1998 raw intelligence: UBL hijack trial run at a New York airport

Observation

A December 1998 CIA raw report, later a PDB item, stated that a UBL-linked hijack plan was proceeding and that two team members in the U.S. had evaded security in a New York airport trial run.

Interpretation

Supports H008 (pre-attack intelligence existed). Does not by itself identify the 11 September teams or dates. Airport name remains excised.

Source text

OBSERVATION (NSAEBB 381 document highlight, CIA raw intelligence 1998-12-03, cited as becoming a 4 December 1998 PDB item). Five years before 11 September, a CIA raw report said two operatives on a UBL hijack team in the U.S. had evaded security in a trial run at a New York airport (name excised).

This is the Archive's quotation of a declassified CIA text, not the PDB itself. The 6 August 2001 PDB (already in this lab as EVD-113) is a later, different product.

Hypothesis linkage

• H008supportsseeded

  1998 hijack trial-run reporting shows pre-attack collection on a UBL hijack concept.