Summer 2001: Two CIA Bin Laden Experts Consider Resigning in Protest

According to the 9/11 Commission, two unnamed veteran CIA Counterterrorist Center officers deeply involved in Osama bin Laden-related issues are so worried about an impending attack that they consider resigning and going public with their concerns. Apparently they are also unhappy with the Bush administration’s lack of response to recent warnings. [9/11 Commission, 3/24/2004; 9/11 Commission, 7/24/2004, pp. 259-260] In a 2008 book by journalist Philip Shenon, one of the officials will be named as Michael Scheuer, head of the CIA’s bin Laden unit, Alec Station, from 1996 to 1999. The other is his replacement Richard Blee (see June 1999), the CIA manager currently responsible for Alec Station. Neither will have commented publicly on their threatened resignations. [Shenon, 2008, pp. 395]