White House Releases Bush Terror Briefing

WASHINGTON -- The White House on Saturday released a document about al-Qaida and terror threats that was sent to President George W. Bush about a month before the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

The memo was given to Bush on Sept. 6, 2001.

It contains the statement -- "Clandestine, foreign government, and media reports indicate (Osama) bin Laden since 1997 has wanted to conduct terrorist attacks in the United States." (Click here to read transcript)

It also points out that after President Bill Clinton launched missile strikes on bin Laden's base in Afghanistan in 1998, bin Laden "told followers he wanted to retaliate in Washington."

Evidence from another country was cited, but the White House blacked out the name of the country.

It also said efforts to corroborate "sensational threat reporting" were not possible. One such threat -- said to be from 1998 -- was that bin Laden wanted to hijack a U.S. aircraft to gain the release of extremists held by the United States.

The presidential daily briefing also said the FBI was conducting 70 investigations considered bin-Laden-related.

The White House also released an attachment with the document explaining that it does not mention the use of airplanes as weapons or any warnings about Sept. 11.