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NYC Businessman Plotted Post-9/11 Attacks

Former travel agent colluded with 9/11 planner Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 26, 2011 3:20 PM CDT

(Newser) – Al-Qaeda operatives pushed for a series of attacks following 9/11, but the plans were foiled following the capture of leading figures, WikiLeaks documents say. Among the plots discussed were attacking West Coast aircraft, blowing up a gas-filled apartment and gas stations, and cutting cables on the Brooklyn Bridge, the New York Times reports. One key planner: a 63-year-old longtime New York travel agent.

According to the documents, Saifullah Paracha—possibly the oldest prisoner at Guantanamo—“desired to help Al Qaeda ‘do something big against the US,’” said a co-conspirator. To that end, he collaborated with 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, looking into smuggling explosives into the country or using biological weapons. But an ACLU rep says the documents’ material is “rife with uncorroborated evidence, information obtained through torture, speculation, errors and allegations that have been proven false.” Click through for more on Paracha’s reported family links to terrorism. Or read more about Gitmo revelations.

Uzair Paracha, son of Saifullah, also had terror links, according to WikiLeaks documents. (Getty Images)

Saifullah Paracha. (Getty Images)

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NYC Businessman Plotted Post-9/11 Attacks

Former travel agent colluded with 9/11 planner Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

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terrorism • Guantanamo Bay • Khalid Sheikh Mohammed • al-Qaeda • WikiLeaks • Saifullah Paracha • Uzair Paracha

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