If you missed it, The
Washington Times posted an exclusive story last night that indicates the FBI placed
a human source in direct contact with Osama bin Laden in
1993 and ascertained that the al Qaeda leader was
looking to finance terrorist attacks in the United States.
Washington Times posted an exclusive story last night that indicates the FBI placed
a human source in direct contact with Osama bin Laden in
1993 and ascertained that the al Qaeda leader was
looking to finance terrorist attacks in the United States.
That information was
never revealed during the lengthy 9/11 investigation. It was unearthed for the
first time four years ago in court testimony in a little-noticed employment
dispute case, according to the Times.
never revealed during the lengthy 9/11 investigation. It was unearthed for the
first time four years ago in court testimony in a little-noticed employment
dispute case, according to the Times.
Here’s a portion of the newspaper’s detailed report:
“The information the FBI gleaned
back then was so specific that it helped thwart a terrorist plot against a
Masonic lodge in Los Angeles, the court records
reviewed by The Washington Times show.
back then was so specific that it helped thwart a terrorist plot against a
Masonic lodge in Los Angeles, the court records
reviewed by The Washington Times show.
“‘It was the only source
I know in the bureau where we had a source right in al Qaeda, directly
involved,’ Edward J. Curran,
a former top official in the FBI’s
Los Angeles office, told the court in support
of a discrimination lawsuit filed against the bureau by his former agent Bassem Youssef.
I know in the bureau where we had a source right in al Qaeda, directly
involved,’ Edward J. Curran,
a former top official in the FBI’s
Los Angeles office, told the court in support
of a discrimination lawsuit filed against the bureau by his former agent Bassem Youssef.
“Mr. Curran gave
the testimony in 2010 to an essentially empty courtroom, and thus it escaped
notice from the media or terrorism specialists. The Times was recently alerted
to the existence of the testimony while working on a broader report about al Qaeda’s origins.
the testimony in 2010 to an essentially empty courtroom, and thus it escaped
notice from the media or terrorism specialists. The Times was recently alerted
to the existence of the testimony while working on a broader report about al Qaeda’s origins.
“Members of the Sept. 11
commission, congressional intelligence committees and terrorism analysts told
The Times they are floored that the information is just now emerging publicly
and that it raises questions about what else Americans might not have been told
about the origins of al Qaeda and its
early interest in attacking the United States.”
commission, congressional intelligence committees and terrorism analysts told
The Times they are floored that the information is just now emerging publicly
and that it raises questions about what else Americans might not have been told
about the origins of al Qaeda and its
early interest in attacking the United States.”
