India among countries targeted by Bin Laden before 9/11 terror attacks; CIA releases crucial documents

WASHINGTON: Reports say India was among the countries that former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had targeted for attacks even before the World Trade Centre terrorist attacks. This crucial information is contained in documents released by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) ahead of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

A Presidential Brief dated August 28, 1998, states that bin Laden had planned attacks in several countries, including India. Apart from India, the documents indicate that bin Laden had also targeted countries such as Pakistan, Uganda, Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Nigeria. The source of the information in the document, titled ‘Bin Laden Terrorist Network Still a Threat,’ has not been disclosed. Meantime, the documents do not specify where, when, or how bin Laden had planned to carry out attacks in India.

The CIA documents from that period also noted that bin Laden and other terrorist leaders had survived US attacks in Afghanistan and that their communications network remained strong. The documents stated that training had resumed at some terrorist camps in Afghanistan, while some camps had been relocated to other areas. The CIA records also indicated that bin Laden and his associates had a strong network in North America, Europe, and East Asia.

The CIA released more than 70 Presidential Intelligence Briefs related to bin Laden, along with documents running to more than 100 pages on Friday. The records contain crucial information about bin Laden’s activities, al-Qaeda’s network, efforts to acquire weapons, and plans for attacks in various countries.