Osama Bin Laden Had Been Plotting U.S. Attack for 10th Anniversary of September 11

Osama bin Laden had apparently been gathering a team of militants to orchestrate an attack on the U.S. on September 11 of this year, the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. The Wall Street Journal reports that this intelligence comes from communications Navy SEALs acquired from Bin Laden's hideout in Pakistan after he was killed on May 1. The plans were "in the discussion phase," say officials, with Bin Laden and operations chief Attiyah Abd al-Rahman talking about who should be on the team and "bin Laden repeatedly rejecting names that Mr. Rahman suggested."

There are no signs that the plot went beyond the early planning stages, though CIA acting Director Michael Morell has told staff that a top priority is making sure "neither that plan nor any others" came to fruition.

Other information revealed in the materials was apparently general and already known, like "al Qaeda's interest in attacking trains," and an interest in carrying out attacks on symbolic American dates, like the Fourth of July and September 11.

Bin Laden Plotted to Attack U.S. on 9/11 Anniversary [WSJ]