Statement of DNI Director on WH Terror Meeting

Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair, who has come under some criticism for his agency's handling of the Flight 253 Christmas Day terror attack, released the following statement after the President's Situation Room Briefing today:

The Intelligence Community received the President's message today - we got it, and we are moving forward to meet the new challenges.  The system did not catch Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab and prevent him from boarding an airliner and entering the United States.  We must be able to stop such attempts.    

The Intelligence Community has made considerable progress in developing collection and analysis capabilities and improving collaboration, but we need to strengthen our ability to stop new tactics such as the efforts of individual suicide terrorists.  The threat has evolved, and we need to anticipate new kinds of attacks and improve our ability to stay ahead of them and protect America. 

We can and we must outthink, outwork and defeat the enemy's new ideas.  The Intelligence Community will do that as directed by the President, working closely with our nation's entire national security team


The President met with leaders of the Intelligence, Homeland Security and National Security agencies today for several hours. He delivered a statement afterwards that was nationally-televised.