CIA declassifies more than 70 reports on Al Qaeda on 25th anniversary of 9/11
"In an act of exceptional transparency, we honor the memory of those we lost on that tragic Tuesday by releasing 71 declassified products—the largest release of CIA analyses related to 9/11," said Director John Ratcliffe.
John Ratcliffe on Capitol Hill / Oliver Contreras
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) released more than 70 presidential intelligence reports related to Al Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden, this Friday, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The agency described the release as an unprecedented exercise in transparency regarding one of the U.S.'s most sensitive intelligence sources during the years leading up to and following one of the darkest episodes in the country's recent history.
"In an act of exceptional transparency, we honor the memory of those we lost on that tragic Tuesday by releasing 71 declassified products—the single largest release of CIA analysis related to 9/11 ever," said Director John Ratcliffe. "25 years ago, the 9/11 attacks struck a blow to our Nation, but they did not break us. Generations of CIA officers have since dedicated their careers to securing justice for our fallen Americans and ensuring al-Qa'ida would never again harm our country. In the years that followed, numerous CIA officers made the ultimate sacrifice in the Global War on Terror. We honor their memory and service through our commitment to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat those who wish to cause us harm."
Society
9/11: 100 million Americans have no memory of attack that changed country's history
Andrés Ignacio Henríquez
Warnings about potential attacks
According to the CIA, the documents show how its analysts gradually developed their understanding of Al Qaeda and sought to warn of bin Laden's plans despite having scant, vague, and incomplete information.
One of the reports, dated September 10, 1998, warned—though parts of it remain redacted—that Al Qaeda "could fly a plane loaded with explosives into a U.S. city."
Another document, dated December 4, 1998, noted that bin Laden and his allies were preparing attacks against the United States, including the possible hijacking of an airplane. This report also contains redacted sections.
The documents span the presidencies of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Bush was in the White House when 19 members of Al Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes on September 11, 2001.
The attack that changed America
A third plane crashed into the Pentagon, headquarters of the Department of Defense, while the fourth crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. The plane was apparently headed for the Capitol or the White House, but the passengers fought back against the hijackers and prevented it from reaching its target.
The United States responded with the "war on terror," first in Afghanistan and then in Iraq. The campaigns lasted for years and left tens of thousands dead. These documents show what reached the Oval Office desk before the four planes took off.
LATEST
