Approved for Release 2018 06 26 006665558 1 A Date 200211D TO ALEC 1 NatSeOAct FROM SUBJECT EYES ONLY - DETAILS OF SECONDDNOVEMBER 2002 INTERROGATION SESSION WITH AL-NASHIRI BODY NatSeCAct NatSeCAct Sm NatSeCAct NatSeCAct NatSeCAct - Nov 02 11253 Em 02 STAFF NatSeCAct NatSeCAct 11253 NatSecAct I TO IMMEDIATE ALEC INFO DIRECTOR NatseCACt NatSeOAct SUBJECT EYES ONLY - DETAILS OF SECOND NOVEMBER 2002 INTERROGATION SESSION WITH AL-RAHIM AL-NASHIRI - NONE b 3 NatSecAct TEXT COMBINE COMPLETE 1 ACTION REQUIRED NatSecAct Approved for Release 2018 06 26 C06665558 Approved for Release 2018 06 26 006665558 NatSecAct Egg NatSeCAct 3 BABE OFFICERS BEGAN WITH A PLANNING SESSION I ALL AGREED THAT THE SESSION WOULD BE FOCUSED 0N KNOWLEDGE OF IMMINENT PLOTS AGAINST U S INTERESTS IN PRIMARY AREA OF OPERATIONS THE PERSIAN GULF REGION NatSeCAct 4 INTERROGATIONS COMMENCED AT 1703 LOCAL TIME WITH TRANSLATING FOR BOTH SUBJECT AND INTERROGATORS SECURITY TEAM HVT REMOVED HIM FROM THE LARGE BO 1 ERNSTED HIS SHACKLES BACKED HIM AGAINST THE PANEL IN HIS CELL PLACED THE ROLLED SUPPORT AROUND HIS NECK AND SLOWLY REMOVED HIS HOOD THE FIRST THING SUBJECT SAW STARING AT HIM MENACINGLY FROM A FEW INCHES AWAY WERE SILENT FOR 30 THEN EREPEATED WITH A HISS THAT BEFORE SUBJECT HAD NatSeCActN PLACED IN Box HE HAD BEEN TOLD THAT WE WANTED COMPLETE ACCURATE INFORMATION FROM HIM To STOP ONGOING OPERATIONSAGAINST THE U S THAT HE TELL WHO THE OPERATORS ARE WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE WHAT TARGETS ARE SUBJECT WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS HIS CHANCE AND THAT HE WAS TO START BY TELLING EVERYTHING HE KNEW ABOUT ATTACKS THAT WERE BEING PLANNED TO OCCUR DURING RAMADAN INTERROGATORS AND TRANSLATOR ENTERED CELL AND 5 SUBJECT BEGAN STUTTERING A REPLY BUT WHEN GIVEN SOME WATER AND TOLD TO SPEAK CLEARLY FOUND HIS VOICE HE BEGAN BY SAYING THAT HE HAD DONE WORK FOR USAMA HAD DONE THE USS COLE ATTACK AND HAD SINCE SEEN WARSHIPS THAT HE HAD BEEN PLANNING TO ATTACK HE SAID THAT WHEN HIS PLANS FOR AN ATTACK IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ HAD FAILED HE HAD TAKEN IT UPON HIMSELF TO PLAN A DIFFERENT I ATTACK ON A SHIP AT PORT IN DUBAI SUBJECT SAID THAT HE COULD PROVIDE DETAILS ON THIS BUT WAS NOT AWARE OF ATTACKS BEING PLANNED DURING RAMADAN FORWARD INTO FACE AND SAID SUBJECT I WOULD PROVIDE DETAILS ON THIS AND EVERY OTHER PLOT - NatSeCAct 6 WHEN SUBJECT BEGAN TO SAY HE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE PLANS HE Approved for Release 2018 06 26 006665558 Approved for Release 2018 06 26 006665558 KNOWS HE WAS WALLED AND TOLD THAT ONE FALSE MOVE WOULD PUT HIM INTO THE SMALL BOX THAT SUBJECT HAD SEEN IN HIS CELL BUT IN WHICH HE HAD NOT YET BEEN CONFINED SUBJECT THEN SAID THAT HIS PLANS FOR ATTACKS HAD ONLY BEEN IN EARLY STAGES AND WOULD HAVE TAKEN ANOTHER THREE MONTHS To GET READY THESE PLANS HAD FAILED SSHOUTED AT SUBJECT THAT HE DID NOT CARE ABOUT FAILED OPERATIONS AND OLD INFORMATION AND THAT SUBJECT WAS TO PROVIDE ALL INFORMATION ABOUT NatSeCAct CURRENT PLANS AGAINST THE UNITED STATES IN SAUDI ARABIA YEMEN HORMUZ OR ANYWHERE ELSE SUBJECT BEGAN TO SAY THAT HE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT OTHER OPERATIONS AND WAS IMMEDIATELY PLACED IN THE SMALL CONFINEMENT Box FOR 30 MINUTES DURING WHICH TEAM RE-CONVENED FOR A SESSION AT WHICH TEAM DECIDED THAT SUJECT WOULD GIVEN MORE LATITUDE TO TALK IN ORDER TO SEE WHAT HE HAD TO SAY 7 SUBJECT WAS SOMEWHAT MORE FORTHCOMING IN THE NEXT SESSION SECURITY AND INTERROGATORS RE-ENTERED THE CELL AT 1756 LOCAL TIME BACKED SUBJECT AGAINST THE WALLING PANEL WITH THE RESTRAINT IN PLACE AND THE HOOD WAS AGAIN REMOVED INTERROGATORS EXPLAINED QUIETLY THAT THEY WANTED SUBJECT TO TELL ALL HE KNOWS ABOUT CURRENT OPERATIONS NOT OLD NEWS THAT WE WERE NOT INTERESTED IN INDICTMENTS OR OLD CHARGES AGAINST HIM AND WE WANT INFORMATION ABOUT THREATS TO US INTERESTS SUBJECT WAS GIVEN A DRINK OF WATER AND BEGAN To TALK NatSecAct 9 SUBJECT REPEATED HIS STORY ABOUT HIS PLANS TO USE AN AIRPLANE T0 ATTACK A SHIP IN PORT IN DUBAI HE SAID HE HAD INVESTIGATED THE FEASIBILITY OF THE OPERATION NatSecAct NatSeOAct SUBJECT SAYING THAT THIS SOUNDED DIFFERENT THAN WHAT SUBJECT HAD SAID BEFORE SUBJECT REPLIED THAT THIS WAS BECAUSE HE WAS GIVING THE OF PLAN SHOUTED THAT WE DID NOT WANT HIGHLIGHTS AND THAT SUBJECT WAS TO NatSecAct Approved for Release 2018 06 26 006665558 Approved for Release 2018 06 26 C06665558 PROVIDE DETAILS IMMEDIATELY 10 COMMENTS OVER THE ENSUING HOUR OF HEATED INTERROGATION - WHICH WAS FOCUSED IN LARGE PART ON PLOT TO USE SMALL BOATS TO ATTACK LARGER CRAFT IN OF HORMUZ AND HIS PLANS TO FLY A SMALL PLANE INTO A WESTERN NAVAL VESSEL AT PORT RASHID DUBAI WERE DISJOINTED AND APPEARED TO CONFLICT IN CERTAIN PLACES BUT CONTAINED SOME INFORMATION THAT MAY BE ACTIONABLE PRODUCE COHERENT INFORMATION AS EXPLAINED IN PARA 11 - NatSeCAct - SUBJECT SAID THAT THE FIRST TIME HE HAD SEEN THE WARSHIP HE WANTED TO ATTACK IN THE PORT OF RASHID WAS ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS AGO SUBJECT SAID THAT AHMAD WAS REPRESENTATIVE WITH THE SHAYKH BIN LADIN BEFORE 9 11 - SUBJECT SAID THAT HE AND HIS ASSOCIATES HAD PLANNED TO SELL THE BOATS THEY HAD PURCHASED FOR THE ATTACK IN THE STRAIGHT OF HORMUZ AFTER IT BECAME OBVIOUS THEY COULD NOT OUT THE ATTACK - SUBJECT MENTIONED THAT THREE YEMENI LABORERS WHO WERE PART OF OUR HAD BEEN EMPLOYED TO MAINTAIN THE LARGER WOODEN BOAT AND TO TEACH MEN HOW TO OPERATE IT ASKED WHERE THE BOAT TO BE USED IN PLANNED ATTACKS COULD BE FOUND SUBJECT REPLIED THAT A BOAT IS AVAILABLE IN DUBAI WE DECIDED TO GO TO SOMALIA SO WE COULD MAKE USE OF THE AFTER THE PLAN FAILED FOR NON-ATTACK-RELATED AT ANOTHER POINT SUBJECT SAID THAT THE BOAT HAD BEEN DOCKED IN YEMEN BEFORE THE PLAN HAD BEEN ABANDONED - SUBJECT CLAIMED THAT AFTER THE PLAN FOR THE BOAT WAS ABANDONED DECIDED TO SELL IT BUT AL-DARBI DECIDED TO USE IT FOR SUBJECT CLAIMED NOT TO KNOW THE CURRENT LOCATION OF THE BUT SAID THE LARGER WOODEN ONE WAS REGISTERED AS BEING NAMED WHICH IS THE NAME OF A PERSON FROM DUBAI NAMED WHO OWNS A MARITIME OFFICE THERE - SUBJECT SAID HE AND OTHERS INVOLVED HAD NOT USED CODEWORDS FOR THE OR THE TARGETS SUBJECT SAID THAT ONE REASON THE PLAN HAD BEEN ABANDONED WAS BECAUSE THE OPERATIVES HAD NEVER LEARNED HOW TO THE AND WHEN PRESSED ADMITTED THAT THE MORE IMPORTANT REASON WAS THE INABILITY TO OBTAIN THE EXPLOSIVES IN PAKISTAN 4 SUBJECT REFERRED TO AN THAT HAD BEEN RECRUITED BY TO OPERATE THE LARGER WOODEN ATTACK-BOAT AND FOR TRAINING HIS OWN PEOPLE - SOME OF WHOM WERE YEMENIS 1 TO DO THE SAME 11 AT THIS POINT SUBJECT STATED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW Approved for Release 2018 06 26 006665558 Approved for Release 2018 06 26 C06665558 LOCATION AND SAID HE HAD BEEN TRYING TO LOCATE HIM EFOR A LONG NatSeCAct SUBJECTS COMMENTS THEREAFTER BECAME SOMEWHAT MORE COHERENT ASKED ABOUT THE TARGETS OF THE PLOT IN THE STRAITS 0F HORMUZ SUBJECT REPLIED THAT THEY WERE ALL TO BE OIL TANKERS AND THAT HE UNDERSTOOD TANKERS OVER 200 METERS LONG - THE ONES HE HAD BEEN PLANNING TO ATTACK - WERE SUBJECT SAID THAT HE DID NOT KNOW THE NAMES OF THE VESSELS BECAUSE THEIR NAMES WOULD NOT BE IMPORTANT TO THE OPERATIONS 12 SUBJECT WAS ASKED TO PROVIDE THE NAME OF EVERY PERSON WITH ANY INVOLVEMENT IN THE DUBAI AND HORMUZ OPERATION HIS RESPONSES ARE AS FOLLOWS PERSONS INVOLVED IN THE DUBAI OPERATION FROM RIYADH FROM - WHO WAS A FRIEND OF AND WAS BEING CONSIDERED FOR - FROM YEMEN WHOSE MISSION WAS To PROCURE EXPLOSIVES SUBJECT EXPLAINED THAT HE HAD BEEN PLANNING TO MEET AL-QAZIMI AT THE INTERNET CAFE LOCATED IN THE IN I DUBAI PERSONS INVOLVED IN THE HORMUZ - - AL-YEMENI WHO WAS A RESIDENT 0F SAUDI WHO WAS CONTACTED THROUGH ABU FROM YEMEN ABU WAS KILLED ACCIDENTALLY IN AUGUST 2002 BY AN EXPLOSION IN A HOTEL ROOM IN YEMEN - - WHO WAS KILLED ALONG WITH ABU AL-SHAHID IN THE AUGUST 2002 HOTEL ROOM EXPLOSION 13 SUBJECT WAS TOLD THAT HIS PROVISION OF SUCH INFORMATION WAS A GOOD START THAT WE KNEW HE HAD MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE OPERATIONS THAN HE WAS PROVIDING SUBJECT WAS REMINDED THAT HE HAD EARLIER SAID ARMS WERE PLENTIFUL IN THE WHY HE WAS ASKED HAD IT BEEN SO DIFFICULT FOR SENIOR COMMANDER IN SAUDI ARABIA TO FIND EXPLOSIVES FOR OPERATIONS HE HAD BEEN I SUBJECT REPLIED WISH IT WAS BUT THAT BIN LADIN WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE ARRANGED MONEY FOR THE OPERATIONS BUT DISAPPEARED AND THE OPERATIONS WERE CANCELLED Approved for Release 2018 06 26 006665558 Approved for Release 2018 06 26 C06665558 14 SUBJECT WAS ASKED TO FOCUS ON THE PLAN HE HAD SUBJECT SAID THIS HAD BEEN THE PORT RASHID PLAN TO ATTACK A NAVY SHIP SUBJECT STATED THAT THE NAVAL SHIP SUBJECT AND HAZIM HAD SURVEILLED AT PORT RASHID HAD BEEN BRITISH BUT THAT HE HAD BEEN WAITING FOR AN AMERICAN ONE SUBJECT DENIED KNOWING WHAT THE NAME OF THE BRITISH VESSEL WAS AND REPEATED THAT THE NAMES OF SHIPS WERE NOT IMPORTANT IN PLANNING AND THAT SHIP WOULD BE ALRIGHT LIKE WITH THE NatSecAct 1 SEIZED THE TOWEL NECK NatSeCAct RESTRAINT AND SAID SUBJECT WAS LYING AGAIN AND THAT HE HAD BETTER THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT HIS ANSWERS BECAUSE YOU ARE ANNOYING ME AND BELIEVE ME YOU DO NOT WANT TO ANNOY SUBJECT WAS HOODED WITH THE BRIDGE THAT INTERROGATORS WERE BE BACK IN A FEW MINUTES AND THAT WHEN THEY RETURNED THEY WANTED THE TRUTH OR ELSE LIFE WOULD BECOME MUCH WORSE 15 FOLLOWING A 15-MINUTE MEETING WITH THE TEAM INTERROGATORS RE-ENTERED THE CELL AT 1922 HRS LOCAL SUBJECT WAS UN-HOODED AND TOLD TO TALK ABOUT WARSHIP AND TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO BE TRUTHFUL ABOUT HIS ANSWERS SUBJECT SAID THAT MOST IMPORTANT TO REGARDING THE PLAN HAD BEEN HIS CONCERN THAT AL-QAZIMI THE YEMENI NEEDED TO GET THE EXPLOSIVES AND TRUCK READY HAD SUBJECT BEEN 100 SURE OF THIS HE WOULD HAVE PROCEEDED WITH FINAL ARRANGEMENTS WITH HIS MEN SUBJECT STATED THAT HAD IT IN THE BACK OF MY MIND THAT AND SALMAN WOULD RENT A HOUSE AND PUT MATERIAL AND THAT WE WERE 100 PERCENT SURE WE HAD THE MATERIAL WE WOULD RENTED THE HOUSE NatSecAct Approved for Release 2018 06 26 C06665558 Approved for Release 2018 06 26 C06665558 NatSeCAct NatSecAct SUBJECT WAS HOODED AND PLACED IN THE LARGE BOX NatSecAct NatSecAct 1 3 3 6 NatSeCAct END OF MESSAGE Approved for Release 2018 06 26 006665558 This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu