[wagglebee]

Which begs the question, was there, or why wasn't there, any intelligence agency noting/tracking short stock sales and/or puts ?

Because everything that is traded is shorted all of the time anyway out of mere speculation. The better method would be to identify the most likely people who may be trading based on knowledge of future attacks and intensely monitor their trades. However, even this would at best signal the probability of an attack, it wouldn't necessarily give any clues as to when or where the attack might occur.

[stylin19a]

Not in these two case...the shorting spikes in both cases were extra ordinary.

there was no apparent reason for either...

"After Sept. 11, Chicago Board Options Exchange data showed 1,575 put options purchased in United Airlines' parent company five days before the attacks. On an average day, only 390 such put options are purchased. Investors bought 2,258 put options in American Airlines parent company, compared with 220 on a typical day...."

and

"...Currency fell 6% in 10 days before London terror attacks...

Knowing what we know now, if it could have been applied pre 9/11,(tracking extra ordinary short selling) would/could airline security have been beefed up in time ? maybe...

As far as the pound being shorted, I'm afraid you are right. We'd know the potential target country, but little else.

I'm still thinking to has to be a way to track and use this type of info...