WASHINGTON (AFP) ??” frequently of the intelligence that readyed US authorities to raise alerts around major financial institutions indicated that Al-Qaeda studied the sites as potential targets before the September 11 2001 attacks.

WASHINGTON (AFP) ??” frequently of the intelligence that readyed US authorities to raise alerts around major financial institutions indicated that Al-Qaeda studied the sites as potential targets before the September 11 2001 attacks, The Washington office said.

The newspaper cited anonymous US intelligence and law enforcement officials as saying that principally of the information was at least three years olden and had been obtained within the Internet or other "open sources" available to the public, including about floor plans.

"There is nothing right now that we're hearing that is new" said undivided senior law enforcement official who was briefed forward the alert. "Why did we make progress to this level? ... I still don't know that."

A Homeland Security alert was issued Sunday identifying as possible Al-Qaeda targets the just discovered York Stock Exchange and Citigroup in of the present day York City, Prudential Finance in Newark, novel Jersey, and the World Bank and