Introduction: A Glimpse into the Darkest Day in America
Welcome to Declassified! Today, we turn our attention to one of the darkest days in American history - September 11, 2001. The tragic events of that day shook the nation to its core, leaving lasting scars and prompting deep reflections on the failures of the U.S. Intelligence community. In this post, we’ll explore the events that preceded 9/11, the warning signs that were missed, and the critical questions surrounding the intelligence failures. As always, a copy of the declassified document is linked at the bottom of today’s newsletter for readers that want to dive deeper.
The Preceding Events: Connecting the Dots
Before the tragic events of September 11, 2001, there were critical incidents that should have raised alarm bells within the U.S. intelligence community. These events not only signaled an escalating terrorist threat but also held essential clues to the looming danger. Let’s delve deeper into the events that preceded 9/11 and their connection to Al Qaeda.
The Embassy Bombings in Africa (1998)
On August 7, 1998, chaos erupted in East Africa as two U.S. embassies, one in Tanzania and the other in Kenya, were targeted in simultaneous bombings. The explosions resulted in the deaths of 224 people and left thousands injured. These attacks were meticulously coordinated and sent shockwaves through the world, making it clear that a sinister force was at play.
The investigation into these bombings quickly led to the doorstep of Osama bin Laden’s notorious terrorist organization, Al Qaeda. The evidence pointed to their involvement in these deadly acts of terror. However, despite this alarming revelation, the gravity of the threat posed by Al Qaeda seemed to be underestimated.
The U.S.S. Cole Bombing (2000)
Fast forward to October 12, 2000, when the U.S.S. Cole, a Navy destroyer ship, found itself docked for refueling in the port of Aden, Yemen. What seemed like an ordinary refueling stop turned into a nightmare as a small boat approached the ship, laden with explosives. The ensuing explosion tore a “40-foot-wide hole” in the Cole’s hull, claiming the lives of 17 U.S. sailors and injuring dozens more.
Once again, the investigation into this act of terror pointed to none other than Al Qaeda. The organization had demonstrated its capacity to strike at the heart of the U.S. military, making it abundantly clear that the threat posed by Al Qaeda was growing and increasingly sophisticated.
Connecting the Dots: The Emerging Al Qaeda Threat
The Embassy bombings in Africa and the U.S.S. Cole bombing were stark warnings of an emerging and highly dangerous terrorist threat. The common thread in these attacks was the involvement of Al Qaeda, a network of extremists hell-bent on striking at U.S. interests and citizens wherever they could.
Of particular significance were the critical names that emerged during the investigations: Khalid al-Mindhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi. Both individuals would play a crucial role in the 9/11 attacks, and disturbingly, they were already known within the U.S. intelligence community as early as 1999.
More concerning was the fact that the CIA had discovered as early as March of 2000 that Nawaf al-Hazmi had entered the United States, yet allegedly the FBI was not made aware until over a year later in August of 2001. This introduces one of the fundamental answers to the question of how the U.S. Intelligence community failed to prevent such a tangible threat, which came down to a lack of communication. The various U.S. Intelligence agencies effectively were working against each other, despite the fact that the objective required inter-agency coordination.
The intelligence community should have recognized these events, along with the known presence of Khalid al-Mindhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi in the United States, as clear signs of a mounting terrorist threat. However, a lack of collaboration and information sharing between agencies prevented a comprehensive understanding of the magnitude of the danger posed by Al Qaeda.
Tragically, the failure to connect these dots and fully appreciate the menace of Al Qaeda would have catastrophic consequences on September 11, 2001. The 9/11 attacks exposed the grave shortcomings of the U.S. intelligence apparatus and led to a profound reassessment of how information was gathered, analyzed, and shared.
Learning from History: The Imperative of Collaboration
As we reflect on the events that preceded 9/11, it is essential to learn from these intelligence failures. The embassy bombings in Africa, the U.S.S. Cole bombing, and the presence of known terrorists within the United States were crucial pieces of the puzzle that should have set off alarm bells, demanding a robust and coordinated response.
In the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA) was introduced. This landmark legislation aimed to address the shortcomings and weaknesses exposed by the attacks. The IRTPA led to the largest restructuring of the U.S. Intelligence community since its inception, creating the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) and emphasizing the need for better information sharing between agencies.
The tragedy of 9/11 taught us that no piece of information is insignificant and that collaboration among intelligence agencies is not a luxury but a necessity. The critical names of Khalid al-Mindhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi should have prompted immediate action, but the lack of effective communication hindered swift and decisive measures.
[Document: https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/archive/special/0506/chapter5.htm]