By Associated Press Reporter and Toby Harnden In Washington
PUBLISHED:08:56 EST, 16 November 2012| UPDATED:13:09 EST, 16 November 2012
Former CIA Director David Petraeus has told Congress that the CIA believed almost immediately that al-Qaeda-linked terrorists were behind the September 11th attacks in Benghazi, according to a leading Republican congressman.
Representative Peter King of New York, a member of the House Intelligence Committee that Petraeus briefed, said that the former general left a ‘different impression’ today than he had when he testified on Capitol Hill three days after the attack.
Now, King said, Petraeus insisted that the ‘original talking points prepared by the CIA were different than the final ones put out’ and used by Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, on Sunday talk shows to say – incorrectly – that the attack was sparked by anger over an anti-Islam video made in California.
Petraeus, pictured here in 2010, testified Friday morning behind closed doors not seen by the media. Mistress Paula Broadwell was barely mentioned
Guarded: A Capitol Hill Police officer guards a staircase near the hearing room where former CIA Director David Petraeus is testifying‘The original talking points were much more specific about al-Qaeda involvement and yet the final ones just said “indications of extremists” even though it was clearly evident to the CIA that there was al-Qaeda involvement,’ King said.
The former CIA director was giving classified testimony and was accompanied by a CIA analyst. King said he did not speak under oath.
Petraeus arrived early Friday for closed hearings on Capitol Hill as lawmakers seek details from the retired general about the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans.
King said that there was only brief mention by Petraeus of his affair with biographer Paula Broadwell, which triggered his shock resignation last Friday. ‘He was asked at the start did that have any impact on his testimony, he said no…10 seconds into it, that was off to the side.’
In defense: Petraeus testified that the original CIA talking points showed a clear al-Qaeda involvement that Susan Rice ignored in her later statements
Circus: Petraeus’ affair with writer Paula Broadwell turned the days testimony into a media circus as writers and photographers scrambled catch the general
After the closed door hearing Rep. Peter King told the media that Petraeus’s original talking points were different than the ones put out by the White House and Susan Rice
Looking for answers: Packs of reporters and camera crews were on hand at the US Capitol hoping to catch Petraeus at the highly-anticipated, closed-door hearing of the House Intelligence Committee but only found committee members like Florida Rep. Charles Willima ‘Bill’ YoungThe New York congressman said that Petraeus had explained that the talking points ultimately used by Rice had been altered by inputs by a number of other government agencies after the CIA had made its assessment.
‘He said that it goes though a long process, an interagency process and when they came back it was taken out.’
The House Intelligence Committee, which was hearing from Petraeus before he briefed the Senate Intelligence Committee, met in a secure room several floors below the main area of the Capitol Visitors Centre, where tourists gather when they are visiting Congress.
Sneaky: Former CIA Director David Petraeus snuck out of the U.S. Capitol’s parking garage after testifying before Congress about the Sept. 11 attack in BenghaziRepublicans and some Democrats have demanded an explanation of why the Obama administration initially described the attack at Benghazi as a protest gone awry, leading to the deaths of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, diplomat Sean Smith and CIA contractors and former Navy SEALS Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.
Guarded: Police officers guard the Restricted Access-Secure Room as the House Intelligence Committee conducts a hearing on Benghazi with testimony from David Petraeus
On record: These stairs lead to the Capitol Visitors Center . Friday morning testimony happened in a secure room several floors below the main area of the Visitors CenterFive days after attack, the administration sent Rice onto the Sunday news shows to describe what precipitated the assault. She relied on initial intelligence talking points that subsequently proved incorrect.
Deputy CIA Director Mark Morell told the House committee on Thursday that Rice was provided with an unclassified version of events at the American mission, according to Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a committee member.
The assessment concluded that a spontaneous protest over an anti-Muslim video had evolved into an attack on the American consulate, a description that Rice presented in the television interviews.
Patraeus hoped that by testifying he would put an end to some of the wilder rumors following his resignation over reveal of his affair with Paula Broadwell.
‘He did not like the conspiracies going around that somehow he had something to hide on Benghazi,’ said retired Colonel Peter Mansoor, who served as Petraeus’ executive officer in Iraq.
‘I think his offer to testify crossed with the Congress’ request to him to testify. But anyway he looks forward to that.’
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Categories: Escalation / Destabilization Conflict, Intelligence Gathering, M.I.C.E., Petraeus Compromise, Security
Engineering Evil 