Senate Hearings Investigate Security Failures Surrounding Christmas Day Plot
Last week several Congressional hearings were held to examine systemic government failures surrounding the near airline disaster on Christmas Day which resulted in an alleged terrorist boarding Northwest flight 253 for Detroit with explosives in his clothing. On Wednesday, January 20th the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) led by Chairman Senator Joe Lieberman and Ranking Member Senator Susan Collins conducted the first in a series of hearings titled Intelligence Reform: The Lessons and Implications of the Christmas Day Attack. Witnesses included the Honorable Michael Leiter, Director of National Counterterrorism Center, The Honorable Dennis C. Blair, Director of National Intelligence and the Honorable Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
Witness testimonies and a webcast of the hearing is available on the HSGAC website.
The Senate Commerce Committee led by Chairman Senator John Rockefeller and Ranking Member Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison conducted a hearing titled: The State of Aviation Security - Is Our Current System Capable of Meeting the Threat? Witnesses included Co-Chairs of the 9/11 Commission The Honorable Lee Hamilton and The Honorable Tom Kean as well as The Honorable Janet Napolitano and The Honorable Michael Leiter.
Witness testimony and a webcast of the hearing is available on the Commerce Committees website.
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