9/11 Commission, FBI Source Documents, Chronological, Jan. 1, 2004 to End of FOIA Response

A note to readers: This is the last batch of chronological documents provided by the FBI to the 9/11 Commission and referenced in footnotes to that report.

There are a handful of major reports left to post, representing some of the FBI's deepest analytical works regarding the September 11 attacks. Those reports will be posted over the next several weeks.

A substantial amount of additional 9/11 materials are available and will continue to be posted here, as well as a variety of declassified government documents on various topics of intererst, including crime and law enforcement, national security, intelligence, war on terror, and more.

01/04/2004: FBI Summary of Information, Lotfi Raissi

01/04/2004: FBI Summary of Information, Lotfi Raissi

Raissi was an Algerian national who lived in Phoenix and attended flight school shortly after Hani Hanjour, one of the 9/11 hijackers. This 22-page document contains a substantial amount of information the FBI collected on Raissi, including alleged links to Hanjour and previous investigations in several countries. The document also contains information about Hanjour's flight training and additional unknown individuals who took flight training at the same time.

02/09/2004: FBI/DS Deployment to Sierra Leone

02/09/2004: FBI/DS Deployment to Sierra Leone

02/09/2004: FBI/DS Deployment to Sierra Leone

Details of an FBI investigative trip to Sierra Leone. The reasons for the trip are related to the investigation of conflict diamonds to finance al Qaeda.

03/25/2004: FBI FD-302, Interrogation of Louise Sweeney (9/11 Families)

04/07/2004: FBI FD-302, Interrogation of Fuad Omar Bazarah

04/07/2004: FBI FD-302, Interrogation of Fuad Omar Bazarah

05/17/2004: FBI Summary of Information, Mohdar Mohamed Abdullah

05/18/2004: FBI Summary of Information, Mohdar Mohamed Abdullah

05/18/2004: FBI Summary, Interview of Charles Sabah Toma (re: Modhar Mohamed Abdullah)

06/09/2004: FBI, Information in Preparation for Interview of Yazeed Saad Atif
Al-Salmi

06/17/2004: FBI FD-302, Interrogation of Yazeed Al Salmi

06/17/2004: FBI FD-302, Interrogation of Yazeed Al Salmi

06/17/2004: FBI FD-302, Interrogation of Yazeed Al Salmi

07/01/2004: FBI Lead Sheet, Mohdar Mohamed Abdullah

The four documents that follow appear to be the same document with wildly different patterns of redaction applied by the FBI.

04/25/2006: FBI Memorandum, Connections of San Diego PENTTBOMB Subjects to the Government of Saudi Arabia

04/25/2006: FBI Memorandum, Connections of San Diego PENTTBOMB Subjects to the Government of Saudi Arabia

Date Unclear: FBI Memorandum, Connections of San Diego PENTTBOMB Subjects to the Government of Saudi Arabia

Date Unclear: FBI Memorandum, Connections of San Diego PENTTBOMB Subjects to the Government of Saudi Arabia

Labels: 9-11, 9-11-Commission, FBI, Flight-Schools, Hijackers, INTELFILES, Lotfi-Raissi, Saudi-Arabia

Posted by J.M. Berger | Permalink

 

10/2/2001: Secret Post-9/11 Briefing To World Leaders

Shortly after 9/11, U.S. embassies around the world were instructed to deliver a top-secret briefing to world leaders on the attacks of September 11. The report was a snapshot of everything the U.S. knew about al Qaeda at the time, including highly sensitive and classified intelligence helping prove the case that Al Qaeda had carried out the attack. The briefing also implicated Al Qaeda for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the 1995 thwarted Bojinka plot. Embassies were instructed on Oct. 2, 2001, to deliver "oral briefings only and not [repeat] not leave the document" in hard copy form.

According to the briefing:

"In the run-up to September 11, Bin Ladin and his associates seemed to be anticipating what we could only identify as an important event or activity, possibly an attack, although location and target were not clear."

An Al Qaeda informant "positively identified several of the September 11 hijackers as known Bin Ladin associates from photo spreads and possibly recognized other additional hijackers as well."

"All source intelligence reporting indicates that Bin Ladin and senior lieutenants had advance knowledge of the operational planning and timing for the attacks. Specific warnings went out to selected Bin Ladin confidents in Afghanistan and elsewhere to move to safe havens in anticipation of an immediate U.S. response following the attacks."

The document lists several key figures involved in the 9/11 attack, but notably fails to identify the plot's mastermind and operational commander, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed -- despite several references to the 1995 Bojinka plot, in which Mohammed conspired with his nephew Ramzi Yousef to execute a massive attack using civilian airliners.

Click here to read the briefing document

Labels: 9-11, INTELFILES, State-Department

Posted by J.M. Berger | Permalink

 

Americans Featured In New English-Language Jihadist Magazine

A new English-language Jihad magazine called "Jihad Recollections" was released online, featuring articles adapted from the writings and videos of Osama bin Laden and Ayman Al-Zawahiri, as well as original content such as military training tips, an analysis of the attitudes of American Muslims, and a fanciful piece about the prospect of EMP grenades (electromagnetic pulse) which could disrupt American military technology during combat situations.


An article entitled "The Emphasis For An Identity In The Storm Of Kufr" specifically targets American Muslims, criticizing them for assimilation and claiming they distort Islam for the sake of an American audience.

The author, "Abu Risass," claims to be an American Muslim, "a resident of one of the most atrocious and egotistical regimes to date." According to the Jawa Report, Abu Risaas is an alias for Samir Khan, a U.S.-based jihadist blogger.

"[T]he effect of America's War of Terrorism has left the American Muslim community with an identity crisis that is founded upon their fears of a decline in worldly possessions," writes Risaas, who criticizes American Muslims for being afraid to express their real views, lest they be subject to media scrutiny.

It "amazes the intellect when it sees a believer more afraid of what a Kafir would say rather than worrying about being flung into the Hellfire," he writes.

Another American, Abu Mansour Al Amriki, is featured in a full-page promo for a video released by the Somalian Al Shabaab Islamist insurgent group.

The magazine also featured an article by the notorious Anwar Aulaqi, a spiritual guide to some of the 9/11 hijackers who operated in San Diego and Washington, D.C. The article discusses the life of Umar ibn Al-Khattab, one of the Companions of the Prophet.

Labels: Weblog

Posted by J.M. Berger | Permalink

 

Abu Mansour, American Fighting Jihad in Somalia

Abu Mansour Al Amriki is the newest American to show up in an Al Qaeda-linked organization, namely the Al Shabab militia, which was highlighted a few weeks ago in a communique from Al Qaeda's nominal No. 2, Ayman Al-Zawahiri.



Abu Mansour Al Amriki

Abu Mansour is shown speaking in English and Arabic. Published reports suggest that he may have volunteered in Bosnia during the 1990s.

If you recognize this picture or have any information on this individual, please contact me.

He's characterized as a military trainer and is shown taking part in an ambush of of what was characterized as Ethiopian and Somali troops at a location the video calls "Bardal," or Bargaal.

Abu Masnor also delivers an after-action report on the attack. "Many of them were killed and injured," Abu Mansour said.

Masnour eulogized the two fallen fighters. One was singled out as a particular inspiration.

"We need more like him. If you can encourage more of your children and more of your neighbors and even your own to send people like him to this [indiscernable] it would be a great asset."

"Our main objective, one of the things that we seek for [indiscernible] is to die as martyrs," said Mansour. "So the fact that we got two martyrs is nothing more than a victory in itself."

Mansour has been featured before in Al Shahab videos, but his face has never been shown.

The video also features another English-speaking jihadist and a brief clip of Osama bin Laden from an older Al Qaeda video.

Labels: Bosnia, Sarajevo-Ricochet, Weblog

Posted by J.M. Berger | Permalink