U.S.S. Cole bombing, so that they could be involved in future plotting in the Persian Gulf Area.
14. According to Sheikh Mohammed, he was happy that Bin Laden assigned him to the 9/11 operation because he had proposed a similar operation to Bin Laden 4 years earlier in 1996, immediately after Bin Laden's arrival from Sudan to Tora Bora. Sheikh Mohammed thought the operation was easy. He suggested at the time that they send mujahidin to study in the flight institutes and use large planes, such as a Boeing 747-400 or larger, not small planes. Sheikh Mohammed did not like to depend on the military training that was given in Afghanistan because he considered it impractical. Sheikh Mohammed thought simplicity was the key to success. Sheikh Mohammed did not like using codes in routine messages or e-mails. He asked the operatives to be normal to the maximum extent possible in their dealings, to keep the tone of their letters educational, social, or commercial, and to keep the calls short. He gave Atta enough authority that he would not need to consult with them frequently, and would be the decision maker. Sheikh Mohammed forbade the operatives from contacting Pakistan for any reason. Furthermore, they removed all Pakistani stamps or visas from the passports. Atta had taken a training session in this and had mastered it.
