"With tensions rising between intelligence agencies and a congressional panel investigating the Sept. 11 attacks, lawmakers have decided that a meeting with the directors of the CIA and FBI today will be held behind closed doors ."

The scheduled witnesses are FBI Director Robert Mueller and CIA Director George Tenet. The decision to close the hearing was made late Wednesday night. No reason was given, but speculation is that the topic to be discussed is the FBI's handling of the informant who was the landlord of two of the 9/11 hijackers.

The informant had been promised anonymity. The FBI has allowed the agent who was the informant's handler to speak with Congress but has refused to allow the informant himself to be questioned. For more on the informant and the controversy, see our October 6 post.

The hearings will go public agains next week.