USATODAY.com - Pentagon forbids officer to testify on pre-9/11 knowledge

USATODAY.com - Pentagon forbids officer to testify on pre-9/11 knowledge: "Pentagon forbids officer to testify on pre-9/11 knowledge
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Defense forbade a military intelligence officer to testify Wednesday about a secret military unit that the officer says identified four Sept. 11 hijackers as terrorists more than a year before the attacks, according to the man's attorney.
James Smith, left, and Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer listen during a hearing on intelligence information sharing prior to the Sept. 11 attacks. Both men were ordered by the Pentagon not to testify.
By Dennis Cook, AP

In testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee, attorney Mark Zaid, who represents Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer, said the Pentagon also refused to permit testimony there by a defense contractor that he also represents.

The Judiciary Committee was hearing testimony about the work of a classified unit code named 'Able Danger.'

Zaid, appearing on behalf of Shaffer and contractor John Smith that Able Danger, using data mining techniques, identified four of the terrorists who struck on Sept. 11, 2001 — including mastermind Mohamed Atta.

'At least one chart, and possibly more, featured a photograph of Mohamed Atta,' Zaid said.

Maj. Paul Swiergosz, a D"