Scotsman.com News - International - Pentagon blocks soldier's evidence

Scotsman.com News - International - Pentagon blocks soldier's evidence: "THE Pentagon yesterday blocked the testimony of a military official before the committee investigating intelligence failings in the run-up to 11 September, amid claims that a covert American unit identified four hijackers more than a year before the World Trade Centre attack.

The Senate judiciary committee was scheduled to hear the testimony of Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Shaffer on the work of a classified military unit code-named 'Able Danger', which claims to have identified the hijackers, including the mastermind, Mohamed Atta, using data-mining techniques that can pick up on individuals who repeatedly appear in surveillance pictures.

Mark Zaid, who represents Lt-Col Shaffer, said that on three occasions Able Danger attempted to provide the FBI with information, but Pentagon attorneys stopped the moves because of legal concerns about military-run investigations operating on American soil. "