By Kenneth R Bazinet and James Gordon Meek

Michael Leiter, head of the National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC), set up after 9/11 to battle terror attacks, could be in hot water after remaining on ski slopes following Christmas Day jetliner bombing try.

The Obama White House, however, January 7, rushed to defend the top counter terror official who went on a ski vacation for six days after Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the suspected Al-Qaeda bomber attempted to blow up a plane over Detroit.

Michael Leiter -- whose National Counterterrorism Center failed to connect dots on the suspect came under fire for being away from his intelligence clearinghouse at the height of the crisis when it was still unknown if other terrorists were on their way to the US.

"Director Leiter was - throughout the events of Dec. 25, 2009 - indeed at the National Counterterrorism Center in McLean, Va., and intimately involved in all aspects of the nation's response to the attempted terrorist attack-to include coordinating intelligence, examining terrorist watch listing and briefing Members of Congress," Denis McDonough, National Security Council Chief of Staff, said in a statement.

McDonough said Leiter "took six days of annual leave after the event," and did so "only after explicit consultations with both the White House and the Director of National Intelligence," Dennis Blair.

The Daily News reported exclusively that Leiter -- like other top security officials, and President Obama himself -- was on vacation for several days after the attempted bombing of Northwest Flight 253 on Christmas Day, leaving many counter terror officials raising their eyebrows.

Obama, who had a full staff with him while vacationing in Hawaii, did not come back to the White House until Jan. 4.

The NCTC did not respond to questions about when Leiter returned, but a spokesman said only that the Director's schedule would not be released publicly.

McDonough also said Leiter, who does not typically travel with staff or intelligence briefers, "engaged in regular, repeated, and extended classified discussions with the White House, the President's National Security Staff located in Hawaii, the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Homeland Security, various members of Congress and their staffs, and of course the National Counterterrorism Center."

The ski trip "did not affect in any way his ability to remain engaged with all elements of the United States Government," McDonough also said.

But three career counterterrorism officials and others who spoke to The News saw it differently.

They noted Leiter's lack of leadership during the post-Christmas week, when his center was at the epicenter of assessing new threat intelligence in a fast-moving terrorism investigation.

[In any case, the perception is very clear: Obama Administration does not give urgent importance to suspected acts of terror, security lapses and the utmost need to be on extra alert to fighting terrorism. Even the word War on Terror, or fighting terror are missing from the statements and observation of top officials.]

Kenneth R Bazinet and James Gordon Meek write for the Daily News, Washington DC.]

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