THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary October 26, 2000 PRESS BRIEFING BY JAKE SIEWERT The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room 1:45 P.M. EDT Q: Jake, a defense intelligence analyst resigned yesterday, and there's several reports now that the NSA sent out a warning about a potential terrorist attack. Based on what the President has been briefed about the USS Cole attack, does he believe that the intelligence community in any way dropped the ball in alerting various military assets in the region that a terrorist attack was coming? Does he have any particular message to send to the victims' families that they should not fear that the intelligence community dropped the ball? MR. SIEWERT: Well, as I think I said yesterday or the day before, I don't think it's appropriate for me to comment on intelligence matters. The Pentagon is conducting a review in this area, and we'll wait to see the full results of that review before making any final judgments. Q: And there was no specific intelligence on the Cole? Q: Osama bin Laden is calling a holy war or Jihad against the United States and the region now. He's talking the same language as the military dictator of Pakistan, because he also told the New York Times in an interview and an advertisement in the India Globe that the holy war or Jihad against India. And Osama Bin Laden calling the same thing. So do you see any of these terrorist groups are playing the same games in the region? MR. SIEWERT: I'd have to look at what the Prime Minister of Pakistan said, General Musharraf, President Musharraf, before I make any comment on that particular -- END 2:17 P.M. EDT