On one side, the fight is about the ability of agency analysts and operations officers to do their work unhindered by political pressure.

The discovery made agency analysts far more hawkish and far more willing to believe the worst.

The agency analysts did not appear pleased.

The documents were reviewed by a group of agency analysts who compared the material with reports already logged into data bases in Oklahoma City.

Other agency analysts, though, argued that Curveball's accounts were consistent with others and seemed solid.

"There is no way to be absolutely sure," one agency analyst said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The intercepted discussions were not translated and reviewed by agency analysts until Sept. 12.

At the urging of a senior agency analyst, he came in for a look.

Former agency analysts say the report earned the nickname "the three stooges," because of its effort to link terrorist operations in the three countries.