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{{Infobox Person
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| name = Khalid al-Mihdhar
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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1975|4|20}}
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| birth_name = Khalid al-Mihdhar (in [[Arabic language|Arabic]]: خالد المحضار)
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|other_names = Sannan al-Makki, Khalid bin Muhammad, Addallah al-Mihdhar, and Khalid Mohammad al-Saqaf
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| birth_place = [[Mecca]], [[Saudi Arabia]]
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'''Khalid al-Mihdhar''' ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: خالد المحضار, also [[transliteration|transliterated]] '''Almihdhar''') <span dir="ltr">(May 5/16, 1975<ref>birth date of May 5 is given in CIA handout before congressional testimony of Director George Tenet</ref><ref>birthdate given by al-Mihdhar on his ID card</ref> &ndash; September 11, 2001)</span> was one of five [[Organizers of the September 11 attacks|hijackers]] involved in the hijacking of [[American Airlines Flight 77]], which was then flown into the [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] in a coordinated [[suicide attack]] on [[September 11]], [[2001]]. Mihdhar was born in [[Saudi Arabia]], and at age 20, he joined the [[mujahadeen]] fighting in the [[Bosnian War]]. In early 1999, he traveled to [[Afghanistan]] where, as an experienced and respected [[jihad]]ist, [[Osama bin Laden]] selected him to participate in the [[September 11 attacks]] "planes operation".
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== Alerts ==
</noinclude>
{{Wikipedia:Administrator intervention against vandalism/TB2}}
=== User-reported ===
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Mihdhar arrived in [[California]] together with [[Nawaf al-Hazmi]] in January 2000, after traveling to [[Malaysia]] for the [[2000 Al Qaeda Summit]]. At this point, the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA) was aware of Mihdhar and arranged for surveillance of him in Malaysia, where he was photographed with another [[Al Qaeda]] member who was involved in the [[USS Cole bombing]] in October 2000. The CIA did not inform the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI) when it learned that Mihdhar and Hazmi had entered the [[United States]] in early 2000. Mihdhar was not placed on any watchlists until late August 2001, after he was already back in the United States.
* {{IPvandal|IP address}} brief reason for listing (keep it short) ~~~~


Registered Users:
Upon arriving in [[San Diego]], Mihdhar and Hazmi were to train as pilots, but spoke English poorly and did not do well with flight lessons. In June 2000, Mihdhar left Hazmi behind in San Diego and returned to Yemen. [[Khalid Sheikh Mohammed]], the lead coordinator of the "planes operation", was enraged at Mihdhar for abandoning Hazmi, but Bin Laden insisted on keeping Mihdhar involved in the plot as a muscle hijacker. Mihdhar spent some time in Afghanistan in early 2001, and returned to the United States in early July 2001. Mihdhar stayed in [[New Jersey]] in July and August 2001, before arriving in the [[Washington, D.C.]] area at the beginning of September 2001. On the morning of September 11, Mihdhar boarded American Airlines Flight 77, which was hijacked approximately a half-hour after take off. The plane was delibrately crashed into [[the Pentagon]], killing all 64 aboard the flight, along with 125 on the ground.
* {{Vandal|username}} optional brief reason for listing (keep it short) ~~~~
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==Background==
*{{IPvandal|99.152.45.104}} - Ignored a last warning, carried on vandalising the [[Peter Salem]] article. [[User:Blooded Edge|Blooded Edge]] ([[User talk:Blooded Edge|talk]]) 21:52, 10 October 2008 (UTC)
Born in [[Mecca]] to a prominent family, Mihdhar went with Nawaf al-Hazmi, a long time childhood friend, to [[Bosnia (region)|Bosnia]] in 1995 to join the [[Bosnian Muslims]] in their war against [[Bosnian Serbs]].<ref name="911-ch5">{{cite book |title=9/11 Commission Report |url=http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report_Ch5.htm |chapter=Chapter 5 |publisher=National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=McDermott, Terry |title=Perfect Soldiers |date=2005 |publisher=HarperCollins |pages=p. 191}}</ref> After fighting in Bosnia, Mihdhar and Hazmi went to [[Afghanistan]] where they fought alongside the [[Taliban]] against the [[United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan|Northern Alliance]].<ref name="wright">{{cite book |author=Wright, Lawrence |title=Looming Tower |date=2006 |publisher= Alfred P. Knopf |pages=p. 309}}</ref> In 1997, al-Mihdhar told his family that he was leaving to fight in [[Chechnya]];<ref>{{cite news |author-McDermott, Terry |publisher=Los Angeles Times |title=The Plot: How Terrorists hatched a simple plan to use planes as bombs |date=2002-09-01}}</ref> although that year both men caught the attention of Saudi intelligence, who believed they were involved in [[arms smuggling]], and the following year were again eyed as possible collaborators in the [[1998 United States embassy bombings|United States embassy bombings]] in [[East Africa]].<ref name="disclose">{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,100332,00.html |title=Saudis, US Disclose Intel Operations on Terror |publisher=FOX News |date=2003-10-16 |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref>
*{{ipvandal|206.78.42.94}} School-IP [[User:HalfShadow|<font color="gray">'''Half'''</font>]][[User talk:HalfShadow|<font color="black">'''Shadow'''</font>]] 21:54, 10 October 2008 (UTC) <!-- Marked -->

:*'''Note''': User is in the category: [[:Category:Shared IP addresses from educational institutions|Shared IP addresses from educational institutions]]. [[User:HBC AIV helperbot7|HBC AIV helperbot7]] ([[User talk:HBC AIV helperbot7|talk]]) 21:54, 10 October 2008 (UTC)
In the late 1990s, Mihdhar married Hoda al-Hada, who was the sister of a comrade, and they had two daughters.<ref name="wright"/> Through marriage, Mihdhar was related to a number of individuals who had some involvement with Al Qaeda. Mihdhar's father-in-law, Ahmad Muhammad Ali al-Hada, helped facilitate communications in [[Yemen]] for Al Qaeda.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9502E4DF123FF936A25751C0A9649C8B63 |title=Dead Suspect Had Links To Terrorism |date=2002-02-15 |publisher=The New York Times |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/63855 |title=Periscope |author=Hosenball, Mark, et al. |date=2002-02-25 |publisher=Newsweek |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref> In late 2001, Mihdhar's brother-in-law, [[Ahmed Muhammed Haza Al Darbi|Ahmed al-Darbi]], was captured in [[Azerbaijan]], and was sent to [[Gitmo|Guantanamo Bay]] on charges of supporting a plot to bomb ships in the [[Straits of Hormuz]].<ref>Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, [[s:Guantanamo Detainee Charged (ISN 768)|Guantanamo Detainee Charged (ISN 768)]], December 21, 2007</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/1240/story/489066.html |title=Saudi Terror Suspect: Military Trials a `Sham' |author=Rosenberg, Carol |date=2008-04-09 |publisher=Miami Herald |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref>
*{{IPvandal|69.72.89.252}} - Repeated vandalism on [[Family of Barack Obama]], continuing after final warning, going on right now. All vandalism IP. <strong>[[User:Tvoz|Tvoz]]</strong>/<small>[[User talk:Tvoz|talk]]</small> 22:00, 10 October 2008 (UTC)

===Selected for 9/11 plot===
In Spring 1999, when Osama bin Laden committed to the "planes" operation, Khalid al-Mihdhar was among the first group of participants selected for the plot, and was originally slated to be a pilot. Mihdhar and al-Hazmi were selected by Bin Laden, along with Yemenis [[Tawfiq bin Attash]] and [[Abu Bara al Yemeni]]. Mihdhar was so eager to participate in jihad operations in the United States, that he had already obtained a one-year B-1/B-2 (tourist/business) multiple-entry visa [[United States visas|visa]] at the consulate in [[Jeddah]] on April 7, one day after obtaining a new passport.<ref name="travel">{{cite web |url=http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/911/staff_statements/911_TerrTrav_Monograph.pdf |title=9/11 and Terrorist Travel |work=Staff Report |publisher=National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States |date=2004 |accessdate=2008-09-26}}</ref>.<ref name="911-ch5"/> Mihdhar listed the [[Los Angeles]] [[Sheraton Hotels and Resorts|Sheraton]] as his intended destination.<ref name="timeline">{{cite web |url=http://www.911myths.com/index.php/Image:Hijackers_Timeline_OCR.pdf |title=Hijackers' Timeline |author=Federal Bureau of Investigation |publisher=9/11 Myths |date=2008-02-04 |accessdate=2008-08-01 |format=PDF}}</ref>

Once selected, both men were sent to the [[Mes Aynak]] training camp in Afghanistan for continued training. Then, in late 1999, Hazmi and the two Yemenis went to [[Karachi]] in [[Pakistan]] to see Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who instructed them on western culture and travel. However, Mihdhar did not go with them to Karachi, and instead returned to Yemen.<ref name="911-ch5"/>

During a 1999 meeting in [[Riyadh]], the Saudi Intelligence service notified their [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] counterparts that Mihdhar and Hazmi were involved with Al-Qaeda.<ref name="soufan"/> Minister Prince [[Turki bin Faisal Al Saud|Turki al Faisal]] has also said that both were put on a Saudi terror watchlist later that year. He also said that he revealed this to the CIA, saying "What we told them was these people were on our watch list from previous activities of al-Qaeda".<ref name="disclose"/> The CIA strongly denies having received any such warning.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2003/10/18/saudis/index_np.html |title=Did the Saudis Know About 9/11? |publisher=Salon.com |date=2003-10-18 |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref>

==2000==
===Malaysia summit===
{{main|2000 Al Qaeda Summit}}
Based on information uncovered by the FBI in the [[1998 United States embassy bombings]] case, the [[National Security Agency]] (NSA) began tracking the communications of Mihdhar's father-in-law Ahmad Muhammad Ali al-Hada, who was facilitating Al Qaeda communications. In late 1999, the NSA picked up a conversation which mentioned an upcoming meeting in [[Malaysia]] involving "Khalid", "Nawaf", and "Salem", and informed the CIA.<ref name="soufan"/> On January 4, 2000, Mihdhar left Yemen and flew to [[Dubai]] where he spent the night. The CIA broke into his hotel room in Dubai and made a photocopy of his passport which gave them his full name, birth information and passport number for the first time, and also alerted them that he held an entry visa to the United States.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gpoaccess.gov/serialset/creports/pdf/fullreport_errata.pdf |title=Report of the Joint Inquiry into the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |date=2002 |pages=p. 144 |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref> The photocopy was sent to the CIA's [[Bin Laden Issue Station|Alec Station]], which was tracking Al-Qaeda,<ref name="soufan">{{cite news |url=http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/07/10/060710fa_fact_wright?currentPage=all |author=Wright, Lawrence |title=Did the CIA Stop an FBI Detective from Preventing 9/11 |date=2006-07-10 |publisher=The New Yorker |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref> and the NSA began considering Mihdhar "in [its] sights".<ref>{{cite news |publisher=CNEWS |title=NSA Knew About 9/11 Hijackers Two Years Before Attacks |date=2003-07-23}}</ref>

On January 5, Mihdhar traveled on to [[Kuala Lumpur]], where he met up with Hazmi, Attash, and Abu Bara, who were all arriving from Pakistan. The group was in Malaysia to meet with [[Hambali]] for the [[2000 Al Qaeda Summit]], during which key details of the attacks may have been arranged. At this time, there was an East Asia component to the September 11 attacks plot, but Bin Laden later canceled it for being too difficult to coordinate with operations in the United States.<ref name="911-ch5"/> [[Ramzi Binalshibh]] was also at the summit, and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed possibly attended the summit.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/knew/could/ |title=The Man Who Knew - What If...|work=Frontline |publisher=PBS |accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref><ref name="fouda">{{cite book |author=Fouda, Yosri and Nick Fielding |title=Masterminds of Terror |publisher=Arcade Publishing |date=2003 |isbn=1559707089 |pages=pp. 129–130}}</ref> In Malaysia, the group stayed with [[Yazid Sufaat]], a local member of [[Jemaah Islamiyah]], who provided accommodations at request of Hambali.<ref name="911-ch5"/> Both Mihdhar and Hazmi were secretly photographed at the meeting by Malaysian authorities, who provided surveillance at the request of the CIA. Malaysian authorities reported that Mihdhar spoke at length with [[Tawfiq bin Attash]], one of the Yemenis, and others who were later involved in the [[USS Cole bombing]].<ref name="soufan"/> Mihdhar also met with [[Fahad al-Quso]], who was later involved in the USS Cole bombing.<ref name="fouda"/> After the meeting, Mihdhar and Hazmi traveled to [[Bangkok]] in [[Thailand]] on January 8, and left a week later on January 15 to travel to the United States.<ref name="timeline"/>

===Enters the United States with al-Hazmi===
[[Image:Parkwood apts.jpg|thumb|right|Parkwood Apartments complex, located in the [[Clairemont, San Diego, California|Clairemont Mesa]] section of [[San Diego]], is where Mihdhar and [[Nawaf al-Hazmi]] lived when from February until the end of May 2000.]]
On January 15, 2000, Hazmi and Mihdhar arrived together at [[Los Angeles International Airport]] from Bangkok, and were admitted for a six-month period.<ref name="travel"/> Immediately after entering the country, Mihdhar and Hazmi met [[Omar al-Bayoumi]] in an airport restaurant. Al-Bayoumi claims he was merely being charitable in helping the two seemingly out-of-place Muslims move to [[San Diego]] where he helped them find an apartment near his own, co-signed their lease, and gave them $1500 to help pay their rent.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/66665 |title=The Saudi Money Trail |date=2002-12-02 |author=Iskioff, Michael and Evan Thomas |publisher=Newsweek |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref> Khalid Sheikh Mohammed later claimed that he suggested San Diego as their destination, based on information gleaned from a San Diego phone book which listed language and flight schools. Mohammed also recommended that the two seek assistance from the local Muslim community, since neither spoke English or had experience with Western culture.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/911/staff_statements/staff_statement_16.pdf |title=Outline of the 9/11 Plot, Staff Statement No. 16 |publisher=National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States |date=2004 |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref>

In the beginning of February 2000, Mihdhar and Hazmi rented an apartment at the Parkwood Apartments complex in the [[Clairemont, San Diego, California|Clairemont Mesa]] section of San Diego, and Mihdhar purchased a used 1988 [[Toyota Corolla]].<ref name="timeline"/> While living at the Parkwood Apartments, neighbors thought that Mihdhar and Hazmi were odd. Months passed without them getting any furniture for the apartment. Instead, the men slept on mattresses on the floor, yet they carried briefcases, were frequently on their mobile phones, and were occasionally picked up by a limousine.<ref name="inside911">{{cite book |title=Inside 9-11 |author=Aust, Stefan and Der Spiegel |publisher=MacMillan |date=2002 |isbn=031298748X |pages=p. 17–18}}</ref> Acquaintances who knew Mihdhar in San Diego described him as "dark and brooding, with a disdain for American culture."<ref name="fouda">{{cite book |author=Fouda, Yosri and Nick Fielding |title=Masterminds of Terror |publisher=Arcade Publishing |date=2003 |isbn=1559707089 |pages=p. 136}}</ref> After the attacks, their neighbors told the media that the pair constantly played [[flight simulator]] games.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101010924/wplot.html |title=The New Breed of Terrorist |author=McGeary, Johanna and David Van Biema |publisher=TIME Magazine |date=2001-09-24 |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref>

Mihdhar and Hazmi took flight lessons on May 5 at the Sorbi Flying Club in San Diego, with Mihdhar flying an aircraft for 42 minutes. They took additional lessons on May 10 at the Sorbi Flying Club.<ref name="timeline"/> However, their English skills were very poor, and they did not do well with flight lessons. Mihdhar and Hazmi raised some suspicion when they offered extra money to their flight instructor, Richard Garza, if he would train them to fly jets. Suspicious of the two men, Garza refused the offer but did not report them to authorities.<ref name="inside911"/> After the September 11 attacks, Garza described the two men as "impatient students" who "wanted to learn to fly jets, specifically Boeings."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/oct/07/terrorism.afghanistan3 |title=Saudi hijacker 'was key link to bin Laden' |publisher=The Observer |author=Helmore, Edward and Ed Vulliamy |date=2001-10-07 |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref>

===Returns to Yemen===
Mihdhar and Hazmi moved out of Parkwood Apartments at the end of May 2000, and Mihdhar transferred registration for the Toyota Corolla to Hazmi.<ref name="timeline"/> On June 10, 2000, Mihdhar left the United States and returned to Yemen to visit his wife against the wishes of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed who wanted him to remain in the United States helping Nawaf adapt.<ref name="travel"/><ref name="ksm">[[s:Substitution for the Testimony of KSM|Substitution for the Testimony of KSM]] at the trial of [[Zacarias Moussaoui]]</ref> Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was so angered by this that he decided to remove Mihdhar from the 9/11 plot, but he was overruled by Osama bin Laden. Mihdhar remained part of the plot, as a muscle hijacker, who would help take over the aircraft.<ref name="911-ch7">{{cite book |title=9/11 Commission Report |url=http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report_Ch7.htm |chapter=Chapter 7 |publisher=National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref> On October 12, 2000, the USS Cole was bombed by a small boat laden with explosives. After the bombing, [[Prime Minister of Yemen|Yemeni Prime Minister]] [[Abdul Karim al-Iryani]] would report that Mihdhar had been one of the key planners of the attack, and had been in the country at the time of the attacks.<ref name="smith">{{cite book |author=Smith, Paul J. |title=Terrorism and Violence in Southeast Asia |year=2005 |publisher=M.E. Sharpe |isbn=0765614332 |pages=p. 60}}</ref> In late 2000, Mihdhar was back in Saudi Arabia, staying with a cousin in Mecca.<ref name="911-ch7"/>

==2001==
In February 2001, Mihdhar returned to Afghanistan for several months, possibly entering across the Iranian border after a flight from Syria. FBI director [[Robert Mueller]] later stated his belief that Mihdhar served as "the coordinator and organizer" for the muscle hijackers. Mihdhar did not return to the United States until after all the other muscle hijackers had already arrived.<ref>{{cite news |title=2 hijackers' roles in organizing 9/11 plot revealed |author=Simpson, Cam |publisher=Chicago Tribune |date=2002-09-27}}</ref> On June 10, he returned to Saudi Arabia for a month, where he applied to re-enter the United States through the [[Visa Express]] program, indicating that he intended to stay at a [[Marriott International|Marriott hotel]] in New York City.<ref name="911-ch7"/>
[[Image:HotelAddress.jpg|thumb|right|225px|New York ID listing a Ramada Inn address]]
On July 4, 2001, Mihdhar returned to the United States, arriving at New York City's [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]],<ref name="911-ch7"/> where the immigration inspector noted that he was using a new passport, obtained the previous month.<ref name="travel"/> A digital copy of Mihdhar's passport was later recovered during a search of an al-Qaeda safehouse in Afghanistan, which held an 'indicator', implying that Mihdhar was a member of a known terrorist group. At the time when Mihdhar was admitted to the United States, immigration inspectors had not been trained to look for such indicators.<ref name="travel"/> Upon arriving, Mihdhar did not check into the Marriott, but instead spent a night at another hotel in the city.<ref name="911-ch7"/>

Mihdhar obtained a fake USA ID card on July 10, using the address of a [[Ramada Inn]] in [[New York City]] as his address. Mihdhar bought the ID from All Services Plus in [[Passaic County, New Jersey]], which was in the business of selling fake documents, including another one to [[American Airlines Flight 11|Flight 11]] hijacker [[Abdulaziz al-Omari]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9803E0DD1E3FF93BA35750C0A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all |title=A Plea Deal, Then Freedom, in Terror Case Where Prosecutors Kept Evidence a Secret |author=Miller, Jonathan |date=2003-03-08 |publisher=The New York Times |accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref> On August 1, Mihdhar and [[Hani Hanjour]] drove to [[Virginia]] in order to obtain drivers' licenses. Once they arrived, they scouted out a [[7-Eleven]] convenience store in [[Falls Church, Virginia|Falls Church]], and found two Salvadoran immigrants who, for $50 each, were willing to vouch for Hanjour and Mihdhar as Virginia residents. With notarized residency forms, Hanjour and Mihdhar were able to obtain drivers licenses at a Virginia motor vehicle office. Several other hijackers used the same addresses obtained from the Salvadorans in order to obtain Virginia drivers' licenses.<ref name="travel"/>

On August 22, Mihdhar and Hazmi tried to purchase flight tickets from the American Airlines online ticket-merchant, but had technical difficulties resolving their address and gave up.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2002_hr/092602mueller.html |title=Statement of Robert S. Mueller: Joint Investigation Into September 11 |date=2002-09-26 |publisher=Federation of American Scientists (FAS) |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref> On August 25, Mihdhar was able make flight reservations, together with [[Majed Moqed]] using Moqed's credit card, for American Airlines Flight 77, however the transaction did not fully go through since the billing address and the shipment address for the tickets did not match.<ref name="timeline"/>

On August 31, Mihdhar closed an account at [[Hudson United Bank]] in [[New Jersey]], and was with Hani Hanjour when he made a withdrawal from an ATM in [[Paterson, New Jersey]] on September 1. The next day, Mihdhar, Moqed, and Hanjour were in [[Maryland]] where they worked out at a [[Gold's Gym]] in [[Greenbelt, Maryland|Greenbelt]]. On September 5, Mihdhar and Moqed stopped by the American Airlines ticket counter at [[Baltimore-Washington International Airport]] to pickup their tickets for Flight 77 and paid $2,300 in cash for them.<ref name="timeline"/>

===Intelligence leads===
Mihdhar was placed on the CIA's "terrorist watchlist" on August 21,<ref name="smith"/> and note was sent on August 23 to the [[Department of State]] and the [[Immigration and Naturalization Service]] (INS) suggesting that Mihdhar and Nawaf be added to their watchlists. The [[Federal Aviation Administration]] (FAA) was not notified about the two men.<ref name="smith">{{cite news |title=A History of Missed Connections |author=Smith, R. Jeffrey |date=2003-07-25 |publisher=The Washington Post accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref> On August 23, the CIA also informed the FBI that Mihdhar had obtained a U.S. visa in Jeddah. The FBI headquarters received a copy of the Visa Express application from the embassy in Jeddah on August 24, with Mihdhar stating the New York Marriott as his destination.<ref name="rolince"/>

On August 28, the New York branch of the FBI requested that a criminal case be opened "to determine if al-Mihdhar is still in the United States", but were refused.<ref name="hill">{{cite web |url=http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2002_hr/092002hill.html |title=The Intelligence Community's Knowledge of the September 11 Hijackers Prior to September 11, 2001 |author=Hill, Eleanor |work=Joint Inquiry into the Events of September 11, 2001 |publisher=Federation of American Scientists (FAS) |date=2002-09-20 |accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref> The FBI ended up treating Mihdhar as an intelligence case, which meant due to "the wall" that existed at the time, the FBI's criminal investigators could not work on the case. One FBI agent in the New York field office sent an e-mail to FBI headquarters saying, "Whatever has happened to this, someday someone will die, and the public will not understand why we were not more effective and throwing every resource we had at certain 'problems.'" The reply from headquarters was, "we [at headquarters] are all frustrated with this issue, but these are the rules. [[National Security Law Unit|NSLU]] does not make them up."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2002_hr/092002fbi.html |title=Prepared Statement of a New York Special Agent |work=Joint Inquiry into the Events of September 11, 2001 |publisher=Federation of American Scientists (FAS) |date=2002-09-20 |accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref>

The FBI contacted Marriott on August 30, requesting they check guest records, and a few days later on September 5, they reported that no Marriott hotels had any record of Mihdhar checking in.<ref name="rolince">{{cite web |url=http://www.fbi.gov/congress/congress02/rolince092002.htm |title=Testimony of Michael E. Rolince |work=Joint Inquiry into the Events of September 11, 2001 |publisher=Federal Bureau of Investigation |date=2002-09-20 |accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref> The day before the attacks, the New York office requested that the [[Los Angeles]] FBI office check all local [[Sheraton Hotels and Resorts|Sheraton Hotel]]s,<ref name="rolince"/> as well as check [[Lufthansa]] and [[United Airlines]] bookings since those were the two airlines he had used to enter the country.<ref name="hill"/> Neither the [[United States Department of the Treasury|Treasury Department]]'s [[Financial Crimes Enforcement Network]] or the FBI's Financial Review Group, both which have power to access private credit card and other financial records, were notified about Mihdhar prior to September 11.<ref name="smith"/>

Regarding the CIA's refusal to inform the FBI about Mihdhar and Hazmi, author [[Lawrence Wright]] suggests the CIA wanted to protect its "turf" and was concerned about giving sensitive intelligence to FBI Agent [[John P. O'Neill]], who [[Michael Scheuer]] described as duplicitous. He also speculates that the CIA may have been protecting intelligence operations overseas, and might have been eying Mihdhar and Hazmi as recruitment targets to obtain intelligence on Al Qaeda. Though, the CIA was not authorized to operate in the United States, and might have been leaving them for Saudi intelligence to recruit.<ref name="soufan"/><ref name="wright2">{{cite book |author=Wright, Lawrence |title=Looming Tower |date=2006 |publisher= Alfred P. Knopf |pages=p. 310–315}}</ref>

==The attacks==
{{main|American Airlines Flight 77}}
[[Image:Dulles khalidalmihdhar.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Security Camera still picture of Khalid al-Mihdhar(on the right) going through security at Dulles Airport, together with Majed Moqed (left).]]
On September 10, Mihdhar and the other hijackers checked into the [[Marriott Hotel|Marriott Residence Inn]] in [[Herndon, Virginia]], near [[Washington Dulles International Airport]].<ref name="timeline"/> [[Saleh Ibn Abdul Rahman Hussayen]], a prominent Saudi government official, was staying at the same hotel that night, although no evidence was ever uncovered that they had met, or knew of each other's presence.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A31402-2003Oct1?language=printer |title=Spreading Saudi Fundamentalism in U.S. |date=2003-10-02 |publisher=The Washington Post |author=Schmidt, Susan |accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref> The group of hijackers checked out of the hotel at 6:22&nbsp;a.m., and headed to the airport.<ref name="timeline"/>

At 07:15 on September 11, Mihdhar and [[Majed Moqed]] checked-in at the American Airlines ticket counter at Dulles for American Airlines Flight 77,<ref name="911-ch1">{{cite book |title=9/11 Commission Report |url=http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report_Ch1.htm |chapter=Chapter 1 |publisher=National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref> and they arrived at the passenger security checkpoint a few minutes later at 07:18.<ref name="staff3">{{cite web |url=http://www.9-11commission.gov/staff_statements/staff_statement_3.pdf |format=PDF|title=The Aviation Security System and the 9/11 Attacks - Staff Statement No. 3 |work=National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States |accessdate=2008-05-30}}</ref> Both men set off the [[metal detector]] and were put through secondary screening.<ref name="dullesvideo">{{cite episode |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0407/21/acd.01.html | title =New Video of 9/11 hijackers at Dulles Airport before attacks |series=Anderson Cooper 360 |network=CNN |airdate=2004-07-21 |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref> Mihdhar was also selected by the [[Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System]] (CAPPS), which involved extra screening of his luggage. Since Mihdhar did not check any luggage, CAPPS selection had no effect on him.<ref name="four">{{cite web |url=http://www.archives.gov/legislative/research/9-11/staff-report-sept2005.pdf |title=Staff Monograph on the "Four Flights and Civil Aviation Security" |month=September | year=2005 |publisher=National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States |format=PDF |accessdate=2008-08-14}}</ref> By 07:50, Mihdhar and the other hijackers, carrying knives and box cutters, had made it through the airport security checkpoint and boarded Flight&nbsp;77 to Los Angeles.<ref name="911-ch1"/> Khalid al-Mihdhar was seated in seat 12B, next to Majed Moqed.<ref name="Summary">{{cite web |url=http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov/notablecases/moussaoui/exhibits/prosecution/flights/P200054.html |title=Summary of Flight 77 |publisher=[[United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia]] |accessdate=2007-02-04}}</ref>
[[Image:DM-SD-02-03886.JPEG|thumb|left|The Pentagon, minutes after American Airlines Flight 77, crashed into it]]
The flight was scheduled to depart from Gate&nbsp;D26 at 08:10, but ended up departing 10&nbsp;minutes late.<ref name="four"/> The last normal radio communications from the aircraft to [[air traffic control]] occurred at 08:50:51.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gregor |first=Joseph A. |url=http://www.ntsb.gov/info/ATC_%20Report_AA77.pdf |format=PDF|title=ATC Report American Airlines Flight 77 |publisher=National Transportation Safety Board |date=2001-12-21 |accessdate=2008-06-01}}</ref> At 08:54, Flight&nbsp;77 began to deviate from its normal, assigned flight path and turned south,<ref name="911-ch1"/> and then hijackers set the flight's [[autopilot]] heading for Washington, D.C.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ntsb.gov/info/autopilot_AA77_UA93_study.pdf |format=PDF|title=Study of Autopilot, Navigation Equipment, and Fuel Consumption Activity Based on United Airlines Flight&nbsp;93 and American Airlines Flight&nbsp;77 Digital Flight Data Recorder Information |last=O’Callaghan |first=John |coauthors=Bower, Daniel |publisher=National Transportation Safety Board |date=2002-02-13 |accessdate=2008-06-01}}</ref> Passenger [[Barbara Olson]] called her husband, [[United States Solicitor General]] [[Ted Olson]], and reported that the plane had been hijacked and that the assailants had box cutters and knives.<ref name="911-ch1" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Glen |url=http://www.boston.com/news/packages/underattack/news/planes_reconstruction.htm |title=Probe reconstructs horror, calculated attacks on planes |work=The Boston Globe |date=2001-11-23 |accessdate=2008-06-01}}</ref> At 09:37, American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the west facade of [[the Pentagon]], killing all 64 aboard (including the hijackers), along with 125 in the Pentagon.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ntsb.gov/info/AAL77_fdr.pdf |format=PDF|title=American Airlines Flight 77 FDR Report |publisher=National Transportation Safety Board |date=2002-01-31 |accessdate=2008-06-02}}</ref> In the recovery process at the Pentagon, remains of all five Flight&nbsp;77 hijackers were identified through a process of elimination, since their [[DNA]] did not match any from the victims, and put into the custody of the FBI.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/08/17/attack/main519033.shtml |title=Remains Of 9 Sept. 11 Hijackers Held |date=2002-08-17 |publisher=CBS News |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.cstl.nist.gov/div831/strbase/pub_pres/Edson2004.pdf |title=Naming the Dead - Confronting the Realities of Rapid Identification of Degraded Skeletal Remains |author=Edson, S.M., et al. |journal=Forensic Science Review |volume=16(1) |date=January 2004 |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref>
<br clear=all/>

==Aftermath==
After the attacks, the identification of al-Mihdhar served as one of the first links suggesting that [[Osama bin Laden]] had played a role in their organization; since he had been seen at the Malaysian conference speaking to bin Laden's associates.<ref>Burns, Vincent. "Terrorism: A Documentary and Reference Guide", 2005 ISBN: 0313332134 p. 139</ref>

On September 19, the [[Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation]] (FDIC) distributed a "special alert" which listed al-Mihdhar as still being alive,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/inactivefinancial/2001/fil0179a.html |title=Inactive Financial Institution Letters |publisher=Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation |date=2001-09-19 |accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref> and other reports began suggesting that a number of the alleged hijackers were still alive. On September 23, the BBC published an article that suggested Mihdhar and other hijackers might still be alive.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/1559151.stm |publisher=BBC News |title=Hijack 'suspects' alive and well |date=2003-09-23 |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref> Together, these incidents sparked a number of [[9/11 conspiracy theories]]. [[Der Spiegel]] later investigated the claims of "living" hijackers by the BBC and reported they were cases of mistaken identities.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,265160-2,00.html |title=Panoply of the Absurd |publisher=Der Spiegel |date=2003-09-08 |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref> In 2002, Saudi Arabia stated that the names of the hijackers were in fact correct, and that 15 of the 19 hijackers were indeed Saudi.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2002/02/06/saudi.htm |title=Official: 15 of 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were Saud |publisher=USA Today / Associate Press |date=2002-02-06 |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref> In response to the conspiracy theories surrounding its original news story, the BBC issued a response in 2006, explaining how confusion arose with the Arabic names that were quite common, and that the BBC's later reports on the hijackers superseded the original story.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2006/10/911_conspiracy_theory_1.html |title=9/11 conspiracy theory |author=Hermann, Steve |date=2006-10-27 |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=2008-09-30}}</ref>

In 2005, [[United States Army|Army]] [[Lieutenant Colonel|Lt. Col]]. [[Anthony Shaffer (intelligence officer)|Anthony Shaffer]] and Congressman [[Curt Weldon]] alleged that the Defense Department data mining project [[Able Danger]] produced a chart that identified Mihdhar, along with Nawaf al-Hazmi, [[Mohamed Atta]], and [[Marwan al-Shehhi]], as members of a [[Brooklyn]]-based [[al-Qaeda]] cell in early 2000.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/09/politics/09intel.html?pagewanted=print |title=Four in 9/11 Plot Are Called Tied to Qaeda in '00 |author=Jehl, Douglas |date=2005-08-09 |publisher=The New York Times |accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref> Shaffer largely based his allegations on the recollections of [[United States Navy|Navy]] [[Captain (naval)|Captain]] [[Scott Phillpott]],<ref name="wp-20050819">{{cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/18/AR2005081801751.html |author=Eggen, Dan |title=Officer Says 2 Others Are Source of His Atta Claims |publisher=The Washington Post |date=2005-08-19 |accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref> who later recanted his recollection, telling investigators that he was "convinced that Atta was not on the chart that we had." Phillpott said that Shaffer was "relying on my recollection 100 percent," and the Defense Department Inspector General's report indicated that Philpott "may have exaggerated knowing Atta's identity because he supported using Able Danger's techniques to fight terrorism."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/21/AR2006092101831.html |title=Hijackers Were Not Identified Before 9/11, Investigation Says |publisher=The Washington Post |date=2006-09-22 |author=White, Josh |accessdate=2008-09-29}}</ref><ref name="oig">{{cite web |url=http://www.dodig.mil/fo/foia/ERR/r_H05L97905217-PWH.pdf |title=Office Inspector General's Report |publisher=Department of Defense |date=2006-09-18 |accessdate=2008-09-29 |format=PDF}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links==
*[http://www.gpoaccess.gov/911/index.html The Final 9/11 Commission Report]

{{9-11 hijackers}}
{{AmericanTerrorism}}

{{Persondata
|NAME=Mihdhar, Khalid al-
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=خالد المحضار (Arabic); Almihdhar, Khalid (alternate transliteration); Makki, Sannan al- (alias); Khalid bin Muhammad (alias); Mihdhar, Addallah al- (alias); Saqaf, Khalid Mohammad al- (alias)
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=9/11 hijacker
|DATE OF BIRTH={{birth date|1975|5|16|mf=y}}
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Mecca]], [[Saudi Arabia]]
|DATE OF DEATH={{death date|2001|9|11|mf=y}}
|PLACE OF DEATH=[[Washington D.C.]], [[United States]]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Midhar, Khalid}}
[[Category:2001 deaths]]
[[Category:Saudi Arabian al-Qaeda members]]
[[Category:Participants in the September 11 attacks]]
[[Category:American Airlines Flight 77]]

[[sv:Khalid al-Mihdhar]]

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