TO: Dan/Steve

FROM: Gordon

CC: Kevin

DATE: May 15, 2003

(.

RE: Requests for Briefings, Interviews, and Documents From the Intelligence
Community

Good afternoon. Kevin and I would be grateful if we can meet to discuss the process for
requesting briefings, interviews, and documents from the Intelligence Community. For
_ example, we have_some questions about the relative roles of Adam Ciongols/n closed by statute
9/11 closed by statute^ we would jjke to discuss our interest in receiving overview
briefings about the Intelligence Community's structure and processes. Thank you.
 TO: Adam Ciongoli
Department of Justice

THROUGH: Dan Marcus

FROM: Kevin Scheid

SUBJECT: Briefings and Interviews Regarding CIA

Please arrange a background briefing by the end of May 2003, to be held at the
Commission's office, that covers the topics set forth below. The briefing should be held
at the TS/SCI level.

A. Community Management: The organizations that perform Intelligence

Community coordination (intelligence policy formulation, collection
[National Intelligence Collection Board], analysis [National Intelligence
Production Board], budget, financial oversight, legal review,
Congressional affairs, and inspector general responsibilities).
B. The Intelligence Priorities Process. The process by which the Intelligence
Community establishes priorities.
C. The Budget Process: The process by which the Intelligence Community
formulates its budget.
D. The General Counsel: Statutes, Executive Orders, and regulations
governing the Intelligence Community's structure and operations.
E. The Central Intelligence Agency.
• The Directorate of Operations: Its organizational structure and
processes, and the tradecraft of HUMINT.
• The Directorate of Intelligence: Its organizational structure and
process, and the tradecraft of analysis.
• The Terrorist Threat Integration Center: Its organizational
structure and processes.
• The Counterterrorist Center: Its origins, organizational structure,
and operations.

I 9/11 Closed by Statute I

Central Intelligence Agency

C:\WINNT\Profiles\kevin\Personal\InterviewRequestsCIA05152003.doc
 TO: Dan Marcus and Steve Dunne

FROM: Gordon Lederman

DATE: May 16, 2003

SUBJECT: Request for Interview closed by statute

I would like to request an interview \/.lJ; closed by statute-^ QA. to learn about
the Director of Central Intelligence's authorities vis-a-vis covert action. Attached is a
draft request to be sent to|9/11 closed bv statute]^ Adam Ciongoli at DOJ. I would be
grateful if you would transmit this document or let me know if you have any questions or
concerns. Thank you.

CC: Kevin Scheid

 "TO: 9/1:L Closed by Statute
Central Intelligence Agency

THROUGH: Dan Marcus, General Counsel

Steve Dunne, Deputy General Counsel
National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States

FROM: Gordon Lederman

National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States

DATE: May 16, 2003

SUBJECT: Request for Interview wg/'n closed by statute

Please arrange an interview for me \?/i.j closed by s t at u tender to discuss the

Director of Central Intelligence's statutory and regulatory authorities (including the
National Security Act and Executive Orders) and how they relate to counterterrorism.
The briefing should be held at the unclassified level. In the future, I may request follow-
up interviews9/Ai-_c]-osed bv statutgiassified level. I may be reached at Kevin Scheid's
telephone number, (202) 331-4069.

Thank you.

CC: Adam Ciongoli

Department of Justice

Kevin Scheid
National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Against the United States requests a
follow-up discussion as soon as possible with appropriate CIA experts on the
development and evolution of al-Qaeda as a terrorist entity. This discussion may be
either "on the record" or "off the record," and will be attended by a limited number of
Commission staff (no more than four) whose dominant focus is this issue. We would like
to meet with members of the DCI Review Group, together with any other appropriate
Agency experts (as determined by the Agency). We envision an informal discussion,
rather than a formal briefing, and, as noted above, the discussion may be off the record.
The discussion would be directed at information obtained by the United States, not on
means and methods by which it was obtained. We see no reason why any information on
U.S. covert actions need arise in this discussion.

Among the issues we would like to discuss are:

1) What is the current thinking on whether major terrorist attacks from the early and
mid 1990s, including the first World Trade Center bombing and the aborted
Bojinka plot, werejM-Qaeda operations? Was Ramzi Yousef an Al Qaeda
operative, and if so, when did he become such?

2) Al Qaeda' s development and evolution includes various ties with other foreign
terrorist organizations worldwide. We are interested in obtaining as
comprehensive a picture as possible on the extent and nature of these links, from
Al Qaeda' s early days through its development and evolution while headquartered
in Sudan and Afghanistan.

3) State sponsorship of Al-Qaeda. In addition to the obvious examples of Sudan and

Afghanistan during the periods that Al-Qaeda was headquartered in those
countries, there have been allegations that foreign governments, in particular Iraq
and/or Iran, or elements of yegkt governments', have supported al-Qaeda or turned
a blind eye to its operations. We are interesed in an assessment of this issue.

4) Al-Qaeda and nonconventional weapons of mass destruction. We are interested in

discussing the history and development of Al-Qaeda' s attempts to develop or obtain
biological, chemical, radiological, and nuclear weapons.

Finally, we note that at the March 20 off-the-record briefing provided to

Commission staff by the DCI Review Group, we were told that 1) the Commission would
be provided access to a CIA-prepared chronology of events relating to the evolution of al-
Qaeda, and 2) the DCI Review Group would prepare a selected bibliography of classified
analytical assessments. If at all possible, the Commission would greatly appreciate
receiving access to these documents at or before the meeting that is the subject of this
request.
Thomas H. Kean CIA BRIEFING REQUEST NO. 5
CHAIR

Lee H. Hamilton The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the
VICE CHAIR
"Commission") requests an informal background briefing as soon as possible from the
Richard Ben-Veniste
Director and any other appropriate officials at the Counterterrorism Center ("CTC")
Mia. Cleland on CTC's activities since the attacks of September 11, 2001, including changes to
CTC's organizational structure, leadership, personnel, funding, and processes, as well
Fred F. Fielding
as an overview of CTC's major analytical products for internal or external use since
Jamie S. Gorelick September 11,2001.
Slade Gorton
This request is for an "off the record" briefing that will be attended by a limited
John Lehman number of Commission staff whose investigative focus encompasses these issues (and
possibly one or more Commissioners). The requested briefing is for general
Timothy J. Roemer
background purposes only and will not be a substitute for subsequent interviews the
James R. Thompson Commission and its staff may wish to conduct.

Philip D. Zelikow June 25, 2003 Daniel Marcus

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR General Counsel

TEL (202) 331-4060

FAX (202) 296-5545
www.9-1 lcommission.gov