On trial for attacks: the confessions of a terror mastermind?

PRESIDENT: Before we begin, Khalid Sheikh Mohammad (KSM), l understand you speak and understand English. Is that correct?

KSM: (Nods).

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PRESIDENT: Alright. Are you comfortable in continuing in English or would you like everything translated in Arabic?

KSM: Everything in English but if I have a problem the linguist will help me.

PRESIDENT: We will proceed in English. If you indicate to me that you would like something translated we will go ahead and do that. Alright?... This tribunal will determine whether Khalid Sheikh Mohammed meets the criteria to be designated as an enemy combatant against the United States or its coalition partners or otherwise meets the criteria to be designated as an enemy combatant.

PRESIDENT: Recorder, please read the unclassified summary of evidence for the record. But before you proceed, Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, let me remind you that you must not comment on this evidence at this time. You will be provided with an opportunity shortly to provide any comments that you would like. Recorder, please proceed.

RECORDER: The following facts support the determination that the Detainee is an enemy combatant:

Paragraph a. On the morning of 11 September 2001, four airliners travelling over the United States were hijacked. The flights hijacked were: American Airlines Flight 11, United Airlines Flight 175, American Airlines Flight 77, and United Airlines Flight 93.

At approximately 8.46 am, AmericanAirlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Centre, resulting in the collapse of the tower at approximately 10.25am. At approximately 9.05am, United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South

Tower of the World Trade Centre, resulting in the collapse of the tower at approximately 9.55am. At approximately 9.37 am, American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the southwest side of the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. At approximately 10.03am, United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Stoney Creek Township, Pennsylvania. These crashes and subsequent damage to the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon resulted in the deaths of 2,972 persons in New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

Paragraph b. The Detainee served as the head of the al-Qa'ida military committee and was Osama bin Laden's principal al-Qa'ida operative who directed the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US.

Paragraph c. In an interview with an al-Jazeera reporter in June 2002, the detainee stated he was the head of the al-Qa'ida military committee.

Paragraph d. A computer hard drive seized during the capture of the detainee contained information about the four airplanes hijacked on 11 September, 2001 including code names, airline company, flight number, target, pilot name and background information, and names of the hijackers.

Paragraph e. A computer hard drive seized during the capture of the detainee contained photographs of 19 individuals identified as the 11 September 2001 hijackers.

Paragraph f. A computer hard drive seized during the capture of the detainee contained a document that listed the pilot license fees for Mohammad Atta and biographies for some of the hijackers.

Paragraph g. A computer hard drive seized during the capture of the detainee contained images of passports and an image of Mohammad Atta.

Paragraph h. A computer hard drive seized during the capture of the Detainee contained transcripts of chat sessions belonging to at least one of the 11 September 2001 hijackers.

Paragraph i. The detainee directed an individual to travel to the United States to case possible targets for a second wave of attacks.

Paragraph j. A computer hard drive that was seized during the capture of the detainee contained three letters from Osama bin Laden.

Paragraph k. A computer hard drive seized during the capture of the Detainee contained spreadsheets that describe money assistance being sent to families of known al-Qa'ida members.

Paragraph l. The detainee's name was on a list in a computer seized in connection with a threat to United States airlines, United States embassies and the Pope.

Paragraph m. The Detainee wrote the bojinka plot, the airline bomb plot which was later found on his nephew Ramzi Yousef's computer.

Paragraph n. The bojinka plot is also known as the Manila air investigation.

Paragraph o. The Manila air investigation uncovered the detainee conspired with others to plant explosive devices aboard American jetliners while those aircraft were scheduled to be airborne and loaded with passengers on their way to the United States.

Paragraph p. The detainee was in charge of and funded an attack against United States military vessels that were heading to the port of Djibouti.

Paragraph q. A computer hard drive seized during the capture of the detainee contained a letter to the United Arab Emirates threatening attack if their government continued to help the United States.

Paragraph r. During the capture of the detainee, information used exclusively by al-Qa'ida operational managers to communicate with operatives was found.

Paragraph s. The detainee received funds from Kuwaiti-based Islamic extremist groups and delivered the funds to al-Qa'ida members.

Paragraph t. A computer hard drive seized during the capture of the detainee contained a document that summarised operational procedures and training requirements of an al-Qa'ida cell.

Paragraph u. A computer hard drive seized during the capture of the detainee contained a list of killed and wounded al-Qa'ida martyrs.

And lastly, Paragraph v. Passport photographs of al-Qa'ida operatives were seized during the capture of the detainee.

RECORDER: Sir, this concludes the summary of unclassified evidence.

[The tribunal president then rules that KSM's request for two witnesses - fellow prisoners Ramzi bin al-Shibh and Mustafa Hawsawi - are denied on the grounds that their evidence would be irrelevant.]

PRESIDENT: Let me take up a few things that have come up as based on my review of these documents that have been provided to us so far. D-d,

appears to be a written statement regarding certain treatment that you claim to have received at the hands of agents of the United States government as you indicated from the time of your capture in 2003 up until before coming here to Guantanamo in September 2006. Is that correct?

KSM: Yes.

REPRESENTATIVE: Mr. President, the detainee has asked me to read his final statement to the Tribunal with the understanding he may interject or add statements if he needs to, to correct what I say. According to the detainee:

"I hereby admit and affirm without duress to the following:

1. I swore Bay'aat (ie allegiance) to Sheikh Osama Bin Laden to conduct Jihad of self and money, and also Hijrah (i.e. expatriation to any location in the world where Jihad is required).

2. I was a member of the al-Qa'ida Council.

3. I was the Media Operations Director for Al-Sahab, or 'The Clouds,' under Dr. Ayman Al-Zawahiri. Al-Sahab is the media outlet that provided

al-Qa'ida-sponsored information to Al-Jazeera.

4. I was the Operational Director for Sheikh Osama Bin Laden for the organising, planning, follow-up, and execution of the 9/11 operation under the Military Commander, Sheikh Abu Hafs Al-Masri Subhi Abu Sittah.

5. I was the Military Operational Commander for all foreign operations around the world under the direction of Sheikh Osama Bin Laden and Dr Ayman Al-Zawahiri.

6. I was directly in charge, after the death of Sheikh Abu Hafs Al-Masri Subhi Abu Sittah, of managing and following up on the cell for the production of biological weapons, such as anthrax and others, and following up on Dirty Bomb Operations on American soil.

7. I was Emir (i.e. commander) of Beit Al Shuhada (i.e. the Martyrs' House) in the state of Kandahar, Afghanistan, which housed the 9/11 hijackers. There, I was responsible for their training and readiness for the execution of the 9/11 operation. Also, I hereby admit and affirm without duress that I was a responsible participant, principal planner, trainer, financier (via the Military Council Treasury), executor, and/or a personal participant in the following:

1. I was responsible for the 1993 World Trade Centre Operation.

2. I was responsible for the 9/11 Operation, from A to Z.

3. (REDACTED)

4. I was responsible for the Shoe Bomber Operation to down two American airplanes.

5. I was responsible for the Filka Island Operation in Kuwait that killed two American soldiers.

6. I was responsible for the bombing of a nightclub in Bali, Indonesia, which was frequented by British and Australian nationals.

7. I was responsible for planning, training, surveying, and financing the

new (or second) wave attacks against the following skyscrapers after 11 September, 2001:

a. Library Tower, California.

b. Sears Tower, Chicago,

c. Plaza Bank, Washington state.

d. The Empire State Building, New York City.

8. I was responsible for planning, financing, & follow-up of operations to destroy American military vessels and oil tankers in the Straits of Hormuz, the Straits of Gibraltar, and the Pots of Singapore.

9. I was responsible for planning, training, surveying, and financing for the operation to bomb and destroy the Panama Canal.

10. I was responsible for surveying and financing for the assassination of several former American Presidents, including President Carter.

11. I was responsible for surveying, planning, and financing for the bombing of suspension bridges in New York.

12. I was responsible for planning to destroy the Sears Tower by burning a few fuel or oil tanker trucks beneath it or around it.

13. I was responsible for planning, surveying, and financing for the operation to destroy Heathrow Airport, the Canary Wharf Building, and Big Ben on British soil.

14. I was responsible for planning, surveying, and financing for the destruction of many nightclubs frequented by American and British citizens on Thailand soil.

15. I was responsible for surveying and financing for the destruction of the New York Stock Exchange and other financial targets after 9/11.

16. I was responsible for planning, financing, and surveying for the destruction of buildings in the Israeli city of Eilat by using airplanes leaving from Saudi Arabia.

17. I was responsible for planning, surveying, and financing for the destruction of American embassies in Indonesia, Australia and Japan.

18.I was responsible for surveying and financing for the destruction of the Israeli embassy in India, Azerbaijan, the Philippines, and Australia.

19. I was responsible for surveying and financing for the destruction of an Israeli El-Al Airlines flight on Thailand soil departing from Bangkok Airport.

20. I was responsible for sending several Mujahadeen into Israel to conduct surveillance to hit several strategic targets deep in Israel.

21. I was responsible for the bombing of the hotel in Mombasa that is frequented by Jewish travelers via El-Al airlines.

22. I was responsible for launching a Russian-made SA-7 surface-to-air missile on El-Al or other Jewish airliner departing from Mombasa.

23. I was responsible for planning and surveying to hit American targets in South Korea, such as American military bases and a few nightclubs frequented by American soldiers.

24. I was responsible for financial, excuse me, I was responsible for providing financial support to hit American, Jewish, and British targets in Turkey.

25. I was responsible for surveillance needed to hit nuclear power plants that generate electricity in several US states.

26. I was responsible for planning, surveying, and financing to hit Nato headquarters in Europe.

27. I was responsible for the planning and surveying needed to execute the

Bojinka Operation, which was designed to down twelve American airplanes full of passengers. I personally monitored a round-trip, Manila-to-Seoul, Pan Am flight.

28:I was responsible for the assassination attempt against President Clinton during his visit to the Philippines in 1994 or 1995.

29. I was responsible for the assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II while he was visiting the Philippines.''

KSM: I was not responsible, but share.

REPRESENTATIVE:

"I shared responsibility for the assassination attempt against Pope John Paul II while he was visiting the Philippines.

30. I was responsible for the training and financing for the assassination of Pakistan's President Musharraf.

31. I was responsible for the attempt to destroy an American oil company owned by the Jewish former Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, on the Island of Sumatra, Indonesia."

KSM: Because war, for sure, there will be victims. When I said I'm not happy that 3,000 had been killed in America. I feel sorry even. I don't like to kill children and the kids. Never has Islam given me the green light to kill people... We are not making up laws. When we need Fatwa from the religious we have to go back to see what the scholar said. To see what they said yes or no. Killing is prohibited among all what you call the peoples of the book, Jews, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. You know the Ten Commandments very well. The Ten Commandments are shared between all of us. We all are serving one God...

PRESIDENT: Does that conclude your statement, Khalid Sheikh Muhammad?

KSM: Yes.