McConnell pushes new intelligence plan

WASHINGTON, April 4 (UPI) -- A plan to remove barriers to communication and increase information sharing has been announced by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Officials say the new strategy calls for the removal of institutional and technical barriers to information sharing that have slowed the process of effective decision making. The U.S. Intelligence Community Information Sharing Strategy is an effort to improve the ability of the intelligence community to share information that officials say will strengthen security.

The plan, responding to the Sept. 11 and Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission reports as well as from presidential directives among other intelligence sharing mandates, provides steps to integrate information-sharing goals with greater cooperation from several federal agencies.

"Improving information sharing will bring about true all-source analysis and deliver timely, objective, and actionable intelligence to our senior decision-makers, war fighters, and defenders of the homeland," Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell said in a statement.