Watchdog: Witness Protection Lost Track Of 'Known Or Suspected Terrorists,' Let Others Board Planes

The Justice Department temporarily lost track of two known or suspected terrorists who were in the witness protection program -- and allowed others on the no-fly list to board commercial flights -- according to a watchdog report which fueled criticism of the administration.

"This is gross mismanagement -- pure and simple," Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement.

The allegations were made in an inspector general report released Thursday. The report found agencies in the department did not properly share the new identities of some in witness protection -- the lapse meant those new names were not updated in the no-fly list.

"Therefore, it was possible for known or suspected terrorists to fly on commercial airplanes in or over the United States and evade one of the government's primary means of identifying and tracking terrorists' movements and actions," the report said.

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