Media contact prohibition enacted by Pentagon just PRIOR to 9-11

January 15, 2006 -- Anti-leak policy enacted at Pentagon before and after 9-11. According to a senior Pentagon official, the Pentagon issued a strict anti-leak policy to Pentagon employees prior to and just after 9-11. The order was particularly emphasized to Air Force employees at the Pentagon.

A U.S. Army Pentagon employee confirmed that the Army was also subject to an anti-leak policy around the time of 9-11. After the 9-11 events, employees were strictly prohibited from discussing aspects of the crash of American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon and the confiscation by the FBI of security video tapes from the Pentagon and surrounding facilities.

The pre-911 Pentagon prohibitions on leaks to the media add to debate about how much pre-intelligence about the 9-11 attacks was known to the Bush administration.