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www.9-11commission.gov

First Interim Report of the

National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States

Thomas H. Kean, Chair, and Lee H. Hamilton, Vice Chair

July 8, 2003

BACKGROUND

The 9/11 Commission will report on the facts and circumstances surrounding the attacks 

of September 11, 2001. It will review, identify, and evaluate lessons learned and make 

recommendations for the future. While we analyze the terrorist danger around the world, 

we are also addressing sensitive policy and intelligence issues across the federal 

government and beyond. In the last six months, the Commission has launched the most 

wide-ranging outside investigation of American national security in the history of the 

United States. We make this point so that the public will understand that the issues we 

are addressing have few, if any, precedents.

With a staff of more than 60 in three offices, two in Washington, DC and one in New 

York City, the Commission has received thousands of documents and is meeting with 

officials in every area of its work. The Commission is fully funded. Its professional staff 

has deep expertise. The staff now has the necessary security clearances. We are also 

able to build on work that has already been done inside the government. 

STATUS REPORT

This is a critical time for the Commission. We have worked hard to stay on schedule to 

complete our work by the end of May 2004, as required by our statute, but the coming 

weeks will determine whether we will be able to do our job within the time allotted. The 

task in front of us is monumental. Time is slipping by. Every day lost complicates our 

work. Extensive and prompt cooperation from the U.S. government, the Congress, state 

and local agencies, and private firms is essential. This report offers an initial evaluation 

of this cooperation.

When he signed the bill that created the Commission, President Bush pledged his 

cooperation. He and his subordinates have made significant efforts to keep that promise. 

Security clearances for commissioners and staff were expedited. The President 

designated a senior official at the Justice Department to facilitate Executive Branch 

cooperation with the Commission.

Yet it is also clear that the Administration underestimated the scale of the Commission’s 

work and the full breadth of support required. The facilitation job previously assigned to 
First Interim Report 2

an already busy top official at Justice has now been transferred to another senior Justice 

official working full-time to support the Commission along with four deputies.

Every bit of that help will be needed in expediting responses to the 26 briefing requests 

and 44 sets of document requests, many with dozens of categorical areas of inquiry, that 

have already been filed with 16 different agencies. While thousands of documents are 

flowing in—some in boxes and some digitized—most of the documents we need are still 

to come. These documents are critical in their own right and to help our staff prepare for 

their hundreds of interviews with individual officials.

We now detail the status with respect to many agencies:

ß The document requests already filed with the Executive Office of the President 

cover every major part of the EOP, including the NSC. We will not go into detail 

on the substance of these or other requests. We can say that we have received and 

are in the process of receiving access to a wide range of sensitive documents and 

that, to date, no requested access has been denied. Many more documents are 

being requested. Conditions have been imposed, in some cases, with respect to 

our access to and usage of these materials. Our discussions continue.

ß The Central Intelligence Agency has been arranging needed briefings and 

providing intelligence products, including essential information that has been 

developed since 9/11. DCI Tenet composed a strong review group and team of 

analysts to look back at the pre-9/11 record. Their work has been invaluable. The 

CIA has been slower in producing the internal documents that we have requested 

on management and resource choices in the pre-9/11 war on terrorism.

ß The Federal Bureau of Investigation got off to a slow start in responding to the 

Commission’s requests. When Director Mueller became aware of the 

Commission’s concerns, he assigned additional agents and staff to assist us. He 

and his staff have provided us with detailed briefings on the PENTTBOM 

investigation and the counterterrorism reforms undertaken by the FBI since 9/11. 

The FBI is now moving constructively to help us utilize the records compiled in 

the largest criminal inquiry ever conducted by the Bureau. Especially helpful, the 

Bureau has helped us access documents in a searchable electronic form. 

ß The Department of Justice has assisted the White House in resolving issues that 

have arisen in agency responses to our requests. But records requested from DOJ 

are overdue, and the Department has not yet been able to resolve important issues 

related to the Moussaoui case. We also disagree with the Administration's general 

insistence on having agency representatives present during interviews of serving 

officials, and this matter is still under discussion.

ß The problems that have arisen so far with the Department of Defense are 

becoming particularly serious. We have not received responses to requests 

relating to NORAD and other DOD components, including the JCS and the 
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Department’s historical office. Delays are lengthening and agency points of 

contact have so far been unable to resolve them. In the last few days, we have 

been assured that the Department’s leaders will address these concerns. We look 

forward to seeing the results. 

ß The Department of State has responded helpfully to all requests made so far. The 

Department of the Treasury has also been responsive, as have officials at the 

Securities and Exchange Commission.

ß The Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration have 

gradually been responsive to the Commission. But we still have some important 

additional information to obtain from them.

ß The record of support from the Department of Homeland Security so fa r is mixed. 

Elements of the former Immigration and Naturalization Service have been slow in 

providing briefings, although there are recent signs of improvement. The 

Transportation Security Administration has provided a substantial volume of 

material to us. The Secret Service has also been helpful.

ß Relevant congressional committees have displayed good will, but we have 

encountered problems in obtaining adequate access to the materials compiled by 

the Joint Inquiry. Through cooperation, almost all of those problems have been 

resolved. More tests will be coming as the Commission extends its scrutiny of 

congressional resource allocation and oversight.

ß It is still too soon to assess cooperation by local agencies such as New York City, 

the Port Authority, or Arlington County, or private sector entities such as the 

relevant airlines. 

We believe the President when he says he is committed to assisting the Commission. The 

White House has demonstrated that commitment in some vital ways, but the next few 

weeks will be crucial. We will need strong support from the White House to insure that 

we are able to receive the materials we require in sufficient time to meet the statutory 

deadline.

We acknowledge the challenge faced in responding to these requests by officials already 

busy with other tasks. But we must look backward in order to look forward. The 

contemporary history of the country passed a watershed on 9/11. We must do the job we 

are required to do by law so that we may understand how we came to this turning point in 

the way we think about our security and to understand the choices that lie ahead.

We will provide another interim report on our progress in September.