Witnesses testified about intelligence on terrorism and terrorist cells in the late 1990s, the threat posed by al-Qaida prior to September 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S., and handling of intelligence information by the Department of Defense. They also testified about the investigation into the matter by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks ("9/11 commission") and the information gathered by members of a Defense Department intelligence section known as 'Able Danger.' Officials who had participated in the Able Danger program had warned top military officials that they had uncovered information of increased al-Qaeda activity in Aden harbor less than three weeks before the attack on the USS Cole.
