CIA Releases Declassified 9/11 Documents, Revealing Early Terror Warnings to White House

The CIA published more than 100 pages of top-secret presidential daily briefings covering the period from February 1998 to September 12, 2001, on its official website. The massive release includes early warnings given to the White House detailing Osama bin Laden's determination to target the United States.

A September 1998 intelligence report came strikingly close to predicting the method of the attacks, stating that bin Laden's supporters "may fly an explosive-packed airplane into a US city." Additional memos outlined plots to hijack commercial airliners and experiment with unconventional weapons.

"Americans can now see for themselves the intelligence leading up to this tragic day for our Nation," said CIA Director John Ratcliffe in a statement posted on social media.

Despite the heavy redactions, the files confirm that intelligence officials consistently tracked Al Qaeda threats while noting that the Taliban regime in Afghanistan protected bin Laden. The documents also arrived as families of victims continued their push for legal accountability regarding foreign complicity.

The document drop coincided with sharp public remarks from 9/11 widow Terry Strada, who called for foreign accountability during memorial events. "Tell them if they want to be friends with the USA they cannot continue to deny all of this," said Strada during the commemoration.