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U.S. Releases 71 Declassified CIA Briefings on 9/11 Plot

By Drooid · Sep 12, 2026, 2:12 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

US Releases Briefings

The United States released 71 declassified CIA briefings on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
The briefings, dated Feb 1998 to Sept 12 2001, warned al-Qaeda could use a plane and noted bin Laden favored Washington.
Officials said agencies possessed many pieces of intelligence but failed to form a clear picture of the plot.
President Donald Trump addressed the Pentagon ceremony, linking 9/11 remembrance to the ongoing war with Iran.

Summary

NYC Declares Remembrance

New York City declared Sept. 11 its first Day of Remembrance and Service, launching a digital rescue-story tribute nationwide.
The Pentagon education center broke ground the day after the anniversary, with opening planned for 2029.
Freedom Flag program displayed Ground Zero steel at Canton High School in South Dakota.
Over two million Pennsylvania students observed a mandated silence under a law signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro.

History

Historical Context

On February 26 1993, Ramzi Yousef’s group detonated a 1,500-lb van bomb beneath the North Tower of the World Trade Center, killing six civilians and injuring 1,042. The attack prompted the Port Authority to overhaul security and evacuation procedures, which later shaped the response to the September 11 2001 attacks that destroyed the towers and the 1995 memorial.

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US Releases Briefings

The United States released 71 declassified CIA briefings on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
The briefings, dated Feb 1998 to Sept 12 2001, warned al-Qaeda could use a plane and noted bin Laden favored Washington.
Officials said agencies possessed many pieces of intelligence but failed to form a clear picture of the plot.
President Donald Trump addressed the Pentagon ceremony, linking 9/11 remembrance to the ongoing war with Iran.

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