Declassified 1998 CIA Memo Warned of Bin Laden's Hijacking Plans
A recently declassified CIA memo from 1998 reveals that the agency warned President Bill Clinton about a potential Al-Qaeda plot to hijack a commercial airliner. This disclosure is part of a larger release of documents that provide insight into the intelligence community's awareness of threats leading up to the September 11 attacks.
The CIA has declassified over 100 pages of presidential intelligence briefings from the years leading up to the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. Among these documents is a significant memo from 1998 that warned then-President Bill Clinton about a potential Al-Qaeda attack involving the hijacking of a commercial airliner. This release, which includes 71 presidential briefs, marks the largest disclosure in 25 years regarding Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden and the events that preceded the attacks.
The documents, many of which are heavily redacted, outline warnings about "potential US targets" and reports from "questionable sources" indicating that Bin Laden was preparing to launch an attack against the United States. Specifically, the 1998 briefing indicated that two accomplices may have successfully bypassed security during a trial run, suggesting a serious threat. A memo dated September 10, 1998, highlighted that Bin Laden's "preferred option is to strike the US on its own soil in Washington" and that he "may fly an explosive-packed airplane into a US city."
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In addition to the 1998 memo, other briefings illustrate the CIA's evolving assessment of Al-Qaeda and its leader's intentions to bring "war to America." Despite the gaps in intelligence available at the time, CIA analysts consistently warned White House officials about the terror network's plans and capabilities. A briefing dated August 6, 2001, during George W. Bush's presidency, reiterated that Bin Laden was "determined to strike" the United States and could rely on Al-Qaeda operatives already in the country. This document also noted that the FBI had identified activities consistent with preparations for hijackings or other types of attacks, including surveillance of federal buildings in New York.
What the Record Leaves Behind
Another assessment from August 28, 2001, described Bin Laden's operations as "expert and flexible," while acknowledging that they remained vulnerable to short-term delay and disruption. It emphasized that Al-Qaeda relied on "careful planning, tight security practices and flexibility" which allowed it to pose a threat to the United States even in a heightened security environment.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe stated that he approved the declassification "in an act of exceptional transparency" to honor the memory of those who lost their lives during the tragic events of September 11. This release coincides with the 25th anniversary of the attacks, which resulted in nearly 3,000 fatalities, and serves as a reminder of the intelligence community's ongoing efforts to assess and mitigate threats to national security.
