The Saudi authorities first mentioned Awfi as a member of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in December 2003.

BBC: NEWS | Middle East | Profile: Saudi al-Qaeda leader

But it suggests he will not plead guilty to aiding enemies of the US (identified by prosecutors as al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula), violating federal espionage and computer laws - charges for which he could face life in prison if found guilty.

BBC: Bradley Manning 'offers guilty plea' in Wikileaks case

The U.S. military accelerated strikes against Yemen-based Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula following December's failed attempt by the group to blow up a Detroit-bound American airliner.

WSJ: Covert CIA Role in Yemen Proposed

It now turns out that our intelligence community knew of other red flags -- that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula sought to strike not only American targets in Yemen, but the United States itself.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Speaks to the Press After Security Meeting

The Arabic-speaking Brennan, who was once CIA station chief in Saudi Arabia, in a sense became the "case officer" for the Yemen "account, " traveling to Yemen seven times since al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula sent the so-called underwear bomber to try and bring down Northwest Flight 235 over Detroit on Christmas Day 2009.

CNN: John Brennan, Obama's drone warrior