'No Comment,' Said a Secret, Highly Placed Source

The lead story in today's New York Times, about the British intelligence assessment that downgraded the risk of a terrorist attack shortly before the July 7 bombings in London, supplies ammunition to those who think confidential sources are overused and overrated:

Asked to comment on the document, a senior British official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, "We do not discuss intelligence assessments."