CIA head disputes 9/11 accountability

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- The chief of U.S. intelligence wants the 800-page Sept. 11 terror report changed to remove blame for failures from individual officers.

The New York Times reports CIA Director Porter Goss sent the request in an Oct. 27 memo to Inspector General John Helgerson, whose draft report reportedly identifies officers and officials who should be considered for discipline because of breakdowns in the collection, analysis and distribution of intelligence before the attacks.

The draft report was completed in July, but has not yet been shown to individuals named in it because Goss asked for 90 days to review it after taking office in September.

Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., who was co-chairman of the joint Congressional panel on the Sept. 11 attacks, told the newspaper he regarded Goss's request as "reasonable" to protect "the due process rights of the individuals involved."

As the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee until this summer, Goss was the other co-chairman of the joint committee.