Expand All Collapse All Extent 171 folders, 10,672 pages Summary This collection consists of press releases, executive orders, memoranda, newspaper articles, reports, papers, cables, handwritten notes, and briefing materials highlighting the ongoing effort of the Clinton administration to follow and track Osama Bin Laden across several continents in a concerted attempt to eliminate his terrorist network. That the vast majority of the records in this collection are closed for reasons of national security. Published sources reveal President Clinton tried unsuccessfully on a number of occasions to utilize American military forces to target and kill Bin Laden. He also called off proposed operations in a couple of instances for fear of massive collateral damage and the inevitable media backlash that would reflect negatively on the United States. Scope and Content Note The materials in 2006-0228-F are a selective, not necessarily all inclusive, body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult the archivist about related materials. The Clinton Administration spent time and resources tracking down Osama Bin Laden in its attempts to eliminate his terrorist network. These records show that the National Security Council utilized methods at its disposal to keep apprised of the whereabouts of the leader of Al-Qaeda. Published sources describe several unsuccessful military actions specifically targeting Bin Laden. There were also a number of occasions where the Clinton Administration held back from striking Bin Laden and his organization for fear of collateral damage and the possible ensuing media backlash. FOIA request 2006-0228-F consists of press releases, executive orders, memos, newspaper articles, reports, papers, cables, handwritten notes, and briefing materials. On the topic of Osama Bin Laden there are scarce routine communications in the files, and as a result the overwhelming majority of the material in this case, save for some open press material, is closed for reasons of national security. The open records reveal a few basic facts about Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda, the efforts of the Clinton Clinton Presidential Library’s web site 2006-0228-F http://www.clintonlibrary.gov 2 Administration to identify the financial resources of the terrorist organization, and press statements by Clinton and other leading officials of the increasing danger to the United States posed by the rise of Islamic nationalism. Record Type Textual System of Arrangement Records that were responsive to this FOIA request were found in these collection areas—Clinton Presidential Materials: WHORM Subject Files, Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files, and Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management Systems. The White House Office of Records Management (WHORM) contains a variety of series created to organize and track documents and correspondence. The WHORM Subject File was compiled by the White House Office of Records Management and is a series of categories designated by a letter/number combination. Staff and Office files were maintained at the folder level by staff members within their individual offices and document all levels of administration activity. WHORM files are processed at the document level; whereas, Staff and Office files are processed at the folder level, that is, individual documents are not selected and removed from a folder for processing. While this method maintains folder integrity, it frequently results in the incidental processing of documents that are not wholly responsive to the subject area. FOIA 2006-0228-F includes WHORM records from these subject codes: FG001-07 Appointments Granted, Presidential. Access Collection is open to all researchers. Access to Clinton Presidential Records is governed by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) (44 USC 2201) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 USC 552, as amended) and therefore records may be restricted in whole or in part in accordance with legal exemptions. Copyright Documents in this collection that were prepared by officials of the United States government as part of their official duties are in the public domain. Researchers are advised to consult the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, USC 101) which governs the making of photocopies and other reproductions of copyrighted material. Provenance Official records of William Jefferson Clinton’s presidency are housed at the Clinton Presidential Library and administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) under the provisions of the Presidential Records Act (PRA). Subject Headings Terrorism Terrorists Person Names Bin Laden, Osama, 1957-2011 Processed by Staff Archivist, 2010-2011. Previously restricted materials are added as they are released. Last Modified Date 2014-07-18 Container List The following is a list of documents and folders processed in response to FOIA 2006-0228-F: Box 1 Clinton Presidential Records: WHORM: Subject File Category Case Number FG001-07 417250 [Osama or Usama] FG001-07 425513 [Osama or Usama] [FG001-07] 417129 [Osama or Usama] Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files Counsel’s Office Ruff, Charles NSC – Osama Bin Laden [OA/ID 17988] National Security Council APNSA – Berger, Samuel Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism, UBL [ Usama Bin Laden] [OA/ID 2407] Intelligence Programs – Mitchell UBL [Usama Bin Laden], 1998 [OA/ID 3029] UBL Finances, 1999 [1] [OA/ID 3029] UBL Finances, 1999 [2] [OA/ID 3029] UBL Finances, 1999 [3] [OA/ID 3029] Legal Advisor – DeRosa, Mary UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – [E.O. on Economic Measures] [OA/ID 3200] Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files (continued) NESA – Pollack UBL/UAE [Usama Bin Laden/United Arab Emirates] [OA/ID 2582] Nonpro/Export Controls – Samore, Gary Bin Laden [1] [OA/ID 3021] Bin Laden [2] [OA/ID 3021] Press – Fallin/Stockwell Usama Bin Laden (Sudan) [OA/ID 3109] Staff Director – Soderberg, Nancy Terrorism – Usama Bin Laden [OA/ID 1408] Strategic Planning – Bobbitt, Philip UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Finances [1] [OA/ID 1753] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Finances [2] [OA/ID 1753] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Finances [3] [OA/ID 1753] CSG [Counter-Terrorism Security Group] Minutes – UBL [OA/ID 3528] Box 2 TNT – Clarke, Richard [UBL/Bin Laden] [1] [OA/ID 3784] [UBL/Bin Laden] [2] [OA/ID 3784] [UBL – Jordan Case] [OA/ID 3784] TNT – Cressey, Roger UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Embassy Bombings #1 [1] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Embassy Bombings #1 [2] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Embassy Bombings #1 [3] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Embassy Bombings #1 [4] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] - Embassy Bombings #1 [5] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Embassy Bombings #1 [6] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Embassy Bombings #1 [7] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Embassy Bombings #1 [8] [OA/ID 3188] Box 3 TNT – Cressey, Roger UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Post-Embassy Bombings [1] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Post-Embassy Bombings [2] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Post-Embassy Bombings [3] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Post-Embassy Bombings [4] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Post-Embassy Bombings [5] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Post-Embassy Bombings [6] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Post-Embassy Bombings [7] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Post-Embassy Bombings [8] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Post-Embassy Bombings [9] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Post-Embassy Bombings [10] [OA/ID 3188] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Finances [1] [OA/ID 3190] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Finances [2] [OA/ID 3190] Box 4 TNT – Cressey, Roger UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Finances [3] [OA/ID 3190] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Finances [4] [OA/ID 3190] Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files (continued) UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Finances [5] [OA/ID 3190] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Finances [6] [OA/ID 3190] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Related, 1999 [1] [OA/ID 3190] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Related, 1999 [2] [OA/ID 3190] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing [1] [OA/ID 3191] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing [2] [OA/ID 3191] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing [3] [OA/ID 3191] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing [4] [OA/ID 3191] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing [5] [OA/ID 3191] Box 5 TNT – Cressey, Roger UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing [6] [OA/ID 3191] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing [7] [OA/ID 3191] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing [8] [OA/ID 3191] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing [9] [OA/ID 3191] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing [10] [OA/ID 3191] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing [11] [OA/ID 3191] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing #2 [1] [OA/ID 3191] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing #2 [2] [OA/ID 3191] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing #2 [3] [OA/ID 3191] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing #2 [4] [OA/ID 3191] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Financing #2 [5] [OA/ID 3191] Box 6 TNT – Cressey, Roger UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Lebanon [OA/ID 3929] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Updates [1] [OA/ID 3929] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Updates [2] [OA/ID 3929] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Updates [3] [OA/ID 3929] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Drugs [OA/ID 3932] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Finances [1] [OA/ID 3932] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Finances [2] [OA/ID 3932] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Internet [OA/ID 3932] TNT – Gordon-Hagerty, Lisa Usama Bin Laden [UBL]/WMD Documents [1] [OA/ID 3553] Usama Bin Laden [UBL]/WMD Documents [2] [OA/ID 3553] TNT – Kurtz, Paul/Montgomery UBL [Usama Bin Laden], 2000 [1] [OA/ID 3578] UBL [Usama Bin Laden], 2000 [2] [OA/ID 3578] TNT - Simon, Steven Usama Bin Laden [1] [OA/ID 2243] Usama Bin Laden [2] [OA/ID 2243] Box 7 TNT – Simon, Steven Usama Bin Laden [3] [OA/ID 2243] Usama Bin Laden [4] [OA/ID 2243] Usama Bin Laden [5] [OA/ID 2243] Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files (continued) UBL [Usama Bin Laden] [OA/ID 2243] TNT - Simon, Steven/Benjamin, Daniel UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Finances [OA/ID 3927] [Usama] Bin Laden [1] [OA/ID 3928] [Usama] Bin Laden [2] [OA/ID 3928] Russia – UBL [Usama Bin Laden], Late 1999 [OA/ID 3928] TNT – Telleen, Erik K. [Usama] Bin Laden Background & Network [OA/ID 3924] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Related [OA/ID 3924] [Usama] Bin Laden – [USSS] Cole Attack [1] [OA/ID 3924] [Usama] Bin Laden – [USSS] Cole Attack [2] [OA/ID 3924] [Usama] Bin Laden – [USSS] Cole Attack [3] [OA/ID 3924] Box 8 TNT – Wechsler, William UBL [Usama Bin Laden] Disruption Ideas Folder [OA/ID 3926] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Related [1] [OA/ID 3926] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Related [2] [OA/ID 3926] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Related [3] [OA/ID 3926] UBL [Usama Bin Laden] – Related [4] [OA/ID 3926] Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management Systems NSC Records Management [UBL or Osama or Usama] 9805870 [OA/ID 2055] 9805958 [OA/ID 2056] 9806027 [OA/ID 2056] 9806085 [OA/ID 2057] 9900789 [OA/ID 2709] 9901266 [OA/ID 2713] 9902885 [OA/ID 2724] 9903209 [OA/ID 2726] 9904505 [OA/ID 2734] 9904777 [OA/ID 2736] 9905235 [OA/ID 2739] 9905785 [OA/ID 2743] 9905810 [OA/ID 2743] 9906524 [OA/ID 2747] 9907864 [OA/ID 2756] 9908157 [OA/ID 2758] 9909164 [OA/ID 2766] 0002388 [OA/ID 4085] 0004219 [OA/ID 4096] PC 0282 PC Meeting on Usama Bin Laden, 1998 [OA/ID 3906] Box 9 NSC Cables Jan 1993 – Dec 1994 [Bin Lad*; Osama; Usama] [01/20/1993 – 06/17/1993] [OA/ID 505000] Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management Systems (continued) [07/06/1993 – 11/03/1993] [OA/ID 505000] [01/07/1994 – 02/25/1994] [OA/ID 505000] [03/01/1994 – 04/30/1994] [OA/ID 505000] [05/03/1994 – 06/29/1994] [OA/ID 505000] [07/02/1994 – 10/22/1994] [OA/ID 505000] [11/04/1994 – 12/30/1994] [OA/ID 505000] Box 10 Jan 1995 – Dec 1996 [01/03/1995 – 01/18/1995] [OA/ID 510000] [02/02/1995 – 06/30/1995] [OA/ID 510000] [07/03/1995 – 07/28/1995] [OA/ID 510000] [08/03/1995 – 08/31/1995] [OA/ID 510000] [09/01/1995 – 09/27/1995] [OA/ID 510000] [10/02/1995 – 10/31/1995] [OA/ID 510000] [11/01/1995 – 11/30/1995] [OA/ID 510000] [12/01/1995 – 12/18/1995] [OA/ID 510000] [12/20/1995 – 12/28/1995] [OA/ID 510000] Box 11 [03/01/1996 – 03/14/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [03/15/1996 – 03/29/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [04/01/1996 – 04/05/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [04/08/1996 – 04/26/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [05/01/1996 – 05/15/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [05/16/1996 – 05/31/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [06/01/1996 – 06/11/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [06/12/1996 – 06/21/1996] [OA/ID 510000] Box 12 [06/22/1996 – 06/29/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [07/01/1996 – 07/05/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [07/06/1996 – 07/12/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [07/13/1996 – 07/19/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [07/20/1996 – 07/31/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [08/01/1996 – 08/10/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [08/12/1996 – 08/19/1996] [OA/ID 510000] Box 13 [08/20/1996 – 08/30/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [09/03/1996 – 09/10/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [09/11/1996 – 09/16/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [09/17/1996 – 09/22/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [09/23/1996 – 09/30/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [10/01/1996 – 10/07/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [10/08/1996 – 10/14/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [10/15/1996 – 10/18/1996] [OA/ID 510000] Box 14 Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management Systems (continued) [10/22/1996 – 10/31/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [11/01/1996 – 11/09/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [11/12/1996 – 11/21/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [11/22/1996 – 11/28/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [12/01/1996 – 12/16/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [12/17/1996 – 12/19/1996] [OA/ID 510000] [12/21/1996 – 12/31/1996] [OA/ID 510000] Box 15 NSC Emails MSMail – Record (Sept 94 – Sept 97) [Bin Lad*; UBL; Usama] [07/11/1995 – 12/19/1995] [OA/ID 590000] [02/20/1996 – 06/29/1996] [OA/ID 590000] [07/03/1996 – 07/22/1996] [OA/ID 590000] [08/01/1996 – 09/13/1996] [OA/ID 590000] [10/09/1996 – 11/22/1996] [OA/ID 590000] [01/02/1997 – 04/29/1997] [OA/ID 590000] [05/01/1997 – 05/22/1997] [OA/ID 590000] MSMail – Non-Record (Sept 94 – Sept 97) [Bin Lad*; Usama] [02/10/1996 – 05/22/1997] [OA/ID 605000] MSMail – Last Filtered Mail [Bin Lad*] [04/04/1997] [OA/ID 610000]