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Rev. 5141-2003! I .
92 SECET/ORCON/NGFORN
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
' .136
.1o7C
Precedence: ROUTINE Date: 10/16/2003
To: Counterterrorism _ Attn: ITO? l{ff§?? 1%TEAM 2
e SQA
Riyadh Attn: LEGAT Riyadh
_ QLL II-IFEEHATIEIZJ CIZIIITAIHEEI
From: Phoenix L HEPEII-I 1:2 rmI:Lis;2I;F:En r:>:I::.~:P':
Squad 16 IJI-IERE @*I:i-Iitmaxst
Contact: SA] I
Approved By: I ' DiL'IE:'I;1l29»ZL1L3".F_
CLASEZFIED BY momma AUCKBAHEEPEJYHW
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Case ID #h _NF/OC! 3l5NPX67027 Pend1ng!_
'I'itle:|:U:| X/NF/OC! ' GHAREEB ALSI-IALAWI;
ITUBL/AL QAEDA ~ »
II-Tix ESynopsis: J;§2NF/OC! Set lead for LEGAT Riyadh and Counterterrorism
Division CTD!.
IHI bi/NF/OC! Derive
Decla
ULDetails: bé/NF/OC!The purpose of this communication is to set a lead
for LEGAT Riyadh to obtain the names of individuals who applied for
VISAs to travel to the United States from D7/25/2001 to O8/15/2001.-3
~ I'I>< I I
I I
Ilka H7lUJ' %%NF/OC! Investigation of the O9/11/2001 terrorist
attack revea ed that the hijackers arrived in small groups within a
5;qgET/ORCON/NOFORNb 0
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SE LT/ORCON/NOFORN
To: Counterterrorism F om: Phoenix bl
Re: §g?NF/oc! 315NPX67027, 10/15/2003 iicm l 1b"/"C
few days of each other. Further investigation during PENTTBOM
indicated that O9/11/2001 hijacker Mohammed Atta was at the Orlando
International Airport to pick-up AlQahtani.
925II=
lUl"O§/NF/OC! Investigation by Phoenix has connected Al-
Shalawi to a number of Al Qaeda subjects, including: Ghassan Al-
Sharbi, who was arrested with Senior Al Qaeda leader Abu Zabavdah in
Pakistan in O3/2002; |
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SEC T/ORCON/NOFORN
- SEEQET/ORCON/NOFORN
To: Counterterrorism From: Phoenix A beRe: Vex/NF/oc! 3l5NPX6'702'7,10/16/2003 Ib7C
I lthe direction
of Al Qaeda. The O9/11/2001 investigation revealed that thehijackers arrived in the V ' I 'Thus, it is Qgssihle thati |I I and that there may be
unidentified subjects who were also part] land who,
based on the O9/11/2001 hijacker pattern wou ave agp ied for a|United States VISA in the jams timeframql |
u: ;§&NF/OC! Phoenix requests that LEGAT Riyadh query all
VISA applicants for the dates O7/25/2001 to O8/15/2001 to obtain a
list of all such applicants and provide this list to CTD.- Phoenix
further requests this list be reviewed by CTD, and then distributed
to all Field Offices in an attempt to identify any individuals who
d for a VISA during the same time frame[Z::i:i?7i;jwho may be in the United States and/or the suject of an
inves igation.
s%E'r/oncon/No1=oR1~I
3
ss>§sT/QRcoN/NoFoRN
To: Counterterrorism From: PhoenixRe: EQVNF/OC! 3l5N-PX67027, 10/16/2003
cm ~ i
LEAD s!:
Set Lead 1: Discretionary!
COUNTERTERRORISM
AT FBIHQ, DC
II: *§s If the list of VISA applicants as requested is
available, Phoenix requests this list be checked by appropriate
intelligence agencies and then disseminated to FBI field offices in
an attempt to identify any other operatives that were part of an
organized group traveling to the United States for operational
purposes.
Set Lead 2: Action!
RIYADH
AT RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA V
QQ Attempt to obtain the names and identifying
information of all United States VISA applicants for the time period
07/25/2001 to D8/15/2001. Upon obtaining, provide list to FBIHQ for
further analysis. If this task has already been performed, please
advise Phoenix Division.
9%
1
SE ET/ORCON/NOFORN
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Rev. 01-3 l~2003!92._._~...-~_._ .. _.,.._~.. ¢_921.-.__... .....___._._|. - ..
K .YI
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Precedence: ROUTINE
To: Counterterrorism
International Operations
New York
Washington Field
From: BerlinAttn
Attn:
Attn:
Attn:Date:
ITOS1, ETIU4,
SSA
IOS
SSA
PEN eam
SAYSqua IT ,
S-Ill3+?
I
12/O5/2003
Contact: SA
Approved By:
Drafted By:
Case ID #: 3l5NWF227135
Title: ABDELGHANI MZOUDI
Talha
ITAOT Pending!
akaALL INFOREATION COIKITAIIQED
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Synopsis: Report testimony of Mohamed Abdulla Mohamed Awady provided
on 10/24/2003.
dm. . .A inistrativ ' ' were conducted in the German
language. SA ranslated his summary notes
from German i o Ed§T1sn.
Enclosure s!: Enclosed is one ! FD34O containing original notes
concerning Mohamed Abdulla Mohamed Awady's testimony and the court
proceedings.
Details: On 10/24/2003, Special Agent "SA"!L
attended the morning session of the criminal rial of Abdelghani
Mzoudi convened by the Third Criminal Panel of the Hanseatic Higher
Regional Court . Strafsenat des Hanseatisches
Oberlandesgericht! in Hamburg, Germany.
Appearing for the prosecution were Chief Prosecutor Walter
Hemberger and Prosecutors Dr. Matthias Krau and Gerhardt Hummer from
the Federal Prosecutor's Office for the Federal Republic of Germany
"Generalbundesanwaltschaft"!.
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Q I ITo: CounterterroQ'..1 From: Berlin
Re: 315m-wr-227135, 12/05/2003 1
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Appearing for the defense were Gul Pinar and Michael
Rosenthal.
Appearing for the civil litigants "Nebenklager"! were
Andreas Schulz, and Dr. First Name Unknown! von Grohnen, appearing
on behalf of Dr. Ulrich von Jeinsen, and other German attorneys
appearing on behalf of the various civil litigants.
The court now called Mohamed Abdulla Mohamed Awady
hereinafter "Awady"!, a twentyfive 5! year old male, student
residing in Bochum, Germany, to testify about Marwan Yousef Mohamed
Rashed AlShehhi hereinafter "AlShehhi"!.
Awady advised the court that he was not related to
Abdelghani Mzoudi, Mounir El Motassadeq, Ramzi Mohammed Abdullah
Binalshibh, Said Bahaji or Zakariya Essabar.
Awady knew AlShehhi from Dubai in the United Arab
Emirates. They had met when they both traveled to Germany from the
United Arab Emirates.
Awady and Al-Shehhi attended the same German language
course at the Goethe Institute in Bonn, Germany, and lived together
for six ! months. After completing the language course, they both
took the university admissions examination at the same time.
Upon admission to the university in Bonn, they also
attended the same university preparatory course "Studiumkollegium"!
for two ! weeks. Thereafter, Awady left Bonn in 1997 and moved to
Cologne, Germany. AlShehhi stayed in Bonn to finish the university
preparatory course "Studiumkollegium"!.
Awady described AlShehhi as a regular guy with whom one
could have a regular conversation.
AlShehhi was frugal and did not spend much money. He
sometimes rented cars to take trips to France, the Netherlands and to
Berlin.
AlShehhi was "cool." He wore regular label clothing and
had a short beard. He was also a Muslim and prayed five ! times
each day. Usually, he would pray at home, but on Fridays, he would
pray in the mosque in Bonn.
when AlShehhi first moved to Hamburg, he maintained
regular contact with Awady. They would sometimes meet in Bonn.
Awady also traveled to Hamburg a few times to see Al-Shehhi.
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Re: 315m-wr-227135, 12/05/2003 E
'2
Al-Shehhi had enrolled in the University of Hamburg to
study shipbuilding. Awady noted that there were only two !
locations where one could study shipbuilding, namely at the
universities in Hamburg or Duisburg.
However, AlShehhi had to return to Bonn approximately six >
! months after arriving in Hamburg, since he had to repeat the
university preparatory course "Studiumkollegium"! in Bonn.
During this time period, Awady was living in Cologne and
did not have much time to visit with AlShehhi. Likewise, Al-Shehhi
was also very busy and did not have much time to see Awady either.
Awady's contact with AlShehhi consisted of the occasional
telephone call. He thought that he might have spoken telephonically
with Al-Shehhi about once or twice a month.
After a while the contact between the two diminished.
AlShehhi called Awady once to invite him to his wedding in Dubai on
O1/l5/2000. AlShehhi explained that he wanted to invite all of his
friends from Germany to the wedding. Awady went and visited
Al-Shehhi in Dubai in 2000.
Awady saw AlShehhi once in Hamburg. Awady had heard from
Harad phonetic! Last Name Unknown! that AlShehhi was in Hamburg.
when he saw AlShehhi, he was surprised to see that he was not like
the "old" Al#Shehhi. Instead, Awady noticed that Al-Shehhis
personality had changed.
For example, when Awady first knew AlShehhi he lived
alone in a new apartment. Now, Al~Shehhi was living in an old
apartment with a roommate and without a television set. AlShehhi
had also given up his label clothing in favor of cheap clothing and
cheap jeans.
Al-Shehhi also asked Awady if he was praying regularly and
attending prayer services in the mosque. Awady asked him why he was
so concerned about this, but Al-Shehhi did not give him a response.
Al-Shehhi told Awady that his studies were too difficult.
Awady asked a friend about the person with whom AlShehhi
was sharing the apartment. The friend told Awady that it was someone
from Yemen.
Awady then returned home to Bochum, Germany. The next
time that he saw AlShehhi again was in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
for AlShehhi's wedding. Awady was surprised to see that AlShehhi
had shaved off his beard and was acting like the "old" AlShehhi.
3 .
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To: Counterterrogi From: Berlin
Re: 315NWF227135, 12/05/2003 ,
Awady also saw AlShehhi once more in Bonn. He was unsure
if this occurred before or after the wedding in Dubai, but he thought
that it might have been after the wedding. At that time, AlShehhi
wore Afghan-style clothing. Awady had to laugh about AlShehhi's
manner of dress. They joked that it was a pajamas, but AlShehhi
said that it was to pray in.
When Awady was in Bonn, he went looking for their friend
Nafa phonetic! Last Name Not Provided!. Awady saw AlShehhi in the
company of Nafa.
Awady did not ask AlShehhi about his studies or what he
was doing when he saw him.
Awady also noticed that AlShehhi was concentrating upon
other matters, such as religion and praying. AlShehhi had
previously not been so interested in religion.
/
Awady had a contact telephone number for AlShehhi, but
when he tried to call that telephone number, the telephone number did
not work. Later, Awady called a mutual friend and asked him for Al-
Shehhis new telephone number. The friend informed Awady that Al-
Shehhi did not have a telephone or a cellular telephone.
At some point, the Embassy for the United Arab Emirates
called Awady and asked him whether he knew where to locate AlShehhi.
Khalid Last Name Not Provided! specifically asked him whether Al-
Shehhi was with Awady in Bochum. Later, AlShehhi's brother came to
Hamburg from the United Arab Emirates to look for him.
Awady testified that the Embassy for the United Arab
Emirates monitored their educational studies, and checked up on them.
Chief Judge Klaus Ruhle asked whether it was true that
they had shared an apartment in Bad Godesberg, Germany near Bonn, and
that AlShehhi later lived with two ! families in Bad Godesberg.
It had been documented in Awady's statement provided to police
investigators that AlShehhi had moved out of the first family's home
since they drank alcohol.
Awady testified that this was true.
Awady did not know the people with whom AlShehhi
associated in Hamburg.
when Awady asked AlShehhi why he lived so frugally and
why he did not have a television set in his apartment in Hamburg,
Al~Shehhi answered that he was living like the Prophet had once
lived.
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To: Counterterroggi From: Berlin
Re: 315N-WF227135, 12/05/2003
When Awady broke off his contact with AlShehhi in 2000,
he believed that AlShehhi was on a "Jihad" somewhere in Afghanistan.
Awady explained that he knew AlShehhi, and he believed that Al-
Shehhi would do such a thing.
After Khalid LNU! called him to inquire why AlShehhi was
not attending his classes at the university, Awady called AlShehhi
and asked to meet him in Hamburg. AlShehhi told Awady not to come
to Hamburg. He did not want to see Awady.
Awady believed that AlShehhi did not want him to see how
he was living in Hamburg, and then report this back to the Embassy
for the United Arab Emirates. Awady, however, stayed firm in his
intention to meet with AlShehhi and told him that he would come to
Hamburg the next weekend. =
Al-Shehhi's father had called Awadys father, who had then
ordered his son to_go and check upon AlShehhi. Awady was, thus, not
going to let himself be swayed out of meeting with AlShehhi in
Hamburgn
Awady drove to Hamburg by car and did not know the way to
Al-Shehhi's apartment. Thus, they met each other at the Hamburg
train station. It was obvious to Awady that AlShehhi did not want
Awady to see his apartment in Hamburg.
Awady knew that AlShehhi would never eat in a restaurant
where wine was served, such as an Italian restaurant. AlShehhi
would also never eat at McDonald's since he claimed that it was owned
by Jews.
Awady, thus, suggested that they go drink tea at Al-
Shehhi's apartment, so that Awady could learn Al-Shehhi's address.
Neither Al-Shehhi's brother, nor Ali Last Name Not Provided!, nor
the UAE Embassy, nor Khalid Last Name Not Provided! knew Al-Shehhi's
address.
Awady did not care about seeing Al-Shehhi's room, so long
as he got a chance to find out Al-Shehhi's address. _
In the end, Awady and AlShehhi drove to Al-Shehhi's
apartment in HamburgHarburg. AlShehhi lived in the apartment on
the first floor. There were two ! or three ! rooms in the
apartment, as well as a hallway, bathroom and kitchen. Awady
recalled seeing at least one ! bedroom.
The apartment was sparsely furnished with a few mattresses
and a prayer table. -
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To: Counterterropwn From: Berlin
Re: 3l5NWF227l35, 12/O5/2003
Awady did not know how many other people
apartment since he did not meet anyone else in the
Chief Judge Ruhle then asked if he could
had problems recognizing two ! pictures shown to
investigators. Awady had told the92
I
lived in the
apartment.
explain why he
him by police
police investigators that he did
not recognize Picture #30, and that he thought that he recognized the
other picture. Awady explained that the pictures depicted the
apartment prior to the renovations. Consequently, Awady was unable
to recognize those pictures.
Awady did not think that
outside apartment door buzzer.
Al~Shehhi had told Awady
resident at that location. He was
apartment until he found somethingAlShehhi's name was on the
that he was not registered as a
only temporarily living in that
better. As a result, his name was
not listed on the outside apartment door buzzer.
Chief Judge Ruhle now showed him two !
houses. Awady said that the first
apartment building, while the second picture could
apartment building. However, he was unsure of his
that photograph.
Upon seeing a floor planpictures of
AlShehhi's
have been his
identification ofpicture was not
of an apartment, Awady said that
he was unsure if that was Al-Shehhi's apartment.
Associate Judge First Name Unknown! Sakuth then asked
whether Al-Shehhi said that he did
whereabouts. Awady testified thatnot want his Embassy to know his
AlShehhi had not said this.
Awady learned where AlShehhi was living and told him that his
brother also wanted to know his address.
Awady did not report back his findings to AlShehhi's
family. Awady believed AlShehhi when he had said that this was only
a temporary living arrangement, and that he would move out into a
better apartment soon.
Awady later spoke with AlShehhi's brother about this
matter
When Awady saw Al-Shehhi
thingswhen he came to Germany to look for AlShehhi.
at the wedding, he thought that
were going better for AlShehhi.
When they met during previous times, AlShehhi never
seemed
inform
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REQ 23-7to care where they would plan to meet. He did, however,
Awady that he only had a small room in a student dormitory, so
000000358
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R; Q .To: Counterterrogiin From: Berlin ,
Re: 315NWF227l35, 12/O5/2003 J
that they might want to meet elsewhere. As a result, they usually
met somewhere else in the city.
AlShehhi told Awady that he wanted to bring his wife back
to Germany from Dubai. He had already applied for a tourist visa for
her, and now he needed a larger apartment for the two ! of them.
Associate Judge Dr. First Name Unknown! Mohr now asked
Awady how many days AlShehhi had remained in Dubai. Awady testified
that Al-Shehhi spent between ten 0! and fifteen 5! days in Dubai.
Awady thought that he might have returned to Germany on January 20th.
Associate Judge Mohr noted an apparent discrepancy in
Awady's testimony. Namely, Awadyhad stated in his statement
provided to police investigators that Al-Shehhi did not return to
Germany until February. He now asked Awady which date was correct.
Awady answered that he thought that AlShehhi had returned
to Germany by January 20th. He recalled that AlShehhi had told him
that he needed to get back to the university in Hamburg. If he
returned after January 20th, then he would have returned to the
university too late.
Awady had also heard from AlShehhis brother that Al-
Shehhi needed to stay ten 0! to twenty 0! days in Dubai, since he
needed to procure a new passport.
Chief Prosecutor Hemberger asked Awady whether he had seen
AlShehhi with anyone. Awady answered that he had seen Naja
phonetic! Last Name Not Provided! with AlShehhi.
The court excused Awady without requiring him to swear an
oath to his testimony.
The court then adjourned until 11:00 a.m., at which time
the next witness would be called.
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REQ 23-7
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IF: . . To: Counterterr,.e.=:m From: Berlln ,
Re: 315NWF227l35, l2/O5/2003 J
LEAD s!:
Set Lead 1: Info!
COUNTERTERRORISM
AT ETIU4, DC
Read and clear.
Set Lead 2: Info!
INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS "
AT I01, DC
Read and,clear.
Set Lead 3: Info!
NEW YORK
AT NEW YORK, NY
Read and clear.
Set Lead 4: Discretionary!
V WASHINGTON FIELD
AT WASHINGTON, DC
Disseminate as necessary.
awady.wpd
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