The FBI’s Bin Laden Unit Had an ‘Oh, S***’ Moment, 3 Weeks Before 9/11
Summary
Three weeks before the 9/11 attacks, FBI and CIA analysts discovered that two al-Qaeda operatives, Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi, were still in the United States. Despite receiving intelligence reports about their travel and presence, crucial information was overlooked, delaying urgent investigations to track them down. Confusion over similar names and a lack of communication within agencies contributed to missed opportunities to prevent the attacks.Key Facts
- Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi traveled from Thailand to the U.S. in January 2000.
- These two men were linked to Walid Mohammed bin Attash, involved in a 2000 Yemen attack.
- The CIA tracked al-Mihdhar traveling through the UAE, Malaysia, and Thailand but missed following up on their final destination.
- In August 2001, an FBI analyst found that al-Mihdhar and al-Hazmi were still in the U.S. and put them on a terrorist watchlist.
- The FBI's bin Laden unit saw this as a critical moment but did not treat the case with urgency.
- A CIA report from March 2000, which identified their U.S. travel, was ignored because it was marked "information only."
- Analysts confused the identities of several key operatives, mixing up information about al-Mihdhar, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and Khallad.
- The main planner of the 9/11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, avoided detection despite being under investigation.
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