An al-Qaeda terror authority chillingly speculated "they'll probably try to finish the job" shortly before he died in the harrowing 9/11 tragedy.
John O'Neill, with an impressive 31-year track record at the FBI , ascended to the role of counter-terror division chief in Washington D. C., followed by a stint as New York City's principal guardian against national security threats.
He first cut his teeth on terrorism cases during the aftermath of the 1993 bomb attack on the World Trade Center a precursor event involving a lethal van bomb set off by al-Qaeda beneath the North Tower, which resulted in the deaths of six people, a full eight years in advance of the notorious 9/11 assaults on the same location.
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O'Neill, 49 and nearing the peak of his career, made the difficult choice to resign from the FBI as his forewarnings of further al-Qaeda incursions on American turf went unheeded. He then embraced a new challenge as the World Trade Center's head of security, only to meet his untimely end when the South Tower crumbled a mere fortnight later.
Born and bred in Atlantic City, O'Neill developed an intricate knowledge of international terrorist factions like al-Qaeda and earned the reputation as the premier FBI specialist on Osama bin Laden.
In a conversation laden with foreboding, Mr. O'Neill confided to his pal, ABC News producer Chris Isham, back in August 2001 about the World Trade Center's susceptibility to yet another act of terrorism this not long after the direct impact of the 1993 calamity.
Amidst their exchange, Isham offhandedly remarked "at least they're not going to bomb it again," prompting a grave response from Mr. O'Neill who ominously affirmed "they'll probably try to finish the job."
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Mr O'Neill was in his 34th-floor office in the South Tower when the first plane hit the North Tower. He managed to escape and even spoke to his adult son on his cell phone, assuring him he was unharmed.
Around this time, several witnesses, including filmmaker Jules Naudet, spotted him near the towers. Naudet even filmed Mr O'Neill in the North Tower's lobby before it collapsed.
His longtime friend and fellow FBI agent, Wesley Wong, also saw him. The last time Wong saw Mr O'Neill, he was heading towards the South Tower, likely to help with the evacuation and collect surveillance footage. Tragically, Mr O'Neill's remains were found in the rubble on September 21.
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