◆ SpookStack

(SEERET,NOFORN,X1) (LES) Mohamed Atta in Germany: His Conduct Before Coming to the US LES) As an expatriate in Europe,Atta behaved much like the typical budding jihadist. It was only after he apparently was tapped for his mission-perhaps spotted and selected because of this behavior--and returned from Afghanistan that he began observing strict operational security. practices. Prior to early February 2o00, Atta and his associates in Hamburg-including !1 September pilots Marwan al-Shehhi and Ziad Jarrah--were known to wear beards and Arab-style dress, attended a mosque known for extremists views, and openly associated with radical figures-- all acts that contradict recommendations in al-Qa'ida training manuals not to behave in ways that would attract law enforcement attention.. After defending his thesis in October 1999,Atta left for Afghanistan and Pakistan in late November and returned to Hamburg in late February 2000, where he no longer appeared to be outwardly radical, according to law enforcement and intelligence reporting. He did not wear. a beard or Arab-style dress and generally blended into the Western world. Shortly thereafter, Atta applied for a new passport---apparently both to disguise his travel to Afghanistan and to acquire a new photograph--made inquires to US flight schools, received a US visa, and spread word to family and friends that he was leaving Germany to continue his education. (U) Flight Schools (LES)The hijackers enrollment at multiple US flight schools was not in itself uncommon,but their focus on learning only the skills that would benefit their mission---such as Atta and al- Shehhi requesting advanced jet flight training that focused on approaches and turns but not on. take-offs and landings-made them stand-out. Between June 2000 and September 2001, Atta, al-Shehhi, and Jarrah took flying classes, underwent flight simulator training, and flew test flights in at least eight facilities in Florida and Georgia. Atta and al-Shehhi also visited the Airman Flight School in Oklahoma. Hanjour attended three flight schools in Arizona and California between 1996 and 1999 After returning to the US in December 2000, he took jet simulator lessons in Arizona and rented planes from at least five other facilities in Arizona, New Jersey, and Maryland. : Two other hijackers briefly took introductory flying lessons in San Diego in spring of 2000,. but neither sought further flight training.. REQ. #36-1 (SESRET,NOFORN.XI) 000000028