69. Al-Qahtani was selected by Bin Laden or Abu Hafs Al-Masri for the 9/11 operation, but he possessed no operational or basic knowledge that would qualify him for such an operation. When Sheikh Mohammed tasked Al-Qahtani to obtain a U.S., Swiss, French, Italian, or Australian visa, Sheikh Mohammed needed to explain the existence of visa regimes to Al-Qahtani. Al-Qahtani also had difficulties with codes. When Al-Qahtani attempted to enter the U.S. to participate in the 9/11 operation and failed to pass through U.S. Customs and Immigration, which resulted in his deportation from Orlando, Fla., Sheikh Mohammed decided that he had no further use or patience with Al-Qahtani.
70. Sheikh Mohammed said that al-Hawsawi provided money to Al-Qahtani in Dubai, UAE, for his travel to the U.S. Al-Qahtani did not know the specifics of the operation, but did understand it to be a suicide operation. Al-Qahtani was first aware that the operation would take place in the U.S. in the summer of 2001 when he met with Sheikh Mohammed in Karachi, Pakistan. Sheikh Mohammed said that Al-Qahtani was to be met at the Orlando airport, but did not know by whom. Al-Qahtani did not have contacts in the U.S..
