 9/11 Public Discourse Project that’s bothering me but I can’t quite put my finger on it yet.)

If it comes out that no one can find Atta’s name mentioned in Able Danger’s report, then I’ll be happy to say that the 9/11 Commission’s integrity is impeccable. Well, maybe I won’t go that far, but I will say that I was wrong about the Atta matter.

And, no, I haven't forgotten about Mr. Berger, but that may turn out to be a separate issue. Maybe.

(Thanks to Michelle Malkin)

Commission Retort
Commission Admission
Oh That Mohammed Atta
Placing Blame