cover story. Sheikh Mohammed said that good operational security would have dictated that an operative not try to call attention to himself in the U.S. Sheikh Mohammed said that there is no benefit to having someone arrested by U.S. authorities, and he would not intentionally have an operative arrested as part of an operation. Sheikh Mohammed stated that he gave special training on life in the U.S. to some of the 9/11 operatives who did not have knowledge of the West so that they could function there without drawing undue attention. Sheikh Mohammed went on to say that it was poor operational security to pay for flight lessons with a large amount of cash, adding that it should be done with a credit card or checks. Sheikh Mohammed also stated he would have had an operative open a bank account with small deposits, rather than one large deposit. Sheikh Mohammed said he did not know what Moussaoui did while in the U.S. but hoped that he would have followed instructions to maintain a low profile.
104. Sheikh Mohammed was...told about Moussaoui's purchase of knives, his request for information on GPS units, and his statement to a JI member that he was going to fly a plane into the White House. Sheikh Mohammed explained that Moussaoui was preparing for a second wave attack which
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