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Gen. James R. Clapper Jr., the director of national intelligence, is the person charged with coordinating what the nation knows about terrorism and national security.

But Mr. Clapper appeared to know less than even the casual television viewer during an interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer, the anchor of World News Tonight.

Hours earlier, reports flooded cable news shows about arrests of 12 people in London suspected of being part of a potential terrorist plot. In the interview, Ms. Sawyer turned to Mr. Clapper and made an indirect reference to the still-developing incident.

“First of all, London,” she said. “How serious is it? Any implication that it was coming here? Director Clapper?”

The look on Mr. Clapper’s face, and his temporary silence, suggested that he had no idea what she was talking about. He hesitated before saying, “London?”
After a moment or two, he was saved by John Brennan, the White House homeland security adviser, who was also part of the interview, along with Janet Napolitano, the secretary of the department of homeland security. Mr. Brennan explained that Ms. Sawyer was referring to the London arrests.

A few minutes later, Ms. Sawyer returned to Mr. Clapper. “I was a little surprised you didn’t know about London,” she said.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t,” he said, shaking his head.

A spokesperson for Mr. Clapper said in a statement Tuesday night that, “the question about this specific news development was ambiguous. The DNI’s knowledge of the threat streams in Europe is profound and multi-dimensional, and any suggestion otherwise is inaccurate.”
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quote:
Anti-terror police have made a series of early morning raids across England and Wales and arrested 12 men on suspicion of preparing for a terrorist attack.

The men – five from Cardiff, four from Stoke-on-Trent and three from London – were detained on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism in the UK.
All arrested in London, Juan.


Suspected UK Terrorism Plot Leads To 12 Arrests
PAISLEY DODDS | 12/20/10 09:33 PM | AP
Uk Terror Plot


LONDON — In the biggest anti-terrorist sweep in Britain in nearly two years, police have arrested a dozen men accused of plotting a large-scale terror attack on targets inside the United Kingdom.
quote:
Originally posted by b50m:
All arrested in London, Juan.


Suspected UK Terrorism Plot Leads To 12 Arrests
PAISLEY DODDS | 12/20/10 09:33 PM | AP
Uk Terror Plot


LONDON — In the biggest anti-terrorist sweep in Britain in nearly two years, police have arrested a dozen men accused of plotting a large-scale terror attack on targets inside the United Kingdom.



Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Are you being willfully stupid???? Or, does it come naturally???

quote:
Please respect FT.com's ts&cs and copyright policy which allow you to: share links; copy content for personal use; & redistribute limited extracts. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights or use this link to reference the article - http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2416...0.html#ixzz18qxloVJh

West Midlands Police, which co-ordinated the raids, said: “All were arrested at or near their home addresses, with the exception of one suspect from Stoke who was at a domestic property in Birmingham.


http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2416...0.html#axzz18qxfHP9j
quote:
Originally posted by JuanHunt:
Why should the arrest of 12 potential terrorists in 4 different UK cities be significant to a US terrorism investigation official? Why ask a question about "London"?

I like facts. You are probably inclined to partisan hackery, and dont care what the facts are, as long as the innuendo makes a Dem look bad.


Are you serious? If a terrorist burps in the UK or anywhere I expect our terrorism advisor to the POTUS to know about it. Your intelligence is NOT overrated.
quote:
Why should the arrest of 12 potential terrorists in 4 different UK cities be significant to a US terrorism investigation official? Why ask a question about "London"?

I like facts. You are probably inclined to partisan hackery, and dont care what the facts are, as long as the innuendo makes a Dem look bad.

Well juan, apparently it is significant since it's been so widely reported. Brennan and Napolitano knew about it, but I guess they didn't realize until now that the head of U.S. intelligence is a clueless incompetent. No one has to work very hard to make democrats look bad, they do most of the work themselves.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40781266
quote:
White House: Intel chief wasn't briefed on arrests
By MATT APUZZO
The Associated Press
updated 2 hours 5 minutes ago 2010-12-22T16:11:43

WASHINGTON — Even as the White House sought to reassure Americans that it has fixed mistakes that nearly allowed al-Qaida to take down a U.S.-bound airliner last Christmas, it acknowledged Wednesday another security misstep: The top U.S. intelligence official was never briefed about a terrorist plot and numerous arrests this week in Britain.

The past year has been the most challenging yet for President Barack Obama on the terrorism front. After the failed attack last Christmas, the administration has dealt with an attempted car bombing in New York's Times Square, a nearly successful attack on U.S.-bound cargo planes and several nascent plots disrupted by the FBI.

Security officials have been on edge for days because of an increase in intelligence "chatter" about a possible holiday-season attack. Officials have said there is no specific, credible threat and White House homeland security adviser John Brennan said Wednesday that authorities are working around the clock.

But Obama's security team was forced to defend itself amid questions about why Director National Intelligence James Clapper was not in the loop about a roundup of terror suspects in London. Clapper, appearing with Brennan on ABC News on Tuesday night, appeared stumped when asked whether the plot in London could have threatened the U.S.

"London?" Clapper asked, looking at Brennan.

Brennan vigorously defended Clapper during a news conference on Wednesday, saying Clapper was focused on escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula and a nuclear weapons treaty with Russia. But Brennan acknowledged that Clapper should have been briefed.

It was an embarrassing moment not just for Obama but for the embattled position of director of national intelligence. The job, created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, has failed to live up to its billing as a central, strong figure leading the U.S. intelligence infrastructure. And it reinforced the impression held by many in the intelligence community that Brennan functions as the de facto intelligence director.



Oooops.
quote:
Originally posted by JuanHunt:
Why should the arrest of 12 potential terrorists in 4 different UK cities be significant to a US terrorism investigation official? Why ask a question about "London"?

I like facts. You are probably inclined to partisan hackery, and dont care what the facts are, as long as the innuendo makes a Dem look bad.


Now Rocky, you know you do the same thing.

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