Osama bin Laden, CIA and George W Bush: What declassified 9/11 files reveal after 25 years

Several dozen presidential briefing documents were declassified Friday, the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, detail intelligence 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 newly public collection consists of 71 President's Daily Brief (PDB) documents. These are the highly classified briefings prepared by the intelligence community for top government leaders. Proclaiming it "an act of exceptional transparency," Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe announced the release under President Donald Trump's transparency initiative. It marks the agency's single largest disclosure of declassified PDB products related to the tragedy. Over 100 pages of CIA analysis are now accessible to the public, tracing how analysts tracked threat warnings despite imperfect information.

Ratcliffe observed: "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,". He added: "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."

Early warnings and tracking bin Laden from 1998

The intelligence files outline how security analysts tracked bin Laden's movements, finances, and overseas support networks. The records span several years. They begin with a February 1998 report prepared for then-President Bill Clinton titled "Terrorists seeking WMD capability" which mentioned bin Laden alongside other Islamic extremists.

By April 1998, briefers recorded the Taliban's reluctance to hand over bin Laden, who was staying in Afghanistan as their "guest". Analysts noted that the Taliban's "gratitude for his assistance during the Soviet occupation" left them "reluctant to alienate him by monitoring or controlling his activities."

In July 1998, intelligence briefers warned it was "plausible that Bin Ladin places a high priority on conducting attacks in the United States". They pointed to his "interest in conducting attacks with chemical and biological agents.". Two months later, in September 1998, a briefer highlighted that his "preferred option is to strike the US on its own soil in Washington," warning that al-Qaida "may fly an explosive-packed airplane into a US city."

Threat reports grew more specific in December 1998. A briefing detailed how conspirators "had evaded security checks during a recent trial run at an unidentified New York airport," adding that "some members of the Bin Ladin network have received hijack training.". Meanwhile, officials monitored bin Laden's search for radioactive materials to construct "dirty bombs," observing that by June 1999, his operatives had conducted explosive trials to "increase their energy output."

Escalating threats and pre-attack indicators in 2001

Intelligence briefs prepared for President George W. Bush in early 2001 noted bin Laden's "experimentation by crude means to make and deploy biological agents.". Officials also assessed that bin Laden appeared to be misleading the Taliban regarding his intentions.

A month before the tragic strikes, an August 2001 brief stressed bin Laden's determination "to conduct terrorist attacks in the US," reminding leaders that the 1998 US embassy bombings "demonstrate that he prepares operations years in advance and is not deterred by setbacks.". That same month, briefers reported "suspicious activity in this country consistent with preparations for hijackings or other types of attacks, including recent surveillance of federal buildings in New York," adding that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was "conducting approximately 70 full field investigations throughout the US that it considers Bin Ladin-related."

Following the strikes, a September 12, 2001 report cited a source indicating the hijackings had been planned for two years and had also targeted the US Capitol. Many documents contain redactions to shield sources. Officials noted the files do not appear to break new ground on attack planning or how events unfolded.

Additional releases by the National Archives

Addressing the CIA disclosure, the White House drew attention to a second collection of documents made public on Friday by the National Archives. This separate release contains records and interviews with national security officials from both the Clinton and Bush administrations, produced by the bipartisan commission that investigated the tragedy between 2002 and 2004.

In the years after 2001, the bipartisan commission exposed severe communication gaps between key agencies like the CIA and FBI. Its recommendations transformed US security architecture, giving rise to new leadership roles such as the centralized Director of National Intelligence and establishing the National Counterterrorism Centre to process domestic and foreign intelligence.

Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the attacks

Across the United States on Friday, 11 September 2026, solemn ceremonies marked a quarter-century since 19 al-Qaeda operatives hijacked four passenger jets. Two airliners struck the World Trade Center's Twin Towers in New York, causing their total collapse. A third plane struck the Pentagon, while a fourth crashed into a Pennsylvania field near Shanksville after passengers fought back. Nearly 3,000 people perished, including 2,977 victims in New York.

At Ground Zero in lower Manhattan, Vice President JD Vance joined former presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. President Donald Trump was absent from New York, choosing instead to attend a memorial at the Pentagon.

Speaking at the Pentagon, Trump linked the post-9/11 "war on terror" and Middle East military actions to current tensions with Iran. He declared: "Today we renew the sacred oath that we first swore in their names a quarter of a century ago. We will never, ever forget. That's why we fight today," adding, "We don't have a choice. There can only be victory. We fight hard. We fight to win."

Bereaved families demand accountability and justice

At the Ground Zero ceremony, the names of victims were read aloud as bells tolled. Although the annual gathering is traditionally apolitical, several grieving family members spoke out against Saudi Arabia and previous US leaders.

Under the theme 'We have no justice', Terry Strada, whose husband Tom Strada died in the Twin Towers, delivered a poignant address. Directly challenging political leaders present, she asked: "You are missed more with each year that passes, but how can it be 25 years and still we have no justice for the role that Saudi Arabia played in your murder?".

Strada noted that the hijackers were predominantly Saudi nationals, led by Saudi-born Osama bin Laden. She stated: "For 25 years, administration after administration -- including leaders in front of us here today -- chose to protect the Saudis instead of standing with a 9/11 family," calling for action from current leadership.

Local NYC politics and long-term health impact

In New York, Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the city's first Muslim leader, attended the main ceremony despite a protest campaign led by the New York Post and former mayor Rudy Giuliani, which gathered over 100,000 signatures. Small anti-Islam demonstrations and counter-protests took place near City Hall.

Mamdani earned praise for releasing thousands of municipal documents detailing post-attack toxicity levels. Lingering dust and toxic air following the skyscraper collapses caused severe health issues, including cancers that continue to affect thousands of New Yorkers.

Reflecting on the milestone under the theme 'New York did recover', local resident Sophia Rotunno, 58, recalled watching the first tower collapse in 2001. She remarked: "All we could do is support them, and be there for when they went to memorials, or be there for when they came home, and hug them, and pray for them," adding, "It was a hard time for everybody afterward -- and New York did recover."

Meanwhile, al-Qaeda released a video marking the 25th anniversary featuring footage of Osama bin Laden and his late son Hamza.