In a statement he made to the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 7, 2001, CIA director George Tenet said, regarding terrorist threats: ” ‘Never in my experience has American intelligence had to deal with such a dynamic set of concerns affecting such a broad range of U.S. interests. Never have we had to deal with such a high quotient of uncertainty. With so many things on our plate, it is important always to establish priorities. For me, the highest priority must invariably be on those things that threaten the lives of Americans or the physical security of the United States. With that in mind, let me turn first to the challenges posed by international terrorism….Usama bin Laden and his global network of lieutenants and associates remain the most immediate and serious threat.’ ”
– Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon, The Age of Sacred Terror, Pages 333-334