In late May 2002, the National Security Agency revealed to the CIA an intercepted communication from Osama bin Laden to a Saudi operative called Swift Sword that suggested: “Osama bin Laden seemed to be alive and well and providing guidance from some location in the tribal regions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border; and Swift Sword was, indeed, al Qaeda’s representative on the Arabian Peninsula. His hand seemed to be in several places at once in the kingdom, guiding several cells of angry opponents of the regime. The instructions from the top of al Qaeda: Turn your operational focus on the overthrow of the Saudi government.” [The 25th of the month used for date sorting purposes only.]
– Ron Suskind, The One Percent Doctrine, Page 146