Osama bin Laden’s ‘Letter to America’ Finds a New Generation

According to the “American Taliban,” John Walker Lindh, the September 11 attacks were supposed to be the first of a three-stage assault on the United States.

In one of his FBI interrogations, Lindh — who had direct contact with Osama bin Laden and was informed of al-Qaeda’s preparation for attacks inside the United States — said that 9/11 was just the beginning. The “second attack would involve attacking nuclear facilities, oil/gas pipelines, or some kind of biological attack,” the FBI’s report read. Part two would “bring the U.S. to its knees,” Lindh contended. A third unspecified attack would “finish it off.”

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.

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According to the “American Taliban,” John Walker Lindh, the September 11 attacks were supposed to be the first of a three-stage assault on the United States.

In one of his FBI interrogations, Lindh — who had direct contact with Osama bin Laden and was informed of al-Qaeda’s preparation for attacks inside the United States — said that 9/11 was just the beginning. The “second attack would involve attacking nuclear facilities, oil/gas pipelines, or some kind of biological attack,” the FBI’s report read. Part two would “bring the U.S. to its knees,” Lindh contended. A third unspecified attack would “finish it off.”

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.