Secret C.I.A. Site in New York Was Destroyed on Sept. 11"The Central Intelligence Agency's clandestine New York station was destroyed in the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center, seriously disrupting United States intelligence operations while bringing the war on terrorism dangerously close to home for America's spy agency, government officials say.The C.I.A.'s undercover New York station was in the 47-story building at 7 World Trade Center, one of the smaller office towers destroyed in the aftermath of the collapse of the twin towers that morning. All of the agency's employees at the site were safely evacuated soon after the hijacked planes hit the twin towers, the officials said.A C.I.A. spokesman declined to comment.The agency's New York station was behind the false front of another federal organization, which intelligence officials requested that The Times not identify. The station was, among other things, a base of operations to spy on and recruit foreign diplomats stationed at the United Nations, while debriefing selected American business executives and others willing to talk to the C.I.A. after returning from overseas.But United States intelligence officials emphasize that there is no evidence that the hijackers knew that the undercover station was in the World Trade Center complex.The agency is prohibited from conducting domestic espionage operations against Americans, but the agency maintains stations in a number of major United States cities, where C.I.A. case officers try to meet and recruit students and other foreigners to return to their countries and spy for the United States. The New York station, which has been led by its first female station chief for the last year, is believed to have been the largest and most important C.I.A. domestic station outside the Washington area.The station has for years played an important role in espionage operations against Russian intelligence officers, many of whom work undercover as diplomats at the United Nations. Agency officers in New York often work with the F.B.I. to recruit and then help manage foreign agents spying for the United States. The bureau's New York office, at 26 Federal Plaza, was unaffected by the terrorist attack." - New York Times (11/04/01)
CIA office near World Trade Center destroyed in attacks"A CIA office operating at 7 World Trade Center was destroyed when the building came down after planes crashed into the twin towers, a U.S. official has confirmed to CNN.The official said the destroyed CIA office was engaged in counterterrorist and counterintelligence operations. "We're relocated, and we're in operation," said the official.Officials looked for documents to make sure none had scattered, and that they have "no reason to believe" any materials got into the hands of the "wrong people," the source said.The official would not discuss precisely what type of activities were conducted at the undercover office. The New York Times reported that the office "was, among other things, a base of operations to spy on and recruit foreign diplomats stationed at the United Nations, while de-briefing selected American business executives and others willing to talk to the CIA after returning from overseas."The official said no CIA employees were killed in the collapse of the building. 7 World Trade Center was one of a number of smaller buildings in the area that were destroyed after the twin towers collapsed." -CNN (11/04/05)
CIA office near World Trade Center destroyed in attacks"A CIA office operating at 7 World Trade Center was destroyed when the building came down after planes crashed into the twin towers, a U.S. official has confirmed to CNN.The official said the destroyed CIA office was engaged in counterterrorist and counterintelligence operations. "We're relocated, and we're in operation," said the official.Officials looked for documents to make sure none had scattered, and that they have "no reason to believe" any materials got into the hands of the "wrong people," the source said.The official would not discuss precisely what type of activities were conducted at the undercover office. The New York Times reported that the office "was, among other things, a base of operations to spy on and recruit foreign diplomats stationed at the United Nations, while de-briefing selected American business executives and others willing to talk to the CIA after returning from overseas."The official said no CIA employees were killed in the collapse of the building. 7 World Trade Center was one of a number of smaller buildings in the area that were destroyed after the twin towers collapsed." -CNN (11/04/05)
