On Friday, Al-Qaida confirmed that bin Laden is indeed dead, adding his blood will not be wasted. Apparently neither will any of the reams of intelligence information contained in a bin Laden playbook and other materials seized at his compound. Intelligence agents say one plan included recruiting U.S. minorities for attacks.
The collection of electronic and other materials taken from the bin Laden compound contain a strategic playbook of his plans. No current plots were uncovered, but bin Laden was constantly thinking of new ways to attack the U.S.
"So obviously the first thing when the helicopter got back into Afghanistan was the CIA pounced on that stuff cause they knew minute by minute it was aging right in front of their eyes," said former national security advisor Patrick Hatcher, Ph.D.
Hatcher teaches international security policy and worked at the National Security Agency. Some of the material seized included proposed attacks on water supplies, rail, air, subways, hotels and shopping centers. The playbook included trying to enlist minorities to carry out attacks in order to incite class warfare -- a plan Hatcher says other enemies have tried but it has failed.
"Bad thinking in their part, that they could do this, that they could manipulate the Chicano community in the country or can manipulate African-Americans," said Hatcher.
"By using the tool of minorities as terrorists, he wants to create unrest," said former FBI special agent Brad Garrett.
He says while the CIA pours through the rest of the documents Al-Qaida will be rebooting.
"So the safe house will be gone, any kind of courier networks will be redone, for those who survive," said Hatcher.
A plan just revealed included a way for terrorists to obtain international driving permits that would allow sleeper cells to qualify for government IDs so they could travel with ease. Despite analysts reports there was a strategy to attack Americans on major holidays and anniversaries. The plot to attack passenger trains brought mixed reaction among Oakland Amtrack passengers.
"I'm not going to walk around in fear. You can't live your life that way. If you do, you're not living," said Amtrack passenger Phil Miedema.
"I'm a little hesitant, but I'd like to think that they've increased security measures to kind of counteract this new information," said Amtrack passenger Jacob Wagland.
To give you an idea of the task ahead for the CIA, analysts are going to have to comb through 2.7 terabytes of information. That's equal to more than a fifth of what's in the entire Library Of Congress.
