According to a declassified CIA intelligence report from December 24, 1998: “Usama (Bin Ladin) [redacted] hopes to have completed the hijack operation [redacted] in the United States by [redacted] circa 10 January 1998. The operation, however, may have run into trouble [redacted] Key operatives [redacted] had been arrested at a small airport near Washington, D.C. or New York.”
– CIA, “[Excised] Timeframe for Completion of Hijacking Operation [Excised],” (CIA Intelligence Report), The Central Intelligence Agency’s 9/11 File:, The National Security Archive, Dec. 24, 1998