DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL (U//FOUO) Supporting the 9/11 Panel's Independent Investigation FROM: The SID 9/11 Response Team (a.k.a. the MAG) Unknown Run Date: 10/20/2003 (U//FOUO) You may remember from DIRgram-286 that another investigation into the events of 9/11 is gaining momentum as we speak. The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (also known as the Kean Commission, or the Independent Commission) is gathering information from the Federal Government, State and local governments and the private sector to document the definitive history of the events of 9/11 and to examine systemic issues that may be corrected to prevent future attacks. So, how does SID fit into this investigation? Here is some information to bring you up to date! (U//FOUO) First, let us introduce ourselves. We are the SID 9/11 Response Team -- a four member team on SID Staff, dedicated exclusively to supporting the National Commission's investigation. Also known as the MAG, the team was put into place during the House and Senate Intelligence Committees' Joint Inquiry into 9/11. Our membership has changed since the Joint Inquiry, but the team's mission remains the same -- to pinpoint the information the National Commission requests from SID and provide it promptly and effectively, ensuring candor, completeness and correctness. Working closely with NSA's Office of General Counsel (the Agency lead), we anticipate the National Commission's interests or concerns and alert folks in SID to information they may be asked to provide. So, if you hear from our team, you'll know why! As the Director made clear in DIRgram-286 , NSA is providing the same level of full support to the National Commission's investigation that it provided to the Joint Inquiry. (S//SI) As far as the investigation goes, SID has responded to several National Commission requests by providing large volumes of SIGINT assessment reporting on terrorism, strategic business plans, analytic demonstrations, explanations of SID's analytic strategy and the SIGINT Requirements process, as well as briefings from the Counterterrorism, Regional Targets, Middle East and North Africa, and Geospatial Exploitation product lines. With few exceptions, National Commission staffers are not SIGINTers by trade. So, all of these briefings and discussions have given them valuable insight into our business and an appreciation for the complexities of our work! While at NSA, staff members have also had the benefit of seeing time-sensitive operations at the NSOC and the Meade Operations Center first-hand. (U//FOUO) The National Commission is now moving into the next phase of its investigation and is preparing to interview SID personnel. Chances are you will not be one of the few SID personnel interviewed. However, if you are, we will work with you and with the Office of General Counsel to give you background information on the investigation and share the Commission's perspectives, so that you are prepared and the interviews are as productive and informative for the Commission staffers as possible. (U//FOUO) So far, National Commission staff members have been favorably impressed with SID's technical and analytic expertise, as well as its extraordinary level of cooperation. This is not surprising! The Director has told us to be forthcoming during this investigation and both MG Quirk and Mr. Meals have expressed strong support for SID's interactions with the Commission. We also have an obligation to our nation. As the investigation progresses, we look forward to seeing more examples of the outstanding response the SID workforce has shown to date. For specific details on the National Commission's investigation, see DIRgram-286. To reach the SID 9/11 Response Team, call or send an e-mail to . "(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."

DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108