US National Intelligence Director resigns
Published:Friday | May 21, 2010 | 10:10 AM
US President Barack Obama’s top intelligence adviser, Dennis Blair, has announced his resignation, effective today.
The Director of National Intelligence, who is a retired four-star navy admiral, has served in the post since January 29 last year.
His office oversees 17 federal agencies of the US intelligence community, including the CIA, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
Word of Blair\'s resignation comes two days after the Senate Intelligence Committee released a report that sharply criticised the National Counterterrorism Center, overseen by Blair\'s office.
The report says the Centre failed to properly coordinate intelligence activities to detect the alleged attempted Christmas Day airline bombing in advance.
It also says the center, which was created after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to coordinate US intelligence efforts, was not organised adequately to fulfill its missions.