Transcript of the eighth public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States held March 23-24, 2004 in Washington, D.C. The two-day hearing investigated the formulation and conduct of U.S. counterterrorism policy, with particular emphasis on the period from the August 1998 embassy bombings to September 11, 2001. The Commission heard from current and former top-level administration officials. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, Director of Central Intelligence George J. Tenet, and Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage testified, as did former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, former Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen, former National Security Adviser Samuel R. Berger, and former National Counterterrorism Coordinator Richard A. Clarke. In addition to witness testimony, four staff statements were delivered during the course of the proceedings.

Official statement issued by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States describing preliminary findings regarding the nature of the enemy that carried out the September 11 attacks.

Recording of the seventh public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on January 26-27 at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. This hearing specifically addresses the topics of border and aviation security. In addition, several staff statements from the Commission were delivered during the course of the proceedings. This section includes the staff statement on the four flights in addition to the seventh panel on acts of courage in the sky with testimony from Nydia Gonzalez.

Recording of the tenth public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on April 13, 2004 in Washington, D.C. The two-day hearing examined the performance of law enforcement and the Intelligence Community prior to September 11 and evaluated post-9/11 reforms in these areas. In addition to witness testimony, four staff statements were delivered during the course of the proceedings. This section includes the panel on Summer 2001 with testimony by John Ashcroft, Attorney General of the United States.

Recording of the eighth public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on March 23, 2004 at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. The two-day hearing investigated the formulation and conduct of U.S. counterterrorism policy, with particular emphasis on the period from the August 1998 embassy bombings to September 11, 2001. In addition to witness testimony, four staff statements were delivered during the course of the proceedings. This section includes the staff statement on diplomacy, in addition to the panel on counterterrorism policy with testimony from Madeline K. Albright.

Recording of the eighth public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on March 24, 2004 at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. The two-day hearing investigated the formulation and conduct of U.S. counterterrorism policy, with particular emphasis on the period from the August 1998 embassy bombings to September 11, 2001. In addition to witness testimony, four staff statements were delivered during the course of the proceedings. This section includes testimony from Richard A. Clarke, former National Coordinator for Counterterrorism, National Security Council.

Recording of the eleventh public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on May 18, 2004 at New School University in New York City. The two-day hearing examined the response of local and federal emergency response departments on September 11, 2001, and considered how to improve these critical functions in the event of future terrorist attacks. Two staff statements were presented during the course of the hearing. This section includes testimony from former Mayor of New York City, Rudolph W. Giuliani.

Recording of the seventh public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on January 26-27 at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. This hearing specifically addresses the topics of border and aviation security. In addition, several staff statements from the Commission were delivered during the course of the proceedings. This section includes the eighth panel on risk management after September 11, with testimony from James M. Loy.

Recording of the seventh public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on January 26-27 at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. This hearing specifically addresses the topics of border and aviation security. In addition, several staff statements from the Commission were delivered during the course of the proceedings. This section contains the fifth panel on aviation security on 9/11: the regulators with testimony from Jane F. Garvey, Cathal L. Flynn, and Claudio Manno.

Recording of the tenth public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on April 14, 2004 in Washington, D.C. The two-day hearing examined the performance of law enforcement and the Intelligence Community prior to September 11 and evaluated post-9/11 reforms in these areas. In addition to witness testimony, four staff statements were delivered during the course of the proceedings. This section includes the panel on preventing future attacks inside the United States, with testimony from John O. Brennan, Lieutenant General Patrick M. Hughes, John S. Pistole, and James L. Pavitt.

Recording of the eighth public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on March 24, 2004 at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. The two-day hearing investigated the formulation and conduct of U.S. counterterrorism policy, with particular emphasis on the period from the August 1998 embassy bombings to September 11, 2001. In addition to witness testimony, four staff statements were delivered during the course of the proceedings. This section includes the staff statement on intelligence policy in addition to testimony from George J. Tenet on counterterrorism policy.

Recording of the tenth public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on April 13, 2004 in Washington, D.C. The two-day hearing examined the performance of law enforcement and the Intelligence Community prior to September 11 and evaluated post-9/11 reforms in these areas. In addition to witness testimony, four staff statements were delivered during the course of the proceedings. This section includes the opening statement by Chairman Kean, in addition to the staff statement on law enforcement, counterterrorism, and intelligence collection in the United States prior to 9/11, and the first panel with testimony from Louis J. Freeh.

Recording of the eighth public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on March 23, 2004 at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. The two-day hearing investigated the formulation and conduct of U.S. counterterrorism policy, with particular emphasis on the period from the August 1998 embassy bombings to September 11, 2001. In addition to witness testimony, four staff statements were delivered during the course of the proceedings. This section concludes the panel on counterterrorism policy with testimony from Donald H. Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, and Richard Myers.

Recording of the eleventh public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on May 18, 2004 at New School University in New York City. The two-day hearing examined the response of local and federal emergency response departments on September 11, 2001, and considered how to improve these critical functions in the event of future terrorist attacks. Two staff statements were presented during the course of the hearing.This section includes the staff statement on crisis management.

Recording of the twelfth public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on June 17, 2004 at the NTSB Conference Center in Washington, D.C. The two-day hearing focused on two distinct topics: the 9-11 Plot and the federal government's immediate response to the attacks on September 11, 2001. This section concludes the hearing, and includes the panel on FAA response on 9/11, with testimony from Monte Belger, Jeff Griffith, John White, and Benedict Sliney.

Recording of the eighth public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on March 23, 2004 at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. The two-day hearing investigated the formulation and conduct of U.S. counterterrorism policy, with particular emphasis on the period from the August 1998 embassy bombings to September 11, 2001. In addition to witness testimony, four staff statements were delivered during the course of the proceedings. This section continues the panel on counterterrorism policy with testimony from William S. Cohen.

Recording of the tenth public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on April 13, 2004 in Washington, D.C. The two-day hearing examined the performance of law enforcement and the Intelligence Community prior to September 11 and evaluated post-9/11 reforms in these areas. In addition to witness testimony, four staff statements were delivered during the course of the proceedings.This section includes the second panel of the hearing with testimony from former Attorney General, Janet Reno.

Recording of the eleventh public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on May 18, 2004 at New School University in New York City. The two-day hearing examined the response of local and federal emergency response departments on September 11, 2001, and considered how to improve these critical functions in the event of future terrorist attacks. Two staff statements were presented during the course of the hearing. This section includes the fourth panel on the state of emergency preparedness across the nation, with testimony from Dennis Smith, Jerome M. Hauer, and Edward P. Plaugher.

Recording of the seventh public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on January 26-27 at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. This hearing specifically addresses the topics of border and aviation security. In addition, several staff statements from the Commission were delivered during the course of the proceedings. This section includes the first staff statement on the entry of the 9/11 hijackers into the United States and the first panel on the border security system prior to September 11, with testimony from Mary A. Ryan and Doris Meissner.

Recording of the seventh public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on January 26-27 at the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. This hearing specifically addresses the topics of border and aviation security. In addition, several staff statements from the Commission were delivered during the course of the proceedings. This section includes the fourth panel on the response to September 11 on the borders with testimony from James Ziglar, Robert C. Bonner, and Peter F. Verga.

Recording of the twelfth public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on June 16, 2004 at the NTSB Conference Center in Washington, D.C. The two-day hearing focused on two distinct topics: the 9-11 Plot and the federal government's immediate response to the attacks on September 11, 2001. This section includes the staff statement entitled overview of the enemy in addition to the first panel on Al-Qaeda with testimony from Mary Deborah Doran and Patrick J. Fitzgerald.

Recording of the tenth public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on April 14, 2004 in Washington, D.C. The two-day hearing examined the performance of law enforcement and the Intelligence Community prior to September 11 and evaluated post-9/11 reforms in these areas. In addition to witness testimony, four staff statements were delivered during the course of the proceedings. This section includes the staff statement on the performance of the intelligence community in addition to the panel on Summer 2001 with testimony from George J. Tenet.

Recording of the eleventh public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on May 18, 2004 at New School University in New York City. The two-day hearing examined the response of local and federal emergency response departments on September 11, 2001, and considered how to improve these critical functions in the event of future terrorist attacks. Two staff statements were presented during the course of the hearing. This section includes the fourth panel on emergency preparedness throughout the nation and includes testimony from Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York.

Recording of the eleventh public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States on May 18, 2004 at New School University in New York City. The two-day hearing examined the response of local and federal emergency response departments on September 11, 2001, and considered how to improve these critical functions in the event of future terrorist attacks. Two staff statements were presented during the course of the hearing. This section includes the first panel, with testimony from Alan Reiss and Joseph Morris.