A visual record of PENTTBOM.com, from a website registered shortly after September 11, through the FOIA era, a decade of dormancy, and the modern PENTTBOMB revival.
A quick map of the domain’s strange little voyage through the early web, FOIA research, parked-domain limbo, and revival.
The old domain is not just a URL. It is a fossil from several eras of 9/11 internet research.
PENTTBOM.com was first registered shortly after the September 11 attacks by Steven J. Simmons. The earliest known Internet Archive snapshot dates to September 24, 2001, only thirteen days after the attacks.
Hello, my name is Steve. I work for a major aircraft manufacturer in the Seattle, WA area. I am a graduate of Washington State University. I have a wife and three kids. We all live near the town of Black Diamond. I enjoy hiking at Mount Rainier.
In 2008, the domain was revived by Scott Bingham, whose work through Flight77.info and PENTTBOM.com documented major FOIA efforts relating to government-held 9/11 footage and records.
We uncovered the existence of 85 other 9/11 related videos that the government was holding as part of the larger PENTTBOM investigation.
After several years of activity, archived captures suggest the site gradually became inactive. By the early 2010s, PENTTBOM.com had largely disappeared from the active web and spent much of the following decade unused or listed for sale.
On December 6, 2024, the original PENTTBOM.com domain was acquired again. Rather than overwriting its history, it was preserved as a redirect to PENTTBOMB.com, a modern community focused on media preservation, public records, lost footage research, and open discussion.
Selected captures from the Internet Archive showing how PENTTBOM.com changed across different eras.
Steven J. Simmons Era
Earliest known archived snapshot of PENTTBOM.com, captured 13 days after the September 11 attacks. The page shows a simple early-web memorial/information layout.
View archived snapshot →
Early PENTTBOM Information Site
A later 2001 snapshot showing a more developed PENTTBOM Investigation layout, with navigation, timelines, and explanatory text.
View archived snapshot →
Redesigned Early-2000s Site
By mid-2002, the site had shifted into a darker, more structured early-2000s web design while still explaining the PENTTBOM investigation.
View archived snapshot →
Dormant / For Sale Period
A parked-domain snapshot showing PENTTBOM.com listed for sale, marking the beginning of a long dormant chapter.
View archived snapshot →
Scott Bingham FOIA Era
Scott Bingham’s revived PENTTBOM.com, documenting FOIA work, video releases, and records connected to the wider PENTTBOM investigative file.
View archived snapshot →
The modern project is independent from previous owners, but inspired by the historical significance of the original domain.
PENTTBOMB.com now operates as a community-driven research forum and archive hub focused on preserving, documenting, and discussing historically significant 9/11-related material.
