Khalid al-Mihdhar
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Khalid al-Mihdhar
Khalid al-Mihdhar (born: May 16, 1975) was a hijacker on American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon.
Background
Al-Mihdhar was born in Mecca in Saudi Arabia.[1] Al-Mihdhar, along with Nawaf al-Hazmi, had previous mujahadeen experience -- both travelled together with a group in 1995 to fight in Bosnia, and had travelled to Afghanistan numerous times before being assigned to the "planes" operation in 1999 by Osama bin Laden.[1]
Timeline
1999
- April 7 - Al-Mihdhar obtained a B-1/B-2 (tourist/business) multiple-entry visa issued at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He had obtained a new passport shortly before applying for the visa.[2]
2000
- January 15 - Al-Mihdhar and Al-Hamzi arrived in Los Angeles, on a flight from Bangkok. They were both admitted as tourists for a six-month stay.[3]
- April 5 - Al-Mihdhar (along with Al-Hamzi) acquired a California driver’s license.[3]
- June 10 - Al-Mihdhar left the United States against the wishes of the operational organizer of the plot, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. He traveled to Yemen.[3]
2001
- June 13 - Mihdhar applied for and received his second B-1/B-2 (tourist/business) visa in Jeddah. Mihdhar’s passport had been issued only 13 days earlier and, like up two other hijackers, it contained an indicator of possible terrorist affiliation still unknown at that time to U.S. intelligence officials. His application was incomplete. For example, he listed his occupation as “businessman,” but left blank the name and street address of his present employer. Mihdhar’s application also indicated that he had not previously applied for a U.S. visa or been to the United States, though he had in fact traveled to the United States on a B-1/B-2 visa issued in April 1999 (also in Jeddah). Thus, his application contained two false statements. However, the State Department’s computer system was not set up to catch these false statements by bringing up Mihdhar’s prior visa history. Mihdhar’s application was processed through the Visa Express program, and his application was submitted by Al Tayyar Travel. It is possible that these questions were answered falsely because of a mistake by the travel agency personnel; and unlike Ghamdi’s, Mihdhar’s application was signed only on the line for the “preparer” of the application. It is unclear why Mihdhar or the travel agency would wish to hide the fact of his prior travel. Mihdhar may have feared that it could compromise operational security of the 9/11 plot. He also may not have wanted to highlight that he had obtained a new passport since his previous visa. Consular officials have told the 9/11 Commission that evidence of the prior visas or travel to the United States actually would have reduced concern that the applicants were intending to immigrate. Thus, if the officers had learned the truth about these issues—and received an adequate explanation for the mistakes on the applications—they likely would have had no good reason to deny visas to these hijackers. On the other hand, if they had interviewed Mihdhar, Nami, and Ghamdi and received suspicious answers to their questions, the outcome might well have been different.[3]
- July 4 - Mihdhar reentered the United States at JFK Airport. He was on no watchlist, though he should have been watchlisted in January 2000. He was admitted as a business visitor for three months—the standard at JFK for a business entry.[3]
- July 10 - Mihdhar, Nawaf al Hazmi, and Omari acquired USA identification cards.[3] The address used "161 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY" is for the Ramada Inn Eastside.
- August 1 - Mihdhar and Hanjour fraudulently obtained Virginia identification cards in Falls Church.[3]
Documents
Identification obtained by Khalid al Mihdhar |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. "Chapter 5", 9/11 Commission Report.
- ↑ National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. "Notes and references (Chapter 5, Note #41)", 9/11 Commission Report.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Staff Monograph on 9/11 and Terrorist Travel. 9/11 Commission (2004).
External links
- Three Hijackers Had San Diego Ties, 10news.com