9/11: Official Story of How They Got Here and Why They Did It

By Matthew B. Robinson, PhD
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
Appalachian State University
robinsnmb@appstate.edu


This document summarizes the official story of how the attackers got to the United States, how they arrived at their plans, and why they chose to attack us.

Additional facts added in RED are from other sources than the 9/11 Commission

Official story of the 9/11 Commission:

Usama bin Laden (UBL) led Abu Hafs al Marri (Mohammed Atef) (al Qaeda chief of operations)

Atef killed by air strike using armed predator drone in Afghanistan (November 2001)

Usama bin Laden (UBL) also led Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) (Chief of “Planes Operation”) ... nephew of Ramzi Yousef (orchestrated first bomb attack on WTC on February 26, 1993)

KSM and Yousef both from a group bordering Iraq/Pakistan, grew up in Kuwait

January 1995 – Yousef and associates plotted to blow up 12 U.S. commercial aircraft in the Manilla Air (Bojinka) plot ... bombs to be made of a liquid explosive designed to pass through airport metal detectors ... while mixing his chemical brew in a Manila apartment he started a fire.  Yousef was forced to flee, leaving behind a computer that contained the information that led to his arrest a month later in Pakistan.

KSM captured in 2003 (in Rawalpindi, Pakistan on March 1, 2003)

1986  – KSM enrolled in Chowan College (Baptist School in Murfreesboro, NC) ... after 1 semester transferred to North Carolina A&T University (Greensboro, NC) ... got degree in Mechanical Engineering

KSM did not have bad experiences here or turn anti-American here so his treatment in US did not motivate the attacks.

1987 – KSM went to Pakistan and met people who got him into anti-Soviet jihad ... traveled to Afghanistan to fight Soviets for 3 months ... then to Administrative position with electronics / communications firm helping Afghans

1988-1992 – KSM ran Non Government Organization in Pakistan to aid mujahedeen

1992 – KSM fought in Bosnia, donated money to the cause ... then to Qatar to work with Electricity and Water

1994 – KSM planned with Ramzi Yousef the Manilla Air (Bojinka) plot to bomb 12 US airplanes over Pacific in 2 days (as well as other bombings and plan to assassinate President Bill Clinton)

1995 – KSM began thinking of specific American targets and considered World Trade Center and CIA headquarters ... tried to meet with bin Laden in Sudan (who had been there since 1991).

KSM decided to move against US because of US foreign policy toward Israel and our support of the Philippines and repressive Arab regimes... after 1993 WTC bombing he started thinking of attacking US economy because it was the best way to change our foreign policy ... New York City was therefore a logical target.  The Pentagon was a logical target because it is the center of our nation’s military policy.

1996 – KSM fled to Pakistan to avoid apprehension by US after it learned of his assistance to Ramzi Yousef (wired $600 to his co-conspirator)

1996 – KSM went to Afghanistan ... met bin Laden there in Tora Bora (bin Laden agreed to meet him because Ramzi Yousef was his nephew)

KSM presented idea to train pilots to crash planes into buildings in US ... bin Laden asked him to join al Qaeda ... KSM declined and decided to remain independent (plus KSM had loyalties to man linked to Northern Alliance and bin Laden was making ties with their rival the Taliban)

1997-1998 – KSM traveled to and from Pakistan and Afghanistan ... cultivated relationship with bin Laden

1998 – bombings of US embassies in Nairobi / Dar es Salaam orchestrated by UBL proved to KSM that bin Laden was serious about attacking US

Late 1998 - early 1999 – Mohammed Atef convinced bin Laden to green light the operation that became 9/11

KSM formally joined al Qaeda in 1998-1999

March/April 1999 – bin Laden told KSM al Qaeda would support attack and KSM traveled to Afghanistan to work with al Qaeda

KSM continued other plots as well ... directed by bin Laden in early 2001 to send al Qaeda operatives to case targets in NY City

Original plan was to use 10 planes with 9 crashing on both coasts and the last plane to land at a US airport where the pilot would denounce US foreign policy ... rejected as too complex a plan

    See page 154 for details

Initial targets developed by bin Laden, KSM, and Atef were WTC, Pentagon, White House, and US Capitol

Their motivation was US support for Israel, the Phillippines, and repressive Arab countries

bin Laden chose earliest operatives for plan (Saudi nationals and Yemenis) ... Saudis could get into US easier due to “Saudi rules” (where Saudi students are allowed to enter the US with only cursory or no background checks.  Some flight schools issue paperwork that allows students to obtain visas at US embassies or consulates).

KSM split operation into 2 components to use: 1) Saudis already in US for flying planes into US buildings and 2) Yemenis who could not get into US for blowing up airplanes in Asia

bin Laden chose attackers for training in Afghanistan (at only training camp still left after President Clinton’s missile attacks – Mes Anyk in Kabul Afghanistan) ... then to Pakistan for more training, flight simulations, and education in Western culture ... also watched films showing hijackings, fighting

Dec 1999 – Mohammed Atta (Egyptian) arrived in Afghanistan

Others came from Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Yemen (after spending years in Germany) ... all became extremists over time, 1 attended Christian schools ... agreed in 1999 to jihad, decided to travel to Chechnya to fight Russians ... too difficult to get in so went to Afghanistan for training

Saudis traveled through IRAN to Afghanistan (rather than through Pakistan because Saudis seize passports if through Pakistan)

2000 – main al Qaeda cell went back to Germany ... began researching flight schools after deciding German schools were not acceptable ... US schools shorter and less expensive!

Summer 2000 – German pilots arrive in US ... trained in Venice, FL, Norman, OK, Sarasota, FL

Various pilots-to-be could not get into the country so they sent money and helped coordinate attacks from afar

Hani Hanjour (Flight 77) – Saudi pilot was training in US since 1996-1997 (got commercial pilot license in 1999) ... traveled from US to Saudi Arabia, then to Afghanistan, and to San Diego ... trained with one of the Hazmi brothers in Mesa, AZ ... drove across country to wait for muscle hijackers

All hijackers had trained in simulated large jets by the end of 2000

Atta traveled away from US in 2001 (but NOT to Prague to meet Saddam Hussein’s men)

    See page 228 for details

2000 – bin Laden scrapped second part of plan (blowing up airliners over Asia)... funded 9/11 attacks with $400,000-$500,000 total

    Al Qaeda spends $30 million annually for all operations ... mostly from donations ... when bin Laden left Sudan he reportedly had nothing and relied on the Taliban until he could get money from wealthy Saudis and corrupt charities. [Other accounts say he was given money and weapons by Saudi royals and wealthy family members, in exchange for his promises he would not attack Saudi Arabia]

Has been alleged that bin Laden raised money from drug trafficking and diamonds – no evidence of either according to the 9/11 Commission

bin Laden gave $10-20 million to Taliban in Afghanistan for safe haven

According to the 9/11 Commission, there is no evidence of alleged stock market manipulation on and before 9/11... conclusion based on FBI and SEC investigation in conclusions [Other reports conclude the opposite]

    See page 172 for details

9/11 Commission concludes there is NO EVIDENCE of government support of attack by Saudi Arabia [Other reports conclude the opposite]

May 2001 – muscle hijackers entered US (5'5" to 5'7" and about 150 pounds) ... 12 of 13 from Saudi Arabia and 1 from United Arab Emirates... recruited in Saudi mosques ... chosen by bin Laden and Atef ... went to Saudi Arabia to get visas, through Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates

Tried to get 25-26 hijackers instead of 19

Formal training extensive

    See page 236 for details

No “collaborative relationship” between al Qaeda and Iraq found ... but links to Iran clear

    See page 240 for details

Pilots took surveillance flights cross-country in May-August 2001 in first class, United Airlines, and 2 on the Hudson Corridor

    See page 242 for details

Picked date (3rd week in August) and targets and decided to crash planes into ground if could not hit their original targets

Told to dress like Saudis because would look less suspicious

Brought box cutters on practice flights to make sure they could get them on

The Taliban opposed the attacks and any outside of Afghanistan!