8/30/15 6:23 PMContext of 'June 25, 1996: Khobar Towers Are Bombed; Unclear Who Culprit Is'

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June 25, 1996: Khobar Towers Are Bombed; Unclear Who CulpritIs

Destruction at the Khobar Towers, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.[Source: US Air Force]

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Context of 'June 25, 1996: Khobar Towers Are Bombed; UnclearWho Culprit Is'

This is a scalable context timeline. It contains events related to the event June 25,1996: Khobar Towers Are Bombed; Unclear Who Culprit Is. You can narrow orbroaden the context of this timeline by adjusting the zoom level. The lower the scale,the more relevant the items on average will be, while the higher the scale, the lessrelevant the items, on average, will be.

Explosions destroy the KhobarTowers in Dhahran, SaudiArabia, killing 19 Americansoldiers and wounding 500. [CNN,6/26/1996] Saudi officials laterinterrogate the suspects, declarethem guilty, and execute them—without letting the FBI talk tothem. [PBS FRONTLINE, 2001; IRISHTIMES, 11/19/2001] Saudis blameHezbollah, the Iranian-influenced group, but USinvestigators still believe binLaden was involved. [SEATTLETIMES, 10/29/2001] US intelligence

listens when al-Qaeda’s number two leader Ayman al-Zawahiri calls bin Laden twodays after the bombing to congratulate him on the operation (see June 27, 1996).The New York Times will later report that Mamoun Darkazanli, a suspected al-Qaeda financier with extensive ties to the al-Qaeda Hamburg cell, is involved inthe attack. [NEW YORK TIMES, 9/25/2001; NEW YORK TIMES, 9/29/2001] Bin Laden will admitto instigating the attacks in a 1998 interview. [MIAMI HERALD, 9/24/2001] Ironically, thebin Laden family’s construction company will be awarded the contract to rebuildthe installation. [NEW YORKER, 11/5/2001] In 1997, Canada will catch one of theKhobar Tower attackers and extradite him to the US. However, in 1999, he will beshipped back to Saudi Arabia before he can reveal what he knows about al-Qaedaand the Saudis. One anonymous insider will call it “President Clinton’s parting kissto the Saudis.” [PALAST, 2002, PP. 102] In June 2001, a US grand jury will indict 13Saudis for the bombing. According to the indictment, Iran and Hezbollah were also

involved in the attack. [US CONGRESS, 7/24/2003]Entity Tags: William Jefferson (“Bill”) Clinton, Al-Qaeda, Mamoun Darkazanli, FederalBureau of Investigation, Osama bin Laden, Hezbollah, Ayman al-Zawahiri

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8/30/15 6:23 PMContext of 'June 25, 1996: Khobar Towers Are Bombed; Unclear Who Culprit Is'

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After June 25, 1996: CIA Agents Told Not to Track Militants inSaudi Arabia

June 27, 1996: US Monitors Bin Laden Taking Credit for KhobarTowers Bombing

November 23, 1996: British-Based Journalist Interviews BinLaden

Bureau of Investigation, Osama bin Laden, Hezbollah, Ayman al-ZawahiriTimeline Tags: Complete 911 Timeline, 9/11 Timeline

In the wake of the Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia (see June 25, 1996),the Saudi government continues to stonewall about their knowledge of radicalmilitants in the country. Official inquiries about bin Laden go unanswered and theSaudis give no help to a US probe about the bombing. But often the US does noteven ask the Saudis questions for fear of upsetting the Saudi government. FormerUS officials will later claim that even after the bombing, the CIA instructedofficials at its Saudi station not to collect information on Islamic extremists inSaudi Arabia. [US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT, 12/15/2003] It is not known how long thispolicy will continue, but there is evidence it continues until 9/11. In August 2001,former CIA agent Robert Baer will attempt to give the CIA a list of hundreds of al-Qaeda operatives in Saudi Arabia and Yemen, but the CIA will show no interest init (see August 2001). Fifteen of the nineteen 9/11 hijackers will reportedly comefrom Saudi Arabia.Entity Tags: Saudi Arabia, Central Intelligence AgencyTimeline Tags: Complete 911 Timeline

In 1999, a retired CIA official will claim that two days after the Khobar Towersbombing in Saudi Arabia (see June 25, 1996), bin Laden is congratulated bycolleagues about the bombing. Both Ayman al-Zawahiri, head of Islamic Jihad andal-Qaeda’s number two leader, and Ashra Hadi, head of the Palestinian IslamicJihad, are monitored by the NSA as they call bin Laden. This helps confirm thatbin Laden was being monitored while using his first satellite phone (see Early1990s). It will be widely reported that he was monitored after he started using hissecond satellite phone later in 1996 (see November 1996-Late August 1998). BinLaden does not exactly publicly take credit for the bombing, but later in the yearhe will say, “When I got the news about these blasts, I was very happy. This was anoble act. This was a great honor but, unfortunately, I did not conduct theseexplosions personally.” [REEVE, 1999, PP. 187; NEW YORKER, 9/9/2002]Entity Tags: Ayman al-Zawahiri, National Security Agency, Osama bin Laden, AshraHadiTimeline Tags: Complete 911 Timeline

Abdel-Bari Atwan, editor in chief of the British-based pan-Arab daily al-Quds al-Arabi, travels to Afghanistan to interview Osama bin Laden in the mountains ofTora Bora. Atwan's Journey to Afghanistan - The interview is arranged by Khalid al-Fawwaz,bin Laden’s representative in Europe. Atwan travels secretly to Peshawar,Pakistan, where he meets a representative of bin Laden. Then, dressed as anAfghan, he crosses the border with a series of guides and travels to Jalalabad ineastern Afghanistan, where he meets al-Qaeda manager Mohammed Atef. Atwan isthen taken up into the mountains, to the Eagle’s Nest base, where he meets bin

Laden. Atwan first meets him “sitting cross-legged on a carpet, a Kalashnikov inhis lap,” and they chat informally and then have dinner. Atwan spends two days inbin Laden’s company, and is surprised that such a rich Saudi is staying in such ahumble cave, measuring six meters by four, and eating such poor food. Bin Laden Speaks to Atwan - Bin Laden makes a number of comments during thetwo days, saying he has no fear of death, he still controls significant sums of

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April 13, 1999-2004: US Officials Illegally Pass on HighlyClassified Information about Al-Qaeda and Other Matters to Israel

October 10, 1999: US Deports Suspect in Khobar Towers Bombingto Saudi Arabia, Where He Is Allegedly Tortured

two days, saying he has no fear of death, he still controls significant sums ofmoney, the US military presence in Saudi Arabia is wrong, and the Sudanesegovernment treated him badly over his recent expulsion and their non-repaymentof funds he invested in Sudan (see May 18, 1996). He also talks of his time inSudan and Somalia, as well as attempts on his life and bribes offered to him totow the line by Saudi intelligence services. In addition, he claims responsibility forthe “Black Hawk Down” incident (see October 3-4, 1993) and the Khobar Towersbombing (see June 25, 1996), and says other operations are in preparation. Atwanalso notes that one part of the Eagle’s Nest has computers and Internet access,although this is not common in 1996. No Signs of Bin Laden's Poor Health - Before the trip, Atwan had heard that binLaden suffered from some mild form of diabetes. However, he will later comment:“I didn’t notice him taking any medication or showing any signs of ill health at all.We walked for more than two hours in the snow-covered mountains, and heseemed fit and well.” Therefore, Atwan will describe later accounts that say binLaden requires kidney dialysis as “fanciful.” [ATWAN, 2006, PP. 15-37, 61-62]Entity Tags: Mohammed Atef, Abdel-Bari Atwan, Khalid al-Fawwaz, al-Quds al-Arabi,Al-Qaeda, Osama bin LadenTimeline Tags: Complete 911 Timeline

A 2005 US indictment will reveal that two employees for a pro-Israeli lobbyinggroup had somehow obtained classified US information about al-Qaeda and waspassing it on to Israeli officials. The two employees are Steven Rosen and KeithWeissman; both work for AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) until2004. On April 13, 1999, Rosen gives Rafi Barak, the former deputy chief ofmission at the Israeli embassy in Washington, what he calls a codeword-protected“extremely sensitive piece of intelligence” about terrorist activities in CentralAsia. On June 11, 1999, Weissman tells Barak about a classified FBI report on the1996 Khobar Towers bombing, which has been blamed on al-Qaeda and/or Iran(see June 25, 1996). In retrospect, FBI officials will determine that some, but notall, of this classified information comes from Larry Franklin, a DefenseDepartment analyst on Iran known to be in favor of a tougher US policy regardingIran (see 2000-2001). It is not known how or why US surveillance of Rosen andWeissman began. [NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO, 8/4/2005; EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA, 8/4/2005 ; JERUSALEM POST, 8/15/2005; JERUSALEM POST, 8/17/2005] Connection to Earlier Investigation? - However, there may be a connection to anearlier investigation. In 1997 and 1998, the FBI monitored Naor Gilon, an officialat the Israeli embassy in Washington, as part of an investigation into whether a USintelligence official was illegally giving US spy plane film and other secret materialto the Mossad. [LOS ANGELES TIMES, 9/3/2004] Accusations Spark Further Investigation - The US will later accuse Rosen andWeissman of passing classified information given to them by Franklin to Gilon. Inany case, the investigation will continue and grow. National Public Radio will laternote that from 1999 to 2004, “Franklin, Rosen, and Weissman had regulardiscussions about the Middle East and about al-Qaeda with a variety of contacts,”sometimes illegally sharing highly classified information. Franklin will plead guiltyto sharing classified information in 2005 (see October 5, 2005) while Rosen andWeissman are expected to be tried in 2007 or thereafter. [NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO,8/4/2005]Entity Tags: Rafi Barak, Naor Gilon, Keith Weissman, Larry Franklin, American IsraelPublic Affairs Committee, Steven RosenTimeline Tags: Complete 911 Timeline

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to Saudi Arabia, Where He Is Allegedly Tortured

September 24-October 2, 2001: US and Germany FreezeDarkazanli’s Bank Accounts

The US deports Hani El-Sayegh, a Saudi National who is a suspect in the 1996Khobar Towers bombing (see June 25, 1996), back to Saudi Arabia. [GREY, 2007, PP.247] The deportation is approved by a US judge. [WASHINGTON POST, 10/29/2000] History - In 1996, el-Sayegh, who had been living in Iran, moved to Kuwait. Helater went to Canada, where he cut a deal with American officials that called forhim to plead guilty in an unrelated plot against Americans in Saudi Arabia that wasnever carried out. In 1997, Canada expelled el-Sayegh for suspected terroristactivity. Attorney General Janet Reno allowed him into the United States solelyfor prosecution under the pact. But after arriving, he said he had not understoodthe accord, knew nothing about the Khobar attack, and was out of Saudi Arabiawhen the bombing occurred. Despite this, the Saudis suspected him of beingpresent at the bombing and his brother was held in connection with it, andallegedly tortured in a Saudi jail. [NEW YORK TIMES, 10/12/1999] Agreement - The deportation follows an agreement between FBI Director LouisFreeh and Prince Naif, Saudi Arabia’s interior minister. Under the agreement, el-Sayagh is returned to Saudi Arabia, and, according to officials familiar with thearrangement, FBI agents will be allowed to watch his interrogation through a one-way mirror and submit questions to his Saudi inquisitors. Washington Postjournalist David Vine will comment, “Such practices are sharply at odds withFreeh’s oft-stated message about the FBI’s need to respect human dignity and thetenets of democracy while fighting crime.” Although FBI officials will say a yearlater they have not seen any indication that el-Sayegh has been tortured, Vine willadd, “But agents say privately that when entering a foreign culture to do policework they do not have control over how prisoners are treated and must treadlightly.” [WASHINGTON POST, 10/29/2000] Khobar Towers Attack Could Have Been Prosecuted in US - The Khobar Towersattacks may have been in Saudi Arabia, but were against US nationals, so suspectscan be prosecuted in the US. Tony Karon of Time magazine will express surprise atthe deportation: “Run that one by again: The United States doesn’t want to try aman suspected of a bomb attack that killed Americans—and they’re sending himhome?!” However, the Justice Department apparently thinks there is not enoughevidence to try him in the US, and, according to Time correspondent WilliamDowell, “Clearly, there’s a lower standard of proof in Saudi courts,” so, “It maybe easier for Washington if the Saudis handle the trial—and the execution, whichwould likely follow.” Possible Geopolitical Motive - According to Karon, an alternative explanation isthat geopolitics may be behind the decision: “Sending el-Sayegh… back to SaudiArabia could solve another touchy problem for Washington.” This is becausePresident Clinton said the US would retaliate against any government that wasinvolved in the attacks, and an Iranian hand is suspected in the bombing.However, according to Time Middle East bureau chief Scott Macleod: “the attackoccurred before the election of President Khatami, who has clearly demonstrateda commitment to end state terrorism and normalize Iran’s relations with the restof the world. Given Washington’s desire to strengthen his reformist government

against its hard-line opponents, the US would be unlikely to take military actionagainst Iran unless there were fresh acts of terrorism.” [TIME, 10/5/1999]Entity Tags: Louis J. Freeh, Janet Reno, Hani El-Sayegh, Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz, FederalBureau of Investigation, Tony Karon, Scott Macleod, William DowellTimeline Tags: Torture of US Captives, Complete 911 Timeline

On September 24, 2001, the US freezes the accounts of 27 individuals andorganizations, alleging that they had channeled money to al-Qaeda (seeSeptember 24, 2001). Included in the list is the Mamoun Darkazanli Import Export

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October 10, 2001: FBI Issues List of 22 Most Wanted Terrorists;$5 Million Reward Placed on All of Them

November 2001-May 2002: US Captures Al-Qaeda Recruiter WhoHas Lived in the US since 1999

September 24, 2001). Included in the list is the Mamoun Darkazanli Import ExportCompany, which may have been used to funnel money to the hijackers (see June2000-August 2001). US officials say Darkazanli took part in the 1996 Khobar Towersbombing in Saudi Arabia (see June 25, 1996). Darkazanli attended Said Bahaji’swedding in 1999 (see October 9, 1999). [NEW YORK TIMES, 9/29/2001] On October 2,2001, Darkazanli’s other accounts are also frozen. The US and Germangovernments suspect Darkazanli of providing financial and logistical support to theHamburg al-Qaeda cell. [AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, 10/28/2001] Shortly thereafter, Spanishpolice listening in to Barakat Yarkas’ telephone hear Yarkas warn the leader of aSyrian extremist organization that Darkazanli has caught the “flu” going around.This is believed to be a coded reference meaning that communicating withDarkazanli is not safe (see August 1998-September 11, 2001 and Spring 2000).[CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/17/2002]Entity Tags: Al-Qaeda, Said Bahaji, Mamoun Darkazanli, Barakat YarkasTimeline Tags: Complete 911 Timeline

The FBI releases a list of its 22 most wanted terrorists. The US government offersup to $5 million for information leading to the capture of anyone of the list. Themen are: Al-Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden, who was indicted by a grand jury in 1998

(see June 8, 1998), Ayman al-Zawahiri, linked to a 1995 bombing in Pakistan (seeNovember 19, 1995), and Mohammed Atef, who provided training to Somalifighters before the Black Hawk Down incident (see Late 1992-October 1993); Khalid Shaikh Mohammed (KSM), for his role in the 1995 Bojinka plot (see

January 6, 1995). KSM is actually the mastermind of 9/11, although the USintelligence community has allegedly not yet pieced this information together (see(November 7, 2001)); Several other operatives suspected of involvement in the 1998 US embassy

bombings in Africa (see 10:35-10:39 a.m., August 7, 1998): Fazul AbdullahMohammed (see August 2, 2008), Mustafa Fadhil, Usama al-Kini (a.k.a. FahidMuhammad Ally Msalam (see August 6-7, 1998)), Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani (see July25-29, 2004), Sheikh Ahmed Salim Swedan (see July 11, 2002), Abdullah AhmedAbdullah (see September 10, 2002), Anas al-Liby (see January 20, 2002- March 20,2002), Saif al-Adel (see Spring 2002), Ahmed Mohammed Hamed Ali, and MushinMusa Matwalli Atwah (see April 12, 2006); Abdul Rahman Yasin, a US-Iraqi involved in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing

(see March 4-5,1993); Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Mughassil, Ali Saed Bin Ali El-Houri, Ibrahim Salih Mohammed

Al-Yacoub, and Abdelkarim Hussein Mohamed Al-Nasser, for their alleged part inthe 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia (see June 25, 1996); Imad Mugniyah, Hassan Izz-Al-Din, and Ali Atwa for the hijacking of TWA Flight

847 in June 1985. [CNN, 10/10/2001]Entity Tags: Mohammed Atef, Mushin Musa Matwalli Atwah, Mustafa Fadhil, Osama binLaden, Saif al-Adel, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, Usama al-Kini, Sheikh Ahmed SalimSwedan, Imad Mugniyah, Mohammed Hamed Ali, Hassan Izz-Al-Din, Abdullah AhmedAbdullah, Abdul Rahman Yasin, Abdelkarim Hussein Mohamed Al-Nasser, AhmedIbrahim Al-Mughassil, Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, Ibrahim Salih Mohammed Al-Yacoub, AliSaed Bin Ali El-Houri, Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, Federal Bureau of Investigation, AliAtwa, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Anas al-LibyTimeline Tags: Complete 911 Timeline

In November 2001, al-Qaeda operative Juma al-Dosari is captured in Afghanistan. He is soon

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Juma al-Dosari. [Source: PBS]

February 2007: Iranian Defense Minister Defects; Tells of NuclearWeapons Program Shutdown

Ali Reza Asgari. [Source:FARS / Reuters]

Dosari is captured in Afghanistan. He is soontransferred to the Guantanamo prison. Duringinterrogation in the spring of 2002, he revealsseveral aliases and that he was trying to recruit agroup of US citizens in New York state known as the“Lackawanna Six.” Based on the aliases, USintelligence realizes they have already interceptedcommunications between him and Osama binLaden’s son Saad bin Laden, and also him and al-Qaeda leader Khallad bin Attash. They learn he hasa long history with al-Qaeda, having fought in

Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Chechnya. He was arrested in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia ondifferent occasions for involvement in the 1996 Khobar Towers bombings (see June25, 1996). He first went to the US in 1999, staying several months in Indiana. Thenhe got a job at a mosque in Bloomington, Indiana, in the autumn of 2000. Hebegan traveling around the US as a visiting imam, but investigators believe thiswas just his cover while he worked to recruit for al-Qaeda. In April 2001, hevisited Buffalo, New York, and helped convince the “Lackawanna Six” to go toAfghanistan (see April-August 2001). He left the US for Afghanistan in lateSeptember 2001. The FBI gets this information in May 2002 and begins monitoringthe “Lackawanna Six,” as they are all back in the US. Investigators suspect al-Dosari recruited others in other cities, but they do not know who. [PBS FRONTLINE,10/16/2003; PBS FRONTLINE, 10/16/2003] In 2007, al-Dosari will be released fromGuantanamo without explanation and set free in Saudi Arabia (see July 16, 2007).Entity Tags: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Khallad bin Attash, Juma al-Dosari, Saadbin LadenTimeline Tags: Complete 911 Timeline

Iran’s former Deputy Minister of Defense, General AliReza Asgari, defects during a visit to Turkey. [INTER PRESSSERVICE, 12/17/2007] According to former CIA officer VincentCannistraro, Asgari is a longtime Western intelligenceagent, and is immediately debriefed by Turkish and USintelligence officials. Asgari will be given a new identity;his current whereabouts are unknown to the public.[GUARDIAN, 12/8/2007] History and Connections - Asgari held the DefenseMinistry position from 1997 through 2005, under theregime of reformist Iranian President MohammedKhatami, and, according to US media reports, wasproviding the US with intelligence during that time

period. [INTER PRESS SERVICE, 12/17/2007] He is a former intelligence officer in Iran’sIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and is believed to have considerableknowledge about several IRGC-ordered terrorist attacks, including the October1983 bombing of a US Marine barracks in Lebanon (see April 18-October 23, 1983)

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July 16, 2007: Al-Qaeda US Recruiter Inexplicably Released fromGuantanamo, Set Free in Saudi Arabia

Juma al-Dosari in Saudi Arabiaafter his release. [Source:Nancy Durham / CBC]

1983 bombing of a US Marine barracks in Lebanon (see April 18-October 23, 1983)and the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia (see June 25, 1996). He hasclose ties to Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, and presumably can tell USintelligence about Hezbollah’s military command structure, its overseas networks,and perhaps its cells inside the US. [TIME, 3/22/2007] Source for National Intelligence Estimate - Former CIA officer Philip Giraldi saysthat Asgari is a “key” source for the intelligence community’s NationalIntelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran’s nuclear program, currently in development(see August 2, 2005). Asgari’s information helps the intelligence communitydetermine that Iran had ceased work on its nuclear program in 2003. According toGiraldi, Asgari had been recruited by Turkish intelligence in 2003, and defectedafter learning that Iranian intelligence had become suspicious of him. Asgaridefects with “bags of documents,” presumably including information about Iran’snuclear program. Asgari will provide information crucial to the US’s ability tomonitor sensitive communications among senior Iranian military officials (see July2007), which helps corroborate the finding that Iran had indeed ceased researchinto nuclear weapons development. Former National Security Council official GarySick will say that Asgari’s knowledge of the Iranian military is critical indetermining what is and is not important among the communications intercepts.“There are zillions of pieces of evidence, and what you look for is defined by whatyou know,” Sick will say. “What Asgari gave them was a new way of looking at theevidence.” It is highly likely that President Bush will be made aware of Asgari’sinformation soon after Asgari’s debriefing, though the White House will claim thatBush knew nothing of the new intelligence on Iran until August 2007 (seeDecember 3-4, 2007). [INTER PRESS SERVICE, 12/17/2007]Entity Tags: Vincent Cannistraro, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, George W. Bush,Hezbollah, Ali-Reza Asgari, Central Intelligence Agency, Gary G. Sick, Hojjat ol-EslamSeyyed Mohammad Khatami, Philip GiraldiTimeline Tags: US confrontation with Iran

The Defense Department releases 16 Saudis being heldin Guantanamo prison and returns them to SaudiArabia. One of them is Juma al-Dosari, a dualBahraini/Saudi citizen, and apparently a long-time al-Qaeda operative. [GULF DAILY NEWS, 7/17/2007] Extensive Al-Qaeda Links - Al-Dosari was known as“the closer” for recruiting new al-Qaeda operatives,and he recruited the “Lackawanna Six” in New YorkState while he lived in the US from 1999 to 2001.According to his 2006 Guantanamo AdministrativeReview Board evidence review, there is a long list ofevidence tying him to al-Qaeda since he was 16-yearsold in 1989, just one year after al-Qaeda was founded.He fought with militants in Bosnia, Chechnya, andTajikistan. He was arrested in Kuwait and then again

in Saudi Arabia for suspected involvement in the 1996 Khobar Towers bombings(see June 25, 1996), but released without charge both times. An unnamed sourceclaims he was involved in the 2000 USS Cole bombing (see October 12, 2000). Hewas arrested during the battle of Tora Bora, Afghanistan, in late 2001, and then

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was arrested during the battle of Tora Bora, Afghanistan, in late 2001, and thensent to Guantanamo. US intelligence intercepted communications between himand Osama bin Laden’s son Saad bin Laden, and also him and al-Qaeda leaderKhallad bin Attash (see November 2001-May 2002). [PBS FRONTLINE, 10/16/2003; PBSFRONTLINE, 10/16/2003; US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, 9/13/2006 ] Release Unnoticed, Unexplained - Al-Dosari’s 2007 release goes almost entirelyunnoticed by the US media, despite previous articles and books discussing hisrecruitment of the “Lackawanna Six.” In June 2008, retired FBI agent PeterAhearn will comment to the Buffalo News that he is baffled that the USgovernment never criminally prosecuted al-Dosari, and then released him. “Wefelt strongly that we could try him in Buffalo on criminal charges, but the JusticeDepartment declined.” Ahearn is upset that al-Dosari “is walking around as a freeman in Saudi Arabia.” [BUFFALO NEWS, 6/22/2008] "Rehabilitated" in Saudi Arabia - Upon arriving in Saudi Arabia, al-Dosari isadmitted into a “soft approach” government rehabilitation program designed toprevent militants from relapsing back into violent extremism (see 2007 and After).He is given a car, psychological therapy, a monthly allowance, help to find a job,and help to get married. He had attempted to commit suicide over a dozen timeswhile in Guantanamo. In 2008, it will be reported that he is doing well in SaudiArabia, with a new wife and a new job. He now says Osama bin Laden “used myreligion and destroyed its reputation.” [LOS ANGELES TIMES, 12/21/2007; GULF NEWS,2/22/2008]Entity Tags: Peter Ahearn, Juma al-DosariTimeline Tags: Complete 911 Timeline

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