1999 FBI Summary of Information, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed

This 18-page PDF, heavily redacted, contains three different versions of an FBI summary of information concerning September 11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed dated July 1999. Each version of the document is redacted differently. The document describes his membership during the 1980s in the Hizbul-Ittihad EI-Islami (Islamic Union Party), the Abdul Rasoul Sayyaf Group, and his employment by the government of Qatar during the early 1990s and alleged association with the Muslim Brotherhood.

7/8/1999: Summary of Information, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed

Labels: Abdul-Hakim-Murad, Khalid-Shaikh-Mohammed, Ramzi-Yousef, Wali-Khan-Amin-Shah

Views expressed on INTELWIRE are those of the author alone.

Posted by J.M. Berger | Permalink

 

USA v. Khalid Shaikh Mohammed et al.: The Trial That Might Have Been

The Justice Department announced today that it will drop plans to hold civilian trials Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and others accused in the September 11 attacks, instead of trying them before a military commission at Guantanamo Bay.

The debate over which approach is best has been dominated by a steaming pile of nothing. While both the criminal and military approaches have their merits and disadvantages, the political conversation in this country consists of "You don't think we're at war!" vs. "Yes, we do, but..." This conversation is almost entirely emotional in basis and profoundly lacking in substance.

I've written before about my view on this issue, and it's a utilitarian view. The U.S. public is better served by a criminal trial. Contrary to popular belief, holding a trial isn't *just* about protecting the rights of the defendants. It's also about making government transparent to the people, an issue President Obama has talked about but largely failed to deliver.

Specifically, in this case, a criminal trial serves the purpose of educating the public about terrorism and the adequacy of the government's response.

If it had not been for USA v. Usama bin Laden, the criminal trial prosecuting the 1998 East African embassy bombings, Americans would have known precious little about Al Qaeda on September 11, 2001.

USA v. Usama bin Laden et al. was then and remains today the single most important publicly accessible primary source on terrorism for the 21st century. The rules of court and the push-pull between defense and prosecution provide a rigorous vetting of the data entered into the record. That doesn't mean all the data is perfect, but its weaknesses are on display for all to see.

USA v. Khalid Shaikh Mohammed et al. would have created the definitive public record of the September 11 attacks, almost certainly eclipsing the 9/11 Commission Report. The loss of that information is an incalculable loss to the American public.

Labels: 9-11, 9-11-Commission, Al-Qaeda, Khalid-Shaikh-Mohammed, Osama-Bin-Laden

Views expressed on INTELWIRE are those of the author alone.

Posted by J.M. Berger | Permalink

 

1999-07-08: FBI, summary of information, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed

There are two versions of this document, which contain different information. The summary is a rare document indicating the FBI's interest in Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, prior to the September 11 attacks. KSM is considered the primary mastermind of the attacks. He was secretly indicted for his role in Ramzi Yousef's Bojinka plot in January 1996, but the FBI did not publicly acknowledge his existence until 1998.

It's interesting to note the pointless redactions made to these documents prior to their release by the FBI. For instance, the names of the other Bojinka plotters (Ramzi Yousef, Abdul Hakim Murad and Wali Khan Amin Shah) have been redacted even though they are well in the public domain after a highly visible trial. The redactions are a typical example of the FBI's reluctance to release information, even when there is no legal or common-sense reason to withhold.

1999-07-08: FBI, summary of information, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed

1999-07-08: FBI, summary of information, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed

Labels: 9-11, Bojinka, INTELFILES, Khalid-Shaikh-Mohammed, KSM, Ramzi-Yousef

Views expressed on INTELWIRE are those of the author alone.

Posted by J.M. Berger | Permalink

 

1999-07-08: FBI, summary of information, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed

There are two versions of this document, which contain different information. The summary is a rare document indicating the FBI's interest in Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, prior to the September 11 attacks. KSM is considered the primary mastermind of the attacks. He was secretly indicted for his role in Ramzi Yousef's Bojinka plot in January 1996, but the FBI did not publicly acknowledge his existence until 1998.

It's interesting to note the pointless redactions made to these documents prior to their release by the FBI. For instance, the names of the other Bojinka plotters (Ramzi Yousef, Abdul Hakim Murad and Wali Khan Amin Shah) have been redacted even though they are well in the public domain after a highly visible trial. The redactions are a typical example of the FBI's reluctance to release information, even when there is no legal or common-sense reason to withhold.

1999-07-08: FBI, summary of information, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed

1999-07-08: FBI, summary of information, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed

Labels: 9-11, Bojinka, INTELFILES, Khalid-Shaikh-Mohammed, KSM, Ramzi-Yousef

Views expressed on INTELWIRE are those of the author alone.

Posted by J.M. Berger | Permalink

 

2002-06-10: FBI, request for information, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed college attendance

As many people know, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed attended college in North Carolina during the 1980s. What is much less well known is the fact that he applied to several other colleges, including in Kansas, Connecticut and Oklahoma City. This document instructs FBI field offices to investigate whether those other schools had any pertinent records.

2002-06-10: FBI, request for information, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed college attendance

Labels: 9-11, INTELFILES, Khalid-Shaikh-Mohammed, KSM

Views expressed on INTELWIRE are those of the author alone.

Posted by J.M. Berger | Permalink

 

2002-06-10: FBI, request for information, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed college attendance

As many people know, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed attended college in North Carolina during the 1980s. What is much less well known is the fact that he applied to several other colleges, including in Kansas, Connecticut and Oklahoma City. This document instructs FBI field offices to investigate whether those other schools had any pertinent records.

2002-06-10: FBI, request for information, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed college attendance

Labels: 9-11, INTELFILES, Khalid-Shaikh-Mohammed, KSM

Views expressed on INTELWIRE are those of the author alone.

Posted by J.M. Berger | Permalink