“In September 2000 he [Osama bin Laden] urged [9/11 mastermind] KSM [Khalid Sheikh Mohammed] to tell [future hijacker Mohammed] Atta to attack immediately to respond to the [Israeli Prime Minister Ariel] Sharon visit to the holy sites in Jerusalem; Atta told bin Laden he was not ready yet. When bin Laden learned that Sharon, who had become Israel’s prime minister in March 2001, was going to visit the White House early that summer, he again pressed Atta to attack immediately. And again Atta demurred, arguing he needed more time to get the plan and the team ready to go.” [The 15th of the month used for date sorting purposes only.]
– Bruce Riedel, The Search for Al Qaeda, Page 6