White House Asked AP To Hold Story On Foiled Al Qaeda Terror Plot

The White House embargoed the Associate Press from reporting about an Al Qaeda terror plot that would have occurred around the anniversary of the death of Osama bin Laden. The plot was preemptively foiled by the Central Intelligence Agency before it could be successful. The White House allegedly embargoed the story until Tuesday, but the AP reported on the incident one day earlier than the Obama administration had requested.

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AP Reporter Adam Goldman wrote on Monday that the AP agreed to White House demands that the report be held for several days due to security concerns:

The AP learned about the thwarted plot last week but agreed to White House and CIA requests not to publish it immediately because the sensitive intelligence operation was still under way. Once officials said those concerns were allayed, the AP decided to disclose the plot Monday despite requests from the Obama administration to wait for an official announcement Tuesday.

Politico reporter Dylan Byers quoteed AP spokesperson Paul Colford who would confirm only

what was originally in Goldman’s story and “the piece does make clear that we held off until today because of the White House concerns. We reported on the story once the security concerns were met.”

“AP agreed to White House and CIA requests not to publish it immediately because the sensitive intelligence operation was still under way,” Goldman tweeted. “AP decided to disclose the plot Monday despite requests from the Obama administration to wait for an official announcement Tuesday.”

An official comment from the White House is said to be forthcoming.