CIA: Nearly 1,000 Al-Qaida Arrested

CIA Director George Tenet said the U.S.-led war on terrorism has made a dent in al-Qaida but hasn't destroyed the network.

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Tenet, making a rare public appearance, told a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Wednesday that the American-led campaign has led to the arrests of nearly 1,000 al-Qaida agents in more than 60 countries.

The hearing was called to assess the agency's ability to detect threats to American interests. It began with heavy criticism by committee members.

"All of us, I think, owe the American people an explanation," said Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, vice chairman of the committee.

Tenet defended the agency, saying it has far more successes than failures and never had specific information about an attack within U.S. borders.

Despite the United States' recent success against the Taliban and al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden's terrorist group has "multiple attack plans in the works" and remains a dangerous threat, Tenet said.

Despite the military campaign in Afghanistan, Tenet said, "I must repeat, al-Qaida has not yet been destroyed."

Tenet, who was under heavy criticism for intelligence failures that led to the Sept. 11 attacks, also said al-Qaida and other terrorist groups will keep plotting to attack high-profile targets in the United States, as well as American interests overseas.