Page:Substitution for the Testimony of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.pdf/9

 al-Hazmi, both of whom barely spoke English, to enroll in an English-language course and then, once their English was satisfactory, to enroll in a flight school. San Diego, according to Sheikh Mohammed's research, had several English-language and flight schools...Sheikh Mohammed claimed that there was no al Qaeda operative or facilitator in the United States to help al-Midhdar and al-Hazmi settle in the United States. Sheikh Mohammed also denied that al-Midhdar and al-Hazmi were engaged in casing activity while in San Diego, given that they barely knew how to function in U.S. society.

13. The next major change in the planes operation occurred in the spring of 2000 after Khallad and Abu Bara returned to Karachi. Bin Laden canceled the East Asia portion of the planes operation in April or May, claiming that it would be too difficult to synchronize the U.S. and East Asia portions of the operation. Khallad and Abu Bara remained under Sheikh Mohammed's operational control, and Khallad helped Sheikh Mohammed keep in contact with al-Hazmi in the U.S. via internet chat. Sheikh Mohammed also was in direct internet chat with al-Hazmi during 2000. After the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole in October 2000, Sheikh Mohammed transferred Khallad and Abu Bara to the control of al-Nashiri, the key operative in charge of the Page 9 of 58