Newly declassified presidential briefing documents, released on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, reveal previously restricted intelligence on Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida’s activities in the lead-up to the hijackings. The records outline government tracking of his movements, support networks, and financial operations, as well as concerns about potential threats to U.S. targets. They also provide insight into the group’s presence in the United States and other countries before the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. The disclosures offer a rare look at how officials assessed the risks ahead of one of America’s deadliest national security crises.
The presidential briefing documents were declassified on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacksSeveral dozen presidential briefing documents declassified on Friday, the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, detail intelligence that government officials had gathered about Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida leading up to the hijackings that killed nearly 3,000 people and upended American 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 United States and other countries, including how his operations were financed. Continue reading...
