White House refutes claims it did not take terror threat seriously

THE White House came out fighting yesterday after claims it did not consider the threat of terrorism an “urgent” issue in the months before September 11.

President George W Bush and his national security adviser Condoleezza Rice were fiercely criticised by former terrorism adviser Richard Clarke on Wednesday. Giving evidence to a congressional commission probing the September 11 attacks, he said that the invasion of Iraq had "undermined" the war on terror.

With just eight months to go until the presidential election and with Mr Bush keen to show himself as tough on terrorism the White House went on the counter attack.