CIA drops dozens of declassified documents on bin Laden and al-Qaeda

A briefer wrote to then-President Clinton that bin Laden’s ‘preferred option is to strike the US on its own soil in Washington’, and that al-Qaeda ‘may fly an explosive-packed airplane into a US city’.Published On 12 Sep 202612 Sep 2026Several dozen presidential briefing documents declassified on the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks detail intelligence government officials had gathered about Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda leading up to the hijackings that killed nearly 3,000 people and upended the United States’ national security.The documents illustrate security analysts’ tracking of bin Laden’s movements and support system, as well as concerns about possible threats to US targets. They also detail officials’ understanding of his network in the US and other countries, including how his operations were financed.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4How 9/11 helped Israel sell its war on Palestinians to Americalist 2 of 4Four former US presidents mark 25th anniversary of 9/11 in New York Citylist 3 of 4Trump pays tribute to the victims of 9/11 at Pentagon ceremonylist 4 of 4How US leaders remembered the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacksend of listProclaim...