LarsonMDR CIA Plot and Plotters

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Washington,.C.20505

Mr. Erik Larson 29 November20Il

Reference: EOM-2012-00364Dear Mr. Larson:

Your facsimileof 4 November2011 requested n ExecutiveOrder 13526mandatorydeclassificationeview of the following:l. CIA intelligence eport"FacilitatingDisaster:An Overview of 11 SeptemberFinance."812212002.2. Cl{intelligence report re: 9lll plot. 61112003.3 CIA intelligence eport re: 91 112001 817 2002.4. CIA intelligence eport re: 9 11120019 | 6 12002.5. 12 classifiedCIA intelligence eportsprovided o the Joint Inquiry Staff.6. Index of CIA documents upplied o the Joint Inquiry.812012002.7. Documents elating to the CIA report "The Plot and the Plotters" and CIA

documents esponsive o Commission'sDCI Request 5. All documents ated2002-2003.UU2002.8. CIA documents e: Hambali (Document ype: Intelligence eports).9. IntelligenceTelegram Document ype). 185pages.NARA retrieval#34100013 0371810. ntelligenceTelegram Document ype). 12pages.NARA retrieval# 34r 000140039511. IntelligenceTelegram Document ype). 167pages.NARA retrieval#34r 00015 043212. ntelligenceReport(Document ype). 150pages.NARA retrieval# 34r 000200058413.Memo of intelligence e: hijackers.

With regard o Item I of your request,we are currently processinga request or thesame ecord from another equester. Once our researchand review of that request scompleted,we will forward to you the sameClA-originated ecord, f released.We have asubstantialbacklog, which we areworking diligently to reduce, so we are unable to estimatewhenwe will completeour review. However,we will notify you once heprocessing f theoriginal request s complete.


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With regard o Item 6 of your request,our records ndicateyou submittedan earlierrequest or records on this samesubjectunderthe Freedom of Information Act (ReferenceNumberF-2011-00625) nda response asprovidedon 17 May 2011. Encloseds a copy ofour response.With regard o the first portion of Item 7 the CIA report, ooThePlot and the Plotters,"we located a recent review of the documentwherewe had determined hat it could bereleasedn sanitized orm. We areproviding you a copy of this current eview on the basisof Section3.5(d)of ExecutiveOrder 13526.With regard o Items 2, 3, 4, 5, the second ortionof Item 7, andltems 8, 9, 10, I 1,12, and13, n accordance ith Section3.5(a)(1)of ExecutiveOrder 13526,a mandatorydeclassification eview must describe he documentor material containing the informationwith sufficient specificity to enable he agency o locate t with a reasonableamountof effort.Sinceyour requestdescribes ecordsmaintainedby the National Archives and RecordsAdministration, it doesnot sufficiently describeany requesteddocuments hat the CIA could

locate o enable heprocessing f this request.Therefore,we must decline o process heseitems of your request.

SusanInformation and ViscusoPrivacyCoordinatorEnclosures

Sincerely,


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Centralntelligencegency,ffiWashinston,.C.20505

17 Mav 20lIMr. Erik Larson967 Millwood LaneGreatFalls,V A22066Reference:F-20 I-00625Dear Mr. Larson:

This is a final responseo your 12 January2011 Freedomof Information Act(FOIA) request or copiesof any and all records CIA created n response o, or asa result of, the document (or records) requestsof the CongressionalJointIntelligence Committee Inquiry into the 9lll attacks(JICI). We processed ourrequest n accordance ith the FOIA, 5 U.S.C.$ 552, as amended, nd he CIAInformation Act, 50 U.S.C.$ 431, as amended.Our processingncludeda search orrecordsas described n our 18 February20ll acceptanceetter existing hrough he dateof that etter.We completeda thoroughsearch or records esponsive o your requestandlocatedmaterialwhich we determineds currentlyandproperlyclassifiedand must be

denied n its entiretyon the basisof FOIA exemptions bXl) and(bX3). Exemption(bX3) pertains o informationexempt rom disclosure y statute. The relevantstatute sthe Central ntelligence gencyAct of L949,50U.S.C.$ 403, asamended, .g.,Section6, which exempts rom the disclosure equirementnformationpertaining o theorganization,unctions, ncluding hose elated o theprotectionof intelligencesourcesand methods,names,official titles,salaries, nd numbersof personnel mployedby theAgency. An explanationof exemptionss enclosed.As theCIA Information and PrivacyCoordinator, am the CIA official responsibleor this determination.You have he rightto appeal his responseo the AgencyReleasePanel, n my care,within 45 days rom thedateof this letter. Please nclude he basisof your appeal.

SusanViscusoInformation and Privacy Coordinator

Sincerely,

Enclosure


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ScopeNote lU l

1l Sepuember:The Plot and the Plotters lUlOur knowledge f the I I Septemberlot is still inoeasingandevolving-this paperdoesnot representll we will everknow about he attacks.nformalionn thispaperis current hroughMay 2003.1 I

in thisassessmentredrawn iom analysis f a varietyof sources

frequentlywere brcedsome f the udgmentsprovideda greatdeal of information on theasdetails on hoW he plot came together and who was involved. The informationon heactivities f the ithin the United States s from the FBI, INS,and heFAA

Thispublication'ocusesn theeventseading o the I Septemberttacks nd heactual articipantsn theattacks. ince I September001,wehavedentifiedhel9 individualswho carriedout theattacks. acaiasMoussaoui, ho s thesubjectof a US criminal investigation-and others who may have been nvolved, have notbeen ncluded n this publicatiorl INoteon our useof names: ecausef the engthandcomplexity f MiddleEastern ames,we tend o useabbreviatedersionsOf henameof the t9 hijackersthroughouthisasscssment.he ullerand ormallycorreclnames recapturednthe ndividual au sheetsn appendix . It is commonor ndividuals ithArabicnameso havebur or motepans o their name o distinguish etweenatherandsonor brothers ith similarmultiple-nameonstructs.U)Individualsandplacespicturedon the front cover:LeJt ide,irs1photo:Phonsof hii,ackersaniHaniurantlMajid 'AttJi(a,k.u. Majitl Muqil)l ILeftsitle,econdhoto:Hiiacker'Abdl-Aeizal'Umari.Lcft side, thlrd photct: Hiiackersfron United Airlines ight 175.Left side, ftiurth phottt: Hiiacker Ahnnd al'Haz4ctwlggattrrlmt ed in a testimonial video.Leftside, tfth ph^to: Hiiacker'pikn Ziad JaffaLeft sirle,si-rtfi hoto:Photot l'hijackersMulwtnmadAtlaancl

Abdal-Azizul-unuri as

have ncluded all information we deemedcrediblebut

they puss hrcugh the Portland Intemational (Maine

This research aperwas prepared y theDCI CounterterroristCenter'sOfnc" otf...orist nn*Vst.Commentsandqueriesaiewelcomeandmaybedirected.t -I '


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GontentsSoope Note (UlThe 1 1 SeotemberPlot: TheEvolution f the Actacks Ul

AppendixesA. The11 SeptemberHijackers: ivense achs oB. Hijeokers' rofiles U)C. TimelinesUlD. Other Publicationsn bhe11 September tLacks U)


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Key Findingstul

The11 Septamber OOl Plot:The Evolutlonof the Attacks tUlThe plot to altack heUnited States n I I September 001evolvedover a periodof severalyears,and ts roots goback even unher to tlre bombing of the WorldTradeCenter n 1993.An invgstigation f the I I September nackshasrevealedthat one of its chief planners,Khalid ShaykhMuhammad,s not only the uncleof RarnziYousef-the mastermind f the I 993plot-btrt alsoprovided unds,training, ndother upporto theconspiratorsf thebombingn 1993'

The idea or ih, attackseportedly eceivedUsamaBin Ladin's approval nt998, afterwtrichal-Qa'ida eaders egan o select heyoungmen who wouldcarry themout.. Threeof the four pilots-Muhammad Atta, Marwanal-Shehhi,andZiadJarrah-were apparently ecruitedfor theplot from Germany,wherethey hadcome o study rom Egypt, heUnitedArabEmirates UAE), and Lebanon.Anetworkof alQa'ida associatesn Hamburgsupportedheirefforts.. TWoof thehijacken-Nawaf al-HazmiandKhalid al-Mihdhar-had beenactive n al-Qa'ida circlessince he mid-1990s, ad oughtwith other ihadistsin threecountries,and anived n the United Stateswell beforeany of the otherhijackers.Khalid left the country after hey briefly attemptedligbt training

in the United Statesn 2000.Nawaf remained n the UnitedSCateservingassecondn command or theplot.. The fourth pilot-Hani Hanjur-and the remaininghijackers,with theexceptionof UAE,citizenFayiz Banihammad,were Saudis.They largelyappear o havebeen adicalized y contacls8t universities,eligiouscamps,andmosquesn theJ4teJ99O,sndwereprobablybrought nto theplot in thelaner half of 2000.1 |The plot was aunchedn eamestn late 1999,when he threeHamburg-basedpilots traveled o Afghanistan, ndal-Hazmiand al-Mihdharcoordinatedheirtravel o Malaysiaafterwhich thcy enteredheUnitedStates'The Hamburgpilotscame o the United Statesn late May andJune2000,spending he restof theyear n flight training n Florida.Hanjurenteredhe United States n late2000andpairedup with al-Hazmi n Arizona o continue he flight traininghehad ntermittentlypursued n the United States ince1996.The supportingan entering he UnitedStatesn late April 2001.


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Atthough he I t Septernberlottersmademistakes nd an ntoa number fobstaclcs.heywcre able o cany out thehifackings ecause fseveral actors'. Shrcwdselection f oper:ctlves'With theexception f al-Hazmiandal-Mihdhar.hc mcn sent nto the UniledStatesweretlean" andhadnotroubleenteringhe country. he ourpilotsalsohad he advantagef yearsof experiencen Westem ounrieswhere heybecameamiliarwith banking'communication, nd ravelpracfices'. Relellvelysofeopcratingcnvlronment.Theplanners f theI l..septemberttacks vidently elt comfortable noughwith theirassessmentof tlS society---open,nobile,anddiverse-that theycould eave rucialopcrativesn place or more hanayearwithout earof discovery'. Flexlblllty and mlsslon ocus.Conspiratorg ho either ailed o qualifyaspilotsor to enter he UnitedSlates ssumedew cles n thcplot, while other

operativelwere ound o fulfill theiroriginal mles'. Well-coochedand coordincteil financial opentions. Thc financialtransactionshat facilitated he I t ScptcmberoPerSllelgfleaed al-Qa'ida'slong experiencen movlngfundsunobtrusivel{_____lln spiteof increasedecurity onsciousnessnd cgulations ince all 2001,alQa'ida could still duplicate ertainaspeos f the I I Septemberlot, given heextreme iffculty of idcntifyingsuspiciousndividuals,inancial ransactions.or communicationsn a countryandeconomy s argeanddiverse s he UnitedStates. he hrjackers'ab ilityo operatc nnoticednside heUnitedStatesorrnore hanayeor n some asesmay evenhaveconvinced l-Qa'idaeadersthat usingope.rativeso cany out futureattacksn the UnitedSt?tes, ven Jranatmosphae f heighrcnedigilancc, sa risk well worth aking,l I


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ContentsThe Evolutionof the Attacks tUl

Ke yFindingsU)Oevdopment f the 11 September ttacks U)

EarlyConcepcuallooEsThe Plot TakesShape

Executionersf the Plot ulTw oal-Oa'idaVeEenansThe HambungNetwork\bung SaudisGravitateToward l-Ga'ida

Exploitation f AfghanCempsTnavel atEerns ead o AfghanisuanCrucialPlanning eebings

Preparations on he Mission U)NewPassoortsCovefTracksFirst Groupof SaudisArrive n he UnitedScatesPilotTrainingThePlot GathersSteaFourthPiloE nrivssPilots TnavelAbnoadSecondWeveAnrivesHiding n "PlainView"

FinalKeys o Suooess Ul

Shrewd Selection of OPerativesRelativelySafe Operating EnvironmentFlexibil iuyndMissionFocusWell-CoachedndCoordinabedinanca

GonEinuingollection ndAnalyticEffonts Ul

1 51 51 5


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TheThe

11 September OOl Plot:Evolutionof the Attacks tUl

Oevclopmang of the11 Septemher.Artacks fUlEarly Gonceptull RootsThe I I Septemberrmckwasa sophisticatedlot haiwasprobablyn theplanning lsgesor more hantwo year$ ndcariedout by agroupof l9 committedindividuals swell asanexrensiveetwork f largelyunwitting upporteErd facilitatoq$.. In an nterview bral-Jaeirahelcvision iredon8 Septb'mber002,high-rankingl-Qa'idamemberKholid ShaykhMuhammad KSM) said hat heattacks ereplanned uringa three-yearcriod;astudyof possiblargetsegan t le sameimcal-Qa'ida reparedor theUS.Ernbassyombingoperalionn 1998nAfrica.l IWebelieve Jrat commonhreadunsbetweenhe6rstattack n theWorldTradeCenrern February

I I Septemberperation. SM,ah ncleof RamziYousef,whomastermindedhe 1993 ornbing loragainstheWorldTradeCenter, rovidcdinancialand ogistic upportor the 1993 peration.. Followinghe |993auack. ousef ndKSM ploredin | 995 oblowup I 2 USplaneslyingEast sianroutes-for whichKSM was ndictedn 1996-andto fly aplanc nto CIA hcadquartcrs,hilippineauthoritiesncoveredheplot,andYousefwas aterarrestedn Pakistan,ut KSMescaned.l IKSM wasnot rheonly al-Qa'idaigure oconsiderdestroyingommcrpialircraft n themid-t90s.In 1996, samaDin Ladin'ssecondncommand,Muharnmad Atlf (a.k.a. buHafs),drewup astudyon the easibilityof hijackingUSplanes nddestroyinShem n flight,possiblynfluenced yYousef's ndKSM'sunrcalizedlans.

. ThatAugust,Bin Ladin ssued declarationf waragainstbeUnitedStates,allingon hissupporteruto beginaguenillacampaignhatwouldqtyg_U!_forces utofrheSaudiArabian eninsuhl IThe Plot Tales Shape

Bin Ladin hatsrnall ircraft ackedwithexplosivestargetheWorldTradeCenrcr. in Ladin eporredlysuggestedsingevenarger lanes,aying why uscanaxe f youcanuseabulldozer?". In an nterviewor al-Jazirahelevision, SMsaid hathehadcomeupwiththeproposalhata

lookatpotentialargets.heoriginal isrreponedlyincludedhirty argesl,bural-Qa'ida'seadershipand nilitarycommitrceurruwed own he ist,

the dea or fear har t could out of conlrol."

As BinLadin's eterminationostrike merica rhomencreasedn | 998. he deas

"manyrdomoperation"n the

claimedhatal-Oa'ida