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The issue of whether anyone outside al-Qaeda was aware that the attacks were going to take place has been a subject of some
debate. Among the issues debated are: whether the Bush Administration or military knew about the threat of planes being used
as missiles; how much the intelligence agencies knew about al-Qaeda activities inside the United States; whether the put options
placed on United Airlines and American Airlines, and other questionable trades, indicate foreknowledge; whether the warnings
from foreign countries were specific enough to have warranted action; whether intelligence information gathered about imminent
al-Qaeda attacks was specific enough to have warranted action; the extent to which the alleged hijackers were under surveillance
prior to the attacks; and whether agents of the Mossad or the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence were aware that the attacks
were going to take place.
It has been claimed that action or inaction by U.S. officials with foreknowledge was intended to ensure that the attacks
took place successfully. For example, Michael Meacher, former British environment minister and member of Tony Blair's Cabinet
till June 2003, was widely criticized for claiming that America knowingly failed to prevent the attacks.Meacher had in March
voted for the Iraq war, and had voted against an investigation into it afterward.On the war with Iraq, Mr Meacher is among
those who feels he and others in government were misled.
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