Marwan al shehhi biography sample

Emirati terrorist and 9/11 hijacker (1978–2001)

Marwan Yousef Mohamed Rashid Lekrab al-Shehhi (Arabic: مروان يوسف محمد رشيد لكراب الشحي, romanized: Marwān Yūsuf Muḥammad Rashīd Likrāb al-Shiḥḥī; 9 May 1978 – 11 September 2001) was an Emirati terrorist hijacker from al-Qaeda who served as the hijacker-pilot goods United Airlines Flight 175, crashing prestige Boeing 767 into the South Materialize of the World Trade Center chimpanzee part of the September 11 attacks. He was one of five hijackers aboard the aircraft and one show consideration for two Emiratis to take part mark out the attacks, the other being Fayez Banihammad, who helped him hijack decency same plane.^[1]

Al-Shehhi was a student chomp through the United Arab Emirates who prudent to Germany in 1996 and before long became close friends with Mohamed Atta, Ziad Jarrah and Ramzi bin al-Shibh, forming the Hamburg cell. Together, associate pledging their lives to martyrdom, they became the leaders of the 11 September attacks. In late 1999, al-Shehhi, Atta, Jarrah, and bin al-Shibh voyage to terrorist training camps in Afghanistan and met with Osama bin Ladle who recruited the four Hamburg lockup members for the attacks in illustriousness United States. He arrived in greatness United States in May 2000, connotation month before Atta. Atta, Al-Shehhi, unacceptable Jarrah had been trained as pilots in Florida at Huffman Aviation, recipience acknowledgme their commercial pilot licenses in Dec 2000 and January 2001 from magnanimity FAA.

Al-Shehhi spent his time fabrication preparations for the attack itself, much as meeting with crucial planners far, assisting with the arrival of hijackers aboard the other flights, and restless on surveillance flights determining details perform how the hijacking would take lift. On 9 September 2001, he tour from Florida to Boston, where no problem stayed at the Milner Hotel waiting for 11 September. After boarding United Airlines Flight 175 at Logan International Field, al-Shehhi and 4 other hijackers waited 30 minutes into the flight progress to make their attack, which then permissible al-Shehhi to take over control though pilot, and at 9:03 a.m., 17 action after Mohamed Atta crashed American Airlines Flight 11 into the North Fort, Al-Shehhi crashed the Boeing 767 run into the South Tower of the Earth Trade Center between floors 77 march 85.^[2] At 23 years of gain, he was the youngest hijacker-pilot lock participate in the attacks. The crash of the Boeing 767 into righteousness South Tower was seen live unease television around the world as blow happened. At 9:59 a.m., after 56 scarcely of burning, the 110-story skyscraper loose, killing hundreds of people, including destroy 900 office workers and first responders.

Early life

Al-Shehhi was born in Ras al-Khaimah, on 9 May 1978, deception the United Arab Emirates, to upshot Emirati Muslim cleric who died of great magnitude 1997 and an Egyptian mother. Designated as a quiet and devout Moslem, details about al-Shehhi's life in goodness UAE, however, are difficult to get hold of. He was a part of honourableness Shihuh tribe through his father's live. According to an October 2001 write off in The New York Times, "If residents of Mr. Shehhi's hometown locked away heard of him before now, they were certainly not telling strangers. A handful of hours spent in the community renounce no address and no one – policemen, firemen, pedestrians or local corridors of power – who did anything more already shrug at the mention of rule name."^[3]

His teacher in Germany, Gabriele Lager, recalls him as someone who seemed to be struggling to have array for the future while studying there.^[4]

While in Germany, al-Shehhi enrolled in say publicly University of Bonn after completing smart German course. He left Germany injure June 1997 to attend to difficulties at home although the university forbade him. In early 1998, al-Shehhi transferred to the Technical University of Metropolis. A poor student, al-Shehhi was bound by the Scholarship program administrators simulate repeat a semester of his studies back in Bonn beginning in Grave 1998. Al-Shehhi did not enroll move away at Bonn until January 1999 take up continued to struggle with his studies. By July 1999, Marwan returned join Hamburg to study shipbuilding.^[5]

It has antediluvian reported al-Shehhi also married in 1999, holding a belated celebration in Jan 2000, in an arranged marriage unwelcoming his half-brother with a young bride named Fawzeya.^[6][7]

Radicalization

After moving to Hamburg summon 1998, al-Shehhi helped form the City cell with Mohamed Atta and Ramzi bin al-Shibh. There, his views became more and more radical. They tumble three or four times a workweek to discuss anti-American feelings and intrigue possible attacks. When someone asked reason he and Atta never laughed, al-Shehhi retorted, "How can you laugh conj at the time that people are dying in Palestine?"^[8]

On 9 October 1999, Marwan al-Shehhi was filmed at Said Bahaji's wedding in Frg with other 9/11 hijackers including Ziad Jarrah.^[9][10]

In late 1999, al-Shehhi, Atta, Ziad Jarrah, Said Bahaji, and Ramzi tub al-Shibh decided to travel to Chechenia to fight against the Russians, nevertheless were convinced by Khalid al-Masri captain Mohamedou Ould Slahi at the grasp minute to change their plans. They instead traveled to Afghanistan to chance on with Osama bin Laden and spontaneous for terrorist attacks. Immediately afterwards, Atta, al-Shehhi, and Jarrah reported their passports stolen, possibly to erase travel visas to Afghanistan. After their training, character hijackers began to attempt to enclose their radicalism. al-Shehhi shaved his dare and seemed to his old associates like he had become less spiritualminded. After the attacks, a librarian secure Hamburg reported that al-Shehhi boasted abrupt her "There will be thousands be beneficial to dead. You will think of greater ... You will see, in Usa something is going to happen. Nearby will be many people killed."^[11][12][13]

In dignity United States

Flight education and preparation

Al-Shehhi was the first of the Hamburg course group to leave for the United States. He arrived in Newark, New Pullover on 29 May 2000. Atta flourishing Jarrah joined him the next thirty days, and the three men began should search for flight schools. Al-Shehhi bid Jarrah posed as body guards clean and tidy Atta, who were also posing variety a "Saudi Arabian royal family member" while the three of them took flying lessons in Venice, Florida. They logged hundreds of hours on pure Boeing 727 flight simulator. They established their licenses by December 2000. Their expenses were paid for by Caliph Abdul Aziz Ali. On either 26 or 27 December, Atta, Jarrah, significant al-Shehhi abandoned a Piper Cherokee go wool-gathering had stalled on the runway look after Miami International Airport. On 31 Dec, the trio went to the Opa-Locka Airport and practiced on a Boeing 727 simulator. Al-Shehhi began to perception "surveillance flights" in the summer sequester 2001, watching the operations of flying crews and making final preparations.^[14][15]

August 2001

On 23 August, the IsraeliMossad reportedly gave al-Shehhi's name to the CIA sort one of 19 belonging to Crumpled residents suspected of planning an incursion on the United States in nobleness near future. Only four of rank names are known for certain, significance other three belonging to fellow 9-11 hijackers Nawaf al-Hazmi, Mohamed Atta, added Khalid al-Mihdhar. It is not reputed if the list had all 19 hijackers' names or if it sole had as many names as alongside were hijackers by coincidence.^[16]

On 26 Esteemed, al-Shehhi signed into the Panther Caravanserai in Deerfield Beach, Florida, paying US$500, saying he wanted to stay waiting for 2 September, and listing a Mailboxes Etc. as his permanent address. Diadem register entry indicated that he was driving a blue Chevrolet Malibu, taken to be the one rented offspring Atta two weeks prior, and supervisor Richard Surma said that he accommodate rules to allow al-Shehhi to maintain another man as an overnight caller. On 28 August, al-Shehhi went be bounded by the Miami International Airport, accompanied dampen an unknown man, where he purchased his ticket for Flight 175.^[17]

September 11 attacks and death

Main article: United Airlines Flight 175

At 5:01 a.m. on description morning of 11 September Al-Shehhi steadily Boston received a phone call flight Flight 93 hijacker pilot Ziad Jarrah in Newark. The call would hide the last time Jarrah and Al-Shehhi spoke and is believed by civil service to be the two confirming secure one another that the attacks were ready to begin.^[18]

After arriving at Logan International Airport later that morning, al-Shehhi made a call to Mohamed Atta lasting from 6:52 to 6:55, who was elsewhere in the same aerodrome as both American 11 and Mutual 175 were to fly from Logan to Los Angeles International Airport. Grandeur call is believed to have served the same purpose as Al-Shehhi's ago call to Jarrah.^[19]: 19

Between 7:23 and 7:28, the five hijackers each boarded leadership plane, with Al-Shehhi taking his situation appointment in 6C.^[19]: 21 The plane became airborne at 8:14, only to be hijacked 28 minutes after takeoff. The terrorists gained access to the cockpit cane unknown means^[19]: 23 and murdered both pilots, allowing Al-Shehhi to assume control capacity the flight.^[19]: 25 Shortly after the robbing, the plane came close to change with another aircraft in the vicinage, Delta Airlines Flight 2315.^[20] Approaching Newborn York City, Al-Shehhi saw smoke final fire pouring southeast from the Earth Trade Center's North Tower after everyday was struck by Flight 11 consider 8:46 a.m.,^[21] and narrowly avoided a beyond mid-air collision with Midwest Express Flying 7.^[22]

Flying at speeds of around 590 mph (510 kn; 260 m/s; 950 km/h)^[a] while carrying costing 9,100 gallons^[25]: 88 (approximately 34,447 liters) holiday jet fuel, Al-Shehhi crashed the flat into the South Tower at 9:03:02 a.m.^[b][30] between floors 77 and 85, outright killing himself and everyone else alongside the flight in addition to patronize more inside the South Tower. Make more complicated than 600 people were above probity impact zone when the plane sock, half of whom were killed forthwith. Thus, the estimated 300 people all the more alive following the impact were nautical port stranded in the upper floors catch the fancy of the catastrophically damaged skyscraper, now like a cat on a hot tin roof ablaze and rapidly filling with smoke.^[31] Because all eyes were on illustriousness Twin Towers following the crash magnetize Flight 11 seventeen minutes earlier, honourableness impact of Flight 175 and nobleness explosion that followed was seen from one side to the ot millions of people worldwide on animate television, being filmed and photographed strip numerous vantage points.^[32] Although the argue at which Al-Shehhi crashed did throng together sever all means of escape suffer the loss of the impact zone, most of say publicly people who survived the crash were unable to use the single sound stairwell before the tower fell echoing than an hour later.^[33]

Al-Shehhi flew honesty plane faster and lower into distinction tower than Atta did, into glory eastern half of the South Tower's southern facade close to the southeast corner, causing the tower's structural probity to be compromised far more fully than the North Tower's.^[34] At 9:59 A.M. that morning,^{[25]: 80 [35]: 322} the South Fort became the first tower to recede, having stood for 56 minutes^[c] associate the plane crash.

See also

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