CS-12 stated that had he/she and the other New York based agents been shown the fourth photograph, they would have immediately linked Al-Hazmi and Al-Mihdhar to Bin Attash, a prime suspect in the bombing of the USS Cole. As a result, the inquiry into the two hijackers would have shifted from an intelligence based investigation into a criminal investigation and agents would have been able to devote the full resources of the FBI’s New York Field Office to efforts to find the two hijackers later in the summer of 2001.
CS-12 told me that he/she testified before the 9/11 Commission and also gave a statement to investigators conducting an internal inquiry regarding the events of 9/11. CS-12 stated that during his/her testimony before the Commission, he/she stated that he/she had not seen the above referenced photograph of Bin Attash until after 9/11. CS-12 stated that following his/her testimony, then CIA counter terrorism official Cofer Black told the Commission that CS-12 was aware of the photograph before the 9/11 attacks. According to CS-12, Black told the Commission that CS-12 had shown the photograph in Pakistan to an informant that CS-12 had debriefed in March or February of 2001.
CS-12 told me that the informant was a FBI source who had been turned over his/her agency by Drug Enforcement Admiration agents assigned to Pakistan. CS-12 stated that Black had been untruthful with the 9/11 Commission as he/she had never seen the photograph of Walid Bin Attash before the 9/11 attacks.
CS-12 recalled that he/she advised Barbara Grewe, an official with the 9/11 Commission and former FBI investigator, that Black had given false information to the Commission. CS-12 further suggested that Grewe should interview Black regarding his false statements. CS-12 told me that Grewe told him/her that “the CIA is conducting its own investigation” and that neither the Commission nor the FBI would be pursuing the matter further. CS-12 recalled that the CIA’s own investigation into the above matter is still classified.
During November of 2016, I interviewed former Senator Robert Graham of Florida. Senator Graham served as the co-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee from June 6, 2001 until January 3, 2003. Senator Graham is personally familiar with the workings of both the Senate/House joint inquiry into the events of 9/11. Senator Graham also has knowledge of the investigative inquiry conducted by the 9/11 Commission. Senator Graham told me that it was apparent neither the joint inquiry nor the 9/11 Commission had fully explored the involvement of the government of Saudi Arabia in the events leading up to the 9/11 attacks.
During December of 2016 and again in 2021, I interviewed a former FBI agent whose identity is known to me. The agent is herein referred to as CS-14. CS-14 told me that he/she was familiar with FBI’s overseas operations. CS-14 told me that sometime before the terrorist attacks on 9/11, he/she debriefed a source of information, herein referred to as CW1. CW1 had been developed as a source by another government agency and given to the FBI as he/she had information on terrorism. According to CS-14, he/she was unable to work with the source alone as he/she did
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