CIA Releases Declassified Docs Detailing Al-Qaeda Threats Before 9/11

CIA declassifies 100+ pages of briefings showing al-Qaeda's planned attacks on U.S. soil before 9/11.

September 11, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — The Central Intelligence Agency has disclosed over 100 pages of previously classified briefings that detail warnings about al-Qaeda’s plans to attack the United States before the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The release includes 71 presidential briefings, some dating back to the Bill Clinton administration, which highlight concerns about potential hijackings and attacks on American cities. One document from 1998 warned of a possible operation led by Osama Bin Laden involving the hijacking of a commercial aircraft, with two individuals possibly evading security in a test run.

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Other documents reveal that CIA analysts, despite limited information, expressed concerns about al-Qaeda’s growing threat. A memo from September 10, 1998, suggested Bin Laden’s preference for attacking the U.S. on its own soil, potentially using an explosive-laden plane. Another briefing from August 6, 2001, noted that Bin Laden was determined to strike the U.S., possibly through members living within the country.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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