Cylinder
10th April 2008, 06:28 PM
It's a bit of old news - being specified on Feb. 11, 2008 - but I have yet to see an discussion of the copious amount of detail into the "Planes Operation" and the preperation of the 9-11 attacks provided by the Military Commission Charge Sheet [PDF (http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Feb2008/d20080211chargesheet.pdf)] for the 9/11 co-conspirators currently being held by JTF Guantanamo.
First, the accused:
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed: the chief architect of the 9-11 attacks . KSM originated the idea of a much larger Planes Operation," personally pitched it to OBL, and oversaw most of its execution. KSM was captured by Pakistani intelligence agents - possibly with the assistance of US agents - in Rawalpindi, Pakistan on March 1, 2003.
Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarek Bin Attash: an al Qaeda lieutenant. Attash
administered a 6-week training camp in Logar, Afghanistan from which some of the 9-11 hijackers were selected, researched air carrier timetables to coordinate the attacks, served as a language tutor to hijackers, reconnoitered airlines security for OPSEC procedures and delivered a written report to KSM. Attash was captured by US forces in Karachi, Pakistan during May of 2003.
Ramzi Binalshibh: an al Qaeda lieutenant and prospective hijacker. As a member of the Hamburg cell, Binalshibh traveled to Kandahar to participate in hijacker training where he was selected along with Atta, Jarrah and Marwan al Shehhi (a United Flight 175 hijacker) for the Planes Operation. Binalshibh met with KSM and Atta - the operational commander for the 9-11 attacks - began computer-assisted flight training and recorded a martyrdom video before his inability to gain a US travel visa precluded his operational role in the plot. After the fourth and last failed visa application, Binalshibh served as Atta's handler. In August 2001, Binalshibh reported to KSM that Atta has chosen a date for the Planes Operation - September 11, 2001. Ramzi Binalshibh was captured by Pakistani forces in Karachi on September 11, 2002.
Ali Abdul Aziz Ali: an al Qaeda bagman and travel agent. On numerous occasions, Ali transfered money from al Qaeda sources to banks in the United States. In addition, Ali booked airline tickets and arranged hotel reservations for most of the hijackers. Ali was captured on April 29, 2003, in Pakistan.
Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi: an al Qaeda media producer and bagman. Hawsawi assisted Aziz Ali in dispersing funds to hijackers inside the United States. In addition, Hawsawi assisted OBL in making propaganda videos for the Planes Operation and is seen with OBL in videos made shortly after the attacks discussing the operation. Hawsawi was captured in Pakistan on March 1, 2003.
Mohamed al Kahtani: Of the six co-defendants, Kahtani's involvement is probably the most enigmatic. On August 4, 2001, Mohamed al Kahtani traveled from Dubai to Orlando, FL. Kahtani was flagged by INS because of his one-way ticket. During the subsequent interview, Kahtani told someone "upstairs" at Orlando International would be there to pick him up. When INS asked for the name of his companion, Kahtani recanted, was denied entry and sent back to Dubai. In his INS itinerary, Kahtani provided as his contact number the number associated with Mustafa al Hawsawi. Kahtani was recaptured in Afghanistan shortly after the US-led invasion of that country.
In order to secure convictions on the capital charges, the US government must prove (among others) the following elements of the specifications:
161. On September 11, 2001, Mohamed Atta, Abdul Aziz al Omari, Satam al Suqami, Waleed al Shehri, and Wail al Shehri hijacked American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767, which had departed from Boston, Massachusetts, at approximately 7:59 a.m. They crashed Flight 11 into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan at approximately 8:46 a.m., causing the collapse of the tower and the deaths of 87 passengers and crew members on board, and thousands of persons in and around the World Trade Center. (See Charge Sheet Appendix A for list of individuals killed on Flight 11 and at the site of the World Trade Center).
162. On September 11, 2001, Marwan al Shehhi, Hamza al Ghamdi, Fayez Banihammad, Mohand al Shehri, and Ahmed al Ghamdi, hijacked United Airlines Flight 175, a Boeing 767, which had departed from Boston, Massachusetts, at approximately 8:14 a.m. They crashed Flight 175 into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan at approximately 9:03 a.m., causing the collapse of the tower and the deaths of 60 passengers and crew members on board, and thousands of persons in and around the World Trade Center. (See Charge Sheet Appendix A for list of individuals killed on Flight 175 and at the site of the World Trade Center).
163. On September 11, 2001, Hani Hanjour, Khalid al Mihdhar, Majed Moqed, Nawaf al Hazmi, and Salem al Hazmi hijacked American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757, which had departed from Dulles, Virginia, at approximately 8:20 a.m. They crashed Flight 77 into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, at approximately 9:37 a.m., causing the deaths of 59 passengers and crew members on board and 125 persons in the Pentagon. (See Charge Sheet Appendix A for list of individuals killed on Flight 77 and at the Pentagon).
164. On September 11, 2001, Ziad Jarrah, Saeed al Ghamdi, Ahmed al Nami, and Ahmed al Haznawi hijacked United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757, which had departed from Newark, New Jersey, at approximately 8:42 a.m. After resistance by several passengers, Flight 93 crashed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, at approximately 10:03 a.m., killing all 40 passengers and crew members on board. (See Charge Sheet Appendix A for list of individuals killed on Flight 93).
Charge Sheet Appendix A - consisting of 65 of the document's 90 pages - lists the names of all 2,973 victims of the attacks that took place on September 11, 2001.
First, the accused:
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed: the chief architect of the 9-11 attacks . KSM originated the idea of a much larger Planes Operation," personally pitched it to OBL, and oversaw most of its execution. KSM was captured by Pakistani intelligence agents - possibly with the assistance of US agents - in Rawalpindi, Pakistan on March 1, 2003.
Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarek Bin Attash: an al Qaeda lieutenant. Attash
administered a 6-week training camp in Logar, Afghanistan from which some of the 9-11 hijackers were selected, researched air carrier timetables to coordinate the attacks, served as a language tutor to hijackers, reconnoitered airlines security for OPSEC procedures and delivered a written report to KSM. Attash was captured by US forces in Karachi, Pakistan during May of 2003.
Ramzi Binalshibh: an al Qaeda lieutenant and prospective hijacker. As a member of the Hamburg cell, Binalshibh traveled to Kandahar to participate in hijacker training where he was selected along with Atta, Jarrah and Marwan al Shehhi (a United Flight 175 hijacker) for the Planes Operation. Binalshibh met with KSM and Atta - the operational commander for the 9-11 attacks - began computer-assisted flight training and recorded a martyrdom video before his inability to gain a US travel visa precluded his operational role in the plot. After the fourth and last failed visa application, Binalshibh served as Atta's handler. In August 2001, Binalshibh reported to KSM that Atta has chosen a date for the Planes Operation - September 11, 2001. Ramzi Binalshibh was captured by Pakistani forces in Karachi on September 11, 2002.
Ali Abdul Aziz Ali: an al Qaeda bagman and travel agent. On numerous occasions, Ali transfered money from al Qaeda sources to banks in the United States. In addition, Ali booked airline tickets and arranged hotel reservations for most of the hijackers. Ali was captured on April 29, 2003, in Pakistan.
Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi: an al Qaeda media producer and bagman. Hawsawi assisted Aziz Ali in dispersing funds to hijackers inside the United States. In addition, Hawsawi assisted OBL in making propaganda videos for the Planes Operation and is seen with OBL in videos made shortly after the attacks discussing the operation. Hawsawi was captured in Pakistan on March 1, 2003.
Mohamed al Kahtani: Of the six co-defendants, Kahtani's involvement is probably the most enigmatic. On August 4, 2001, Mohamed al Kahtani traveled from Dubai to Orlando, FL. Kahtani was flagged by INS because of his one-way ticket. During the subsequent interview, Kahtani told someone "upstairs" at Orlando International would be there to pick him up. When INS asked for the name of his companion, Kahtani recanted, was denied entry and sent back to Dubai. In his INS itinerary, Kahtani provided as his contact number the number associated with Mustafa al Hawsawi. Kahtani was recaptured in Afghanistan shortly after the US-led invasion of that country.
In order to secure convictions on the capital charges, the US government must prove (among others) the following elements of the specifications:
161. On September 11, 2001, Mohamed Atta, Abdul Aziz al Omari, Satam al Suqami, Waleed al Shehri, and Wail al Shehri hijacked American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767, which had departed from Boston, Massachusetts, at approximately 7:59 a.m. They crashed Flight 11 into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan at approximately 8:46 a.m., causing the collapse of the tower and the deaths of 87 passengers and crew members on board, and thousands of persons in and around the World Trade Center. (See Charge Sheet Appendix A for list of individuals killed on Flight 11 and at the site of the World Trade Center).
162. On September 11, 2001, Marwan al Shehhi, Hamza al Ghamdi, Fayez Banihammad, Mohand al Shehri, and Ahmed al Ghamdi, hijacked United Airlines Flight 175, a Boeing 767, which had departed from Boston, Massachusetts, at approximately 8:14 a.m. They crashed Flight 175 into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan at approximately 9:03 a.m., causing the collapse of the tower and the deaths of 60 passengers and crew members on board, and thousands of persons in and around the World Trade Center. (See Charge Sheet Appendix A for list of individuals killed on Flight 175 and at the site of the World Trade Center).
163. On September 11, 2001, Hani Hanjour, Khalid al Mihdhar, Majed Moqed, Nawaf al Hazmi, and Salem al Hazmi hijacked American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757, which had departed from Dulles, Virginia, at approximately 8:20 a.m. They crashed Flight 77 into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, at approximately 9:37 a.m., causing the deaths of 59 passengers and crew members on board and 125 persons in the Pentagon. (See Charge Sheet Appendix A for list of individuals killed on Flight 77 and at the Pentagon).
164. On September 11, 2001, Ziad Jarrah, Saeed al Ghamdi, Ahmed al Nami, and Ahmed al Haznawi hijacked United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757, which had departed from Newark, New Jersey, at approximately 8:42 a.m. After resistance by several passengers, Flight 93 crashed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, at approximately 10:03 a.m., killing all 40 passengers and crew members on board. (See Charge Sheet Appendix A for list of individuals killed on Flight 93).
Charge Sheet Appendix A - consisting of 65 of the document's 90 pages - lists the names of all 2,973 victims of the attacks that took place on September 11, 2001.