President Bush Informed of Potential Terrorist Attack - 2002-05-16

The White House states that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had informed President Bush in the weeks leading up to the September 11 terrorist attacks that terrorists linked to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda might hijack American passenger planes. However, Ari Fleischer, the White House spokesperson, said that the CIA report did not contain specific information about the terrorists' suicide mission or that the hijacked planes could be used as missiles to destroy large commercial buildings. He noted that the awareness of the risk of hijacking passenger planes led the Bush administration to alert law enforcement agencies and put them on high alert. News reports quote a CIA spokesperson stating that the agency regularly provided information regarding the potential for al-Qaeda terrorists to attack American targets, particularly emphasizing the possibility of hijacking American passenger planes. Following the White House's acknowledgment that President Bush had been aware of the potential for hijacking American passenger planes a month before the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, members of Congress have called for more information. Senator Tom Daschle, the Senate Majority Leader, wants President Bush to deliver the CIA's August report to the Senate. Apparently, this report informed the President that supporters of Osama bin Laden might hijack American passenger planes. Dick Gephardt, the House Minority Leader, also expressed surprise at media reports that President Bush had known about the potential for hijacking American passenger planes a month before the attacks. Previously, Ari Fleischer stated that the government took all necessary actions in response to warnings from security and intelligence agencies regarding the attack. Fleischer mentioned that the CIA report did not contain specific information about the terrorists' suicide mission or that hijacked planes could be used as bombs to destroy large commercial buildings.