WASHINGTON, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- Members of the disbanded Sept. 11 commission want the U.S. Congress to determine if the Pentagon withheld information on four hijackers.
Detailed accounts about the findings of a secret military operation called Able Danger, in which Egyptian-born Mohammed Atta and three other men who hijacked planes on Sept. 11, 2001, were identified, emerged this week by Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., who is vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and by a former defense intelligence official.
John Lehman, a Republican member of the commission told The New York Times he considered the allegations serious.
"The issue is whether there was in fact surveillance before 9/11 of Atta and, if so, why weren't we told about it?" Lehman said. "Who made the decision not to brief the commission's staff or the commissioners?"
At a news briefing Tuesday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he couldn't comment on Able Danger, as he said he "never heard of it until this morning."
