The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) announced on Friday the public release of 71 declassified intelligence documents. These records consist of daily briefings delivered to the administrations of former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush leading up to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The documents provide a historical look at the specific warnings the intelligence community provided to the White House regarding Al Qaeda’s operational plans and threats to U.S. soil.

This release marks the first time these specific briefings have been made available to the general public. While the documents confirm that the intelligence community was actively tracking Al Qaeda’s movements and intentions during this period, the release serves as a primary source for historians and the public to evaluate the information available to executive leadership before the 9/11 attacks. The CIA has not provided extensive commentary on the release, focusing instead on the declassification of the historical record itself. The documents are expected to be analyzed for the specificity and timing of the warnings provided to the respective administrations.