In a detailed series, Newsweek traces the events leading up to the September 11 attacks, 25 years ago. The previous day’s examination revealed the coded language used by the conspirators, with terms like ‘architecture’ for the World Trade Center and ‘arts’ for the Pentagon.
August 20, 2001
On August 20, German citizen Said Bahaji booked a flight from Hamburg to Karachi, Pakistan, via Istanbul on September 3. A key figure in the Hamburg cell, Bahaji was an associate of Mohammed Atta and provided logistical support to the hijackers during their time in the U.S. Leaving Germany shortly before 9/11, he remained a fugitive until reports of his death near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border emerged in 2013.
Bahaji was unique among the Hamburg cell members as the only German citizen. He was educated in Morocco before returning to Germany for higher education at the Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg. Briefly serving in the German Army, he received a medical discharge. At the university, Bahaji connected with Atta, and they jointly requested a Muslim prayer room in 1999. Additionally, Bahaji frequented the al-Quds mosque, a known congregation point for the 9/11 plotters. A key piece of evidence—a video from Bahaji’s wedding on October 9, 1999—was later scrutinized by authorities.
The FBI analyzed this video, noting at the eleventh minute, Ramzi Binalshibh delivered a speech that was more political than congratulatory, ending with a Palestinian war poem. Marwan al-Shehhi performed a song appealing for war at the fifteenth minute. At the thirtieth minute, al-Shehhi and others sang about a warrior and conquests, followed by a song centered on ‘Jihad’, with guests chanting ‘Allah is great!’
In the summer of 2001, Bahaji planned to travel to Afghanistan and join al-Qaeda. The 9/11 Commission later described him as insecure, lacking personality, and having limited knowledge of Islam. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed advised him to hurry to Afghanistan, hinting at impending travel constraints.
Post-9/11 Investigations
Following 9/11, German authorities issued arrest warrants for Ramzi bin al-Shibh, Said Bahaji, and Zakariya Essabar, accusing them of terrorist organization involvement, murder, and aircraft piracy. Investigations revealed Atta and bin al-Shibh had used Bahaji’s computer for internet research, though his direct involvement appeared minimal.
Bahaji’s purchase of a flight ticket marked the first movement in a sequence of operatives traveling to Pakistan and Afghanistan prior to the attacks.
As this examination continues, the focus shifts to the FBI and CIA’s critical mistake in confusing key individuals, compromising their ability to zero in on Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
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