TerroristSaudi Arabian9/11 attacksMass murderer

Waleed al-Shehri

Waleed al-Shehri was a Saudi terrorist and one of five hijackers of American Airlines Flight 11, which he crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

1. Overview

Waleed Mohammed al-Shehri (وليد الشهريWalīd ash-ShehrīArabic; born December 20, 1978 - died September 11, 2001) was a Saudi terrorist and one of the five hijackers involved in the September 11 attacks against the United States in 2001. He was part of the group that seized control of American Airlines Flight 11, which was then deliberately crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. His actions on that day contributed directly to one of the most significant acts of terrorism in history.

2. Early life and background

Waleed al-Shehri's upbringing in a deeply conservative environment and his early life experiences played a role in his later radicalization.

2.1. Birth and childhood

Waleed al-Shehri was born on December 20, 1978, in ʿAsir Province, Saudi Arabia. He grew up in a financially disadvantaged region of the country, located near the border with Yemen. He was the younger brother of Wail al-Shehri, with whom he would later become deeply involved in extremist activities.

2.2. Education and family environment

Al-Shehri pursued studies with the aspiration of becoming a teacher, following in the footsteps of his elder brother, Wail al-Shehri. His family adhered to Wahhabism, a fundamentalist movement within Islam, which meant al-Shehri was raised in a very conservative household. This strict environment restricted many aspects of his life; for instance, he was forbidden from engaging with music and had no contact with non-mahram females until he was deemed old enough for an arranged marriage. The family's household also lacked access to modern communication technologies such as satellite television or the Internet.

Early media reports incorrectly stated that al-Shehri had obtained a pilot's certificate in the United States, graduating from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1997. However, subsequent investigations revealed that Embry-Riddle had no involvement in the flight training of the September 11 hijackers. It was discovered that one of the institution's former students shared the same name as one of the hijackers, but this individual was found to have no connections to al-Qaeda.

3. Path to Radicalization

Al-Shehri's involvement in extremist movements began with a journey to seek spiritual healing, which ultimately led him down a path of jihadist commitment.

3.1. Initial journey and influences

In 2000, Waleed al-Shehri ceased his studies to accompany his brother, Wail al-Shehri, who was experiencing a mental affliction and sought assistance from a religious healer in Medina, Saudi Arabia. This journey marked the beginning of their radicalization. The brothers then traveled to Chechnya, where they participated in a jihadist insurgency against Russia. However, their involvement in Chechnya was brief, as they were soon redirected to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

While in Afghanistan, Waleed and Wail al-Shehri met Ahmed al-Nami and Saeed al-Ghamdi. It is reported that in the spring of 2000, before their arrival at the Al Farouq training camp, these four individuals pledged themselves to jihad in a ceremony presided over by Wail al-Shehri, who had adopted the name Abu Mossaeb al-Janubi, after one of Muhammad's companions. This period in Afghanistan was crucial, as it was here that Waleed al-Shehri and his brother were recruited by al-Qaeda to carry out the September 11 attacks.

3.2. Training and recruitment

After being selected for the operation, Waleed al-Shehri underwent training at the Al Farouq training camp in Afghanistan. He later served in the security forces at Kandahar International Airport, working alongside Saeed al-Ghamdi. He continued his training with other future hijackers at the al-Matar complex under the guidance of Abu Turab al-Urduni.

In the fall of 2000, al-Shehri returned to Saudi Arabia with his brother to obtain "clean" passports and U.S. visas. They successfully acquired their U.S. visas on October 3 and October 24, respectively. Local reports indicated that both brothers disappeared from their hometown of Khamis Mushayt in southern Saudi Arabia in December of that year. The 9/11 Commission Report suggests that in mid-November, Waleed al-Shehri, Wail al-Shehri, and Ahmed al-Nami, having already secured their U.S. visas, traveled as a group from Saudi Arabia to Beirut, Lebanon, and then onward to Iran. This route allowed them to enter Afghanistan without their passports being stamped, a tactic likely employed after their return to Saudi Arabia to obtain new, unmarked passports. It is believed that an associate of a senior Hezbollah operative may have been on the same flight, though this could have been coincidental.

4. Preparation for the 9/11 Attacks

After their selection and training, Waleed al-Shehri engaged in a series of activities to prepare for the September 11 attacks, including travel, visa acquisition, and movements within the United States.

4.1. Visa acquisition and travel to the U.S.

Following their specialized training, Waleed al-Shehri and other "muscle" hijackers are believed to have moved to a safehouse in Karachi, Pakistan, before traveling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). From the UAE, these hijackers entered the United States between April and June 2001. Waleed al-Shehri himself may have arrived in the U.S. on April 23, 2001, on a tourist visa. There are conflicting reports regarding his previous whereabouts; some sources suggest al-Shehri "at times" stayed at lead hijacker Mohamed Atta's apartment in Hamburg, Germany, between 1998 and 2001, while others place him with Zacarias Moussaoui in London.

Additionally, Ramzi bin al-Shibh stated that Osama bin Laden had sent a message through Waleed al-Shehri to Mohamed Atta earlier that spring, indicating bin Laden's preference to attack the White House rather than the Capitol.

4.2. Activities in the United States

Al-Shehri in May 2001
Al-Shehri in May 2001

Upon his arrival in the United States, Waleed al-Shehri actively engaged in preparations for the impending attacks. On May 4, 2001, he applied for and received a Florida driver's license. The very next day, he submitted a change-of-address form to obtain a duplicate license. Five other suspected hijackers also received duplicate Florida licenses in 2001, leading to speculation that this practice was intended to allow multiple individuals to use the same identity.

On May 19, al-Shehri and Satam al-Suqami flew from Fort Lauderdale to Freeport, Bahamas, where they had reservations at the Bahamas Princess Resort. In Freeport, al-Shehri and al-Suqami rented two vehicles: a black Buick Regal and a gray Ford Taurus. However, Bahamian officials denied them entry upon arrival because they lacked proper visas, forcing them to return to Florida on the same day. The 9/11 Commission Report suggested that this trip was likely an attempt to renew al-Suqami's immigration status, as his legal stay in the United States was set to expire on May 21.

Around June 2001, al-Shehri was one of nine hijackers who opened a SunTrust bank account with a cash deposit. While residing in Boynton, neighbors observed him to be an enthusiastic supporter of the Florida Marlins baseball team.

On July 16, both Waleed and Wail al-Shehri were staying at a hotel in Salou, Spain, where they received a visit from Mohamed Atta. On July 30, al-Shehri traveled alone from Fort Lauderdale to Boston. He then flew to San Francisco the following day, staying one night before returning via Las Vegas. According to librarian Kathleen Hensmen, Wail and Waleed al-Shehri utilized the Internet access at the Delray Beach Public Library in August, potentially researching information on crop dusting. Hensmen recalled them leaving the library with a third Middle Eastern man, believed to be Marwan al-Shehhi, who reportedly inquired about a local restaurant.

On September 5, Wail and Waleed al-Shehri traveled together on Delta Air Lines Flight 2462 from Fort Lauderdale to Boston. They subsequently checked in together at the Park Inn Hotel in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, occupying room 432. It is possible that Abdulaziz al-Omari also stayed a night at the Park Inn before departing with Mohamed Atta for Portland, Maine, on September 10. When the al-Shehri brothers checked out, they may have left behind a discarded sheet containing instructions on how to fly a transcontinental jetliner in their hotel room.

5. September 11 Attacks

Waleed al-Shehri played a direct and instrumental role in the tragic events of September 11, 2001, as one of the hijackers of American Airlines Flight 11.

5.1. Events on September 11

On the morning of September 11, 2001, Waleed al-Shehri, his brother Wail, and Satam al-Suqami arrived together at Logan International Airport at approximately 6:45 AM. They had parked their Ford Focus rental car in the airport's parking facility. During the check-in process, Wail al-Shehri was selected by the Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (CAPPS), as were his brother Waleed and fellow Flight 11 hijacker Satam al-Suqami. Mohamed Atta, the pilot hijacker for Flight 11, had also been selected by CAPPS in Portland. Being selected by CAPPS meant that their checked luggage was subject to additional screening. However, since CAPPS was solely for luggage, the three hijackers did not undergo any extra scrutiny at the passenger security checkpoint.

By 7:40 AM, all five hijackers were aboard American Airlines Flight 11, which was originally scheduled to depart at 7:45 AM. Waleed and Wail al-Shehri were seated together in first class, in seats 2B and 2A respectively. The aircraft taxied away from Gate 26 and departed Logan International Airport at 7:59 AM from runway 4R, after a 14-minute delay.

The hijacking of Flight 11 commenced at approximately 8:14 AM, at which point the pilot ceased responding to air traffic control. It is strongly suspected that Waleed and Wail al-Shehri were directly involved in the hijacking, possibly stabbing two flight attendants during the takeover. At 8:46:40 AM, Mohamed Atta deliberately crashed Flight 11 into the northern facade of the North Tower (Tower 1) of the World Trade Center. The immense damage inflicted upon the North Tower by the impact destroyed all means of escape from above the impact zone, trapping 1,344 people within the upper floors. The North Tower subsequently collapsed at 10:28 AM, after burning for 102 minutes.

6. Aftermath and Reports

In the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks, there was considerable confusion regarding the identities of the hijackers, including Waleed al-Shehri, leading to erroneous reports and later clarifications.

6.1. Initial confusion and mistaken identity

On September 23, 2001, BBC News initially reported that Waleed al-Shehri was "alive and well" in Casablanca, Morocco, and was communicating with various media organizations. However, due to the widespread confusion surrounding the identities of the attackers and concerns about conspiracy theories, BBC News later modified its September 23 report by inserting the phrase "A man called..." to reflect the uncertainty. BBC News considers this initial report to have been superseded by a subsequent report on October 5, 2001, which listed Waleed as one of the alleged hijackers confirmed by the FBI to be responsible for the September 11 attacks.

Initially, a Saudi newspaper erroneously identified Waleed and Wail al-Shehri as the sons of Ahmed Alshehri, a senior Saudi diplomat stationed in Bombay, India. On September 16, 2001, the diplomat Ahmed Alshehri publicly denied that he was the father of the two hijackers. A separate individual, also named Wail, claimed he had indeed attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, but asserted he was a victim of mistaken identity, using his flight training to secure his current position with a Moroccan airline company. Saudi Arabia corroborated this story, suggesting that the true hijackers had used identity theft.

6.2. Family statements and confirmation of death

Prior to September 17, 2001, Muhammad Ali al-Shehri was identified as the true father of Waleed and Wail. He informed Arab News that he had not heard from his sons for 10 months leading up to September 2001. This detail was reiterated in an ABC News story in March 2002. In a segment titled "A Saudi Apology" for Dateline NBC on August 25, 2002, NBC reporter John Hockenberry traveled to ʿAsir Province, where he interviewed the third al-Shehri brother, Salah. Salah confirmed that his two brothers were dead and claimed they had been "brainwashed," providing insight into the family's perspective on their radicalization.

Further clarification on the mistaken identity came from another article, which explained that the pilot living in Casablanca was named Walid al-Shri, distinct from Waleed M. al-Shehri, and that much of the BBC's information regarding "alive" hijackers was incorrect according to the same sources BBC had used. In September 2007, a video recording of Waleed al-Shehri's last testament was released, marking the sixth anniversary of the attacks, further confirming his death and ideological commitment.

7. Legacy and Historical Evaluation

Waleed al-Shehri's legacy is inextricably linked to his role as a perpetrator in the September 11 attacks, one of the most devastating acts of terrorism in modern history. As one of the five hijackers aboard American Airlines Flight 11, his actions were instrumental in the coordinated assault that resulted in the catastrophic collapse of the World Trade Center's North Tower and the deaths of thousands of innocent people. His involvement, alongside his brother Wail, in a jihadist network reflects a profound descent into extremism, beginning with a quest for religious healing that morphed into militant commitment within al-Qaeda training camps.

His background, marked by a conservative Wahhabist upbringing and a strict environment, illustrates the ideological vulnerabilities that can be exploited by radical groups. The meticulous planning involved in obtaining passports and visas, traveling through various countries to avoid detection, and conducting preparatory activities within the United States highlights the sophisticated and premeditated nature of the attacks. Al-Shehri's participation underscores the grave threat posed by individuals radicalized by extremist ideologies.

The confusion surrounding his identity in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, including erroneous reports of him being alive, further complicated the initial understanding of the plotters. However, subsequent investigations and statements from his family, who described him and his brother as "brainwashed," confirmed his demise and cemented his place in history as a key figure in the 9/11 tragedy. Waleed al-Shehri remains a symbol of the destructive consequences of radicalization and terrorism, serving as a stark reminder of the global impact of such violent acts.