Officials reviewing handling of intelligence prior to attack

WASHINGTON – The CIA and Departments of Justice and Homeland Security have launched a high-level internal review of whether intelligence was mishandled prior to the Boston Marathon bombings, though President Barack Obama and his top advisers said they have seen nothing to suggest counterterrorism agencies did anything wrong.

Obama told a White House news conference that the review would seek to answer whether “additional things … could have been done” and that “might have prevented” the two bombings that killed three people and injured more than 260 on April 15.

“We want to go back and we want to review every step that was taken,” Obama said. “We want to leave no stone unturned.”

The House Homeland Security Committee has announced plans to hold hearings, and House Speaker John Boehner said other committees will do so as well. The Senate Homeland Security Committee is also expected to hold hearings. Some lawmakers have expressed concerns that information about the older bombing suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, wasn’t properly shared. Asked at the news conference if “our intelligence missed something” on the Boston bombers, Obama said flatly, “No.”

“Based on what I’ve seen so far, the FBI performed its duties, the Department of Homeland Security did what it was supposed to be doing,” Obama said. “But this is hard stuff.”

James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, “believes that every agency involved in collecting and sharing information prior to the attack took all the appropriate steps,” said his spokesman, Shawn Turner. “He also believes that it is prudent and appropriate for there to be an independent review of those steps to ensure that nothing was missed.”

Clapper advised Congress in a memo that Charles McCullough III, chief inspector general for the 17 intelligence agencies, will coordinate the review. The scope is still being worked out, but officials expect that it will last about 90 days.

Tsarnaev, who authorities believe was the mastermind behind the bombings, was killed during a shootout with police in Boston on April 19. His younger brother, Dzhokhar, was captured that night and is in custody at a federal prison medical facility in Massachusetts.