Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said that anyone who would divulge classified material is willing ''to frustrate our efforts to track down and deal with terrorists and willing to reveal information that could cost the lives of men and women in uniform.''

Rumsfeld did not specifically identify the source or nature of any leaked material.

The comments came a day after Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, disclosed in several media interviews that intelligence officials had intercepted communications between associates of Osama bin Laden, saying they had struck targets in the United States.

When he was asked about the communications by CNN on Wednesday, Secretary of State Colin Powell refused to discuss them.

''We should not be talking about intelligence methods used by the United States of America. All we do is put them at risk. So we should not be talking about such things and I will not,'' he said.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said, ''This is not business as usual'' in the wake of the terrorist attacks.

''Anybody in the government who is in receipt of classified information must at all times obey the law that makes that information classified for a good reason, because it's to protect the security of the country and individuals around the world,'' he said.

Fleischer would not say if he was referring specifically to members of Congress.

Attorney General John Ashcroft also stressed the importance of protecting the sources of confidential information ''so we do not compromise this ongoing investigation.''

Hatch said Wednesday that he could not comment on any new developments in the investigation. Phone messages seeking comment on Cabinet criticism were not returned.

Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., said that members of Congress, accustomed to having whatever information is available, may now get less because of the security problems.

''Given the leaks we've had, we may get substantially less information than we should have,'' said Bond. ''A couple of people have gone out free-lancing. A couple of members of Congress are going to make it less likely that we'll find out what (intelligence officials) know.''

Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., complained that Wednesday's intelligence briefing to House members was ''an absolute, total joke.''

''You could learn more by going to your local high school newspaper than you could by sitting in on that briefing,'' he said. ''The briefing was useless and insulting. ... There was no useful information that a 7-year-old child wouldn't have read in the paper today.''

A briefing for senators later in the afternoon was also vague and offered little new insight, several senators said.