Map of Iran
As Vice Chairman of the Armed Services and Homeland Security Committees, Curt, like many Members, was unhappy with intelligence provided to Members who were responsible for developing Defense and Intelligence Budgets based upon critical intelligence worldwide. In the mid-1990’s. Curt created an informal low-key Intel Team with whom he met on a regular basis usually in the Members Dining Room at breakfast. Several of these career intelligence professionals were also attendees at regular meeting of the ‘Cockroaches’ Club that shared dinner and discussed current security and intel matters. From Curt’s Intel Team he received raw data from US Intel sources that he could compare information and analyses received in briefings being provided to Curt and other HASC Members in periodic Classified Briefing Sessions. Beginning in the immediate years after 9/11, Curt’s Team began providing raw intel data that OBL was being seen inside of Iran. Iran was obviously the last place anyone would expect OBL to be hiding. In fact, the USG sent tens of thousands of American troops to Afghanistan to “look for OBL”. The FBI actually posted an FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive Poster for OBL (Website) offering a $25 M Reward (+$2 M from the Pilots and Air Transport Assn) “for information leading to the apprehension or conviction of OBL”. Reports of OBL’s sightings inside of Iran included the small town of Lidiz inside Iran in the area known as Baluchistan. OBL was also sighted in Iran Military Hospitals and areas north of Tehran. In multiple Classified briefings, Curt questioned US Intel briefers regarding the alleged sightings of OBL inside of Iran and in Lidiz and other towns. In every instance, US Intel briefers answered Curt by never denying the sightings, but rather adding that they were aware of such reports and could neither confirm nor deny the validity. Lidiz can be seen on the map of Iran. As documented in Curt’s website, Archives and Oral History, Curt personally confirmed OBL’s presence in Iran after 9/11 from 9 solid sources and first hand witnesses.
