Obama gets prelim post-attack assessments

HONOLULU, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama said Thursday he received a preliminary assessment of the reviews he ordered following a failed terror attack on Christmas Day.

Obama said he expected to receive other assessments from several agencies Thursday night, review the information during the weekend, and then meet face-to-face with appropriate agency heads next week in Washington.

"On Tuesday ... I will meet personally with relevant agency heads to discuss our ongoing reviews as well as security enhancements and intelligence-sharing improvements in our homeland security and counter-terrorism operations," Obama said in a statement released in Hawaii, where he is vacationing with his family.

Obama said he spoke separately with John Brennan, assistant to the president for homeland security and counter-terrorism, and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to review "detection capabilities and the enhanced security measures in place since the Christmas Day incident" when a 23-year-old Nigerian passenger who boarded Northwest Flight 253 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, attempted to detonate explosive materials hidden in his underwear.

Obama ordered two reviews Tuesday, one on the U.S. terrorist watch list system and the other on air travel screening.

A senior administration official Thursday told reporters in Honolulu next week's meeting in Washington will include the directors of the CIA and national intelligence, as well as the secretary of state, the attorney general and the heads of the Transportation Security Administration and the National Security Agency.

The official said Obama would have some activities with his family Thursday and then "be dedicating a lot of time this evening" to security matters. The official also said the Department of Homeland Security will push for broader international cooperation on international travel security issues.