The Phoenix Memo: A Warning Ignored

In the years prior to the September 11th 2001 terrorists attacks, a number of suspicious, Islamic militants began training in flight schools in Phoenix and Scottsdale Arizona. An FBI informant, later known as Henry Ellen, who was a Muslim convert began informing his handler, Ken Williams about militants in flight schools and wanting to do harm to the United States. In July 2001, Williams would send this memo to a number of FBI offices around the country however it would not be fully noted by either the director, Robert Mueller, or to other agencies until after the 9/11 attacks. The question is, why was this information largely ignored.