Defending the Homeland

In the fall of 2009, five al-Qaeda operatives were arrested by federal authorities while in the final stages of separate operational plans to conduct attacks within the United States.1 Clearly, law enforcement was aware of their activities. Others within the US intelligence community were aware of the identity of some of the individuals and their relationships with al-Qaeda but had no knowledge of the specific plots that were underway.2 Alarmingly, the adjutants general (TAG) of the states where the plots unfolded were unaware of these activities until the individuals were arrested and the stories hit the press.