Federal counterterrorism officials have told officials at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund that they believe plans for a possible attack on the two financial institutions were so detailed that terrorists must have had inside help from employees, contractors or visitors with access throughout the buildings, officials at the two organizations say.
Some federal officials have expressed some doubt on how recent the information is that spurred the government to elevate the threat alert status on Sunday. Still other officials are pursuing what they see as the possibility of an inside job regarding the World Bank and I.M.F. by telling officials of these institutions that they are preparing to formally request some lists of their mostly foreign employees and contractors. Special requests are required because the records of these institutions have diplomatic immunity, though not all of their staff does.
But officials said the World Bank and the I.M.F., both members of the larger United Nations family, are reluctant to hand over employee lists. "If the Iranian government asked for a list of our employees in Tehran we wouldn't comply,'' said one official who spoke on condition of anonymity. "How could we turn around and give names to the United States government?''
| You'd think a banker would understand the need for peace, order and security. |
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