Colin “Powell’s first official briefing on terrorism had taken place on December 20, 2000, even before he was sworn in as Secretary of State. He had asked [counterterrorism czar Richard] Clarke and his team–all still working under President [Bill] Clinton at the time–to give him a full rundown on bin Laden. Intelligence had indicated that al-Qaeda was planning direct attacks against the United States and likely had sleeper cells already in place inside the country.”
– Karen DeYoung, Soldier: The Life of Colin Powell, Page 344