A lengthy report released Wednesday detailing the Federal Bureau of Investigation's effort to fight terrorism also exposed limitations in stopping ever-growing cyber threats.
The FBI: Protecting the Homeland in the 21st Century is the conclusion to an exhaustive review requested by Congress to gauge the bureau's handling of overall crime-fighting since 2008. The initial report - which covered their efforts following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks - found the FBI and other organizations such as the Central Intelligence Agency frivolously used information that could have uncovered and prevented 9/11.
In the Wednesday's release, the 9/11 Review Commission said the FBI has since prevented catastrophic levels of terrorism but needs to improve on efficiently analyzing information. While generally positive, the review found areas of improvement.
"Progress in building key intelligence programs, analysis and Human Intelligence (HUMINT) collection in particular lag behind marked advances in law enforcement capabilities," the report read. "This imbalance needs urgently to be addressed to meet growing and increasingly complex national security threats, including from adaptive and increasingly tech-savvy terrorists, more brazen computer hackers, and more technically capable, global cyber syndicates."
Also noted were budget cuts that hindered the bureau's national service and intelligence programs.
The congressionally mandated review focused on the FBI's implementation of commission recommendations 11 years ago. Leading the report were former U.S. attorney general Edwin "Ed" Meese III, former congressman Timothy J. Roemer, and terrorism expert Bruce Hoffman.
The trio examined details of five FBI counterterrorism organizations, visited numerous FBI offices around the world, and received over 60 briefings from FBI personnel. None of their sources, however, "provide actionable intelligence to help prevent or respond to a terrorist operation."
Among their observations were missed opportunities to stop the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, the attempted Times Square bombing in May 2010, and the Boston Marathon Bombing of April 2013. According to the report, the FBI put too much focus on "simultaneously conducting criminal investigations" that ranged from small-time bank robberies to complex white collar crimes.
"I am pleased the Review Commission recognized the significant progress we have made to build a threat-based, intelligence-driven law enforcement and national security organization," said FBI Director James B. Comey in a press release. "I thank the commissioners and their staff for their efforts to help us better serve and protect the American public."
Emphasis was placed on developing linguists, intelligence analysts, and credible informants; as well as reaching out to the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to prevent violent extremism.
In terms of cyber-crime, the FBI has stepped up its focus. Comey heads "CyWatch," the bureau's cyber headquarters that coordinates with the CIA and National Security Agency in an undisclosed location. For his part, Comey agrees with a majority of the report; 90 percent of which was declassified."
"We want the American people to see what they are getting for their money, "Comey said in a news conference Wednesday at FBI headquarters. "What the FBI is doing. What the FBI is doing well. What the FBI could do better."