Navy probe: Cole didn't follow security plan

Seriousness of omissions unclear

Senior Navy officials are now reviewing the report of an investigating officer who looked into the actions of the captain and crew of the USS Cole, according to sources.

The investigator found the Cole did not fully implement the "force protection" plan it had filed before it entered the Port of Aden for refueling, the sources said.

But it is unclear how serious the omissions were, and whether they would have made any difference in defending against the bombing, which killed 17 U.S. sailors.

On October 12, a small boat that appeared to be friendly pulled up alongside the Cole and exploded, blasting a 40-by-60 foot (12-by-18 meter) hole in the side of the warship.

Sources: Captain could be disciplined

Navy officials defended the captain, Cmdr. Kirk S. Lippold, immediately after the bombing, but Pentagon sources now say Lippold could face disciplinary action if it determines he failed to implement proper security precautions.

Other officials cautioned against drawing any conclusion from the preliminary findings, and said Lippold could be exonerated if the failures were minor or impractical under the circumstances.

The Cole was operating under an alert level that warns of "an increased and more predictable threat of terrorist activity" but with no particular target.

That threat condition calls for a standard list of anti-terrorism measures, including one that requires that "unauthorized craft should be kept away from the ship."

Other measures include requiring the crew to identify and inspect work boats; prepare fire hoses for repelling boarders, small boats, and ultra-light aircraft; prepare small picket boats for security duty; and place crews on 15-minute alert.

The threat condition measure also warns that "water taxis, ferries, bumboats, other harbor craft require special concern, because they can serve as an ideal platform for terrorists."

The Navy has not said if the Cole was required to take those precautions when it stopped in Yemen, a country the State Department has labeled a "safe haven for terrorists."

Clinton promises retaliation

President Clinton said those responsible for the bombing should not rest easy.

"We have arrested a lot of terrorists, including those who bombed the world trade center and those who were involved in several other killings in this country," he said "And make no mistake about it, we will do the same for those who killed our brave navy personnel on the USS Cole."

Al-Harazi, a Yemeni-born Saudi citizen who has also used the names Abdul Ali-Nashiri and Abdul al-Nassir, has become Yemen's prime suspect in the bombing, Yemeni officials told CNN.

The Yemeni Army official newspaper said Al-Harazi "played a major role in preparing, planning and training people who carried out the bombing. He gave them the money and necessary equipment for the attack."

Sources also say one of the two key suspects in custody in Yemen, Jamal Al-Badawi, was in telephone contact with known bin Laden operatives in East Africa.

But U.S. officials say there is not enough evidence yet to say for sure that the bin Laden's group was definitely behind the Cole bombing. Asked about retaliation for the attack, the official said quote "it would be reckless to act at this point."

CNN Military Affairs Correspondent Jamie McIntyre and CNN National Security Correspondent David Ensor contributed to this report.