Wail al-Shehri
Wail Mohammed al-Shehri | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 31, 1973 Khamis Mushait, Asir Province, Saudi Arabia |
| Died | September 11, 2001 (aged 28) |
| Occupation | School instructor |
| Known for | Hijacker of American Airlines Flight 11 during the September 11 attacks |
Wail Mohammed al-Shehri (; also spelled Alshehri; July 31, 1973 – September 11, 2001) was a Saudi national who worked as a school instructor and participated as a terrorist hijacker. He was among the five hijackers aboard American Airlines Flight 11, which was deliberately flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks.
Originating from Khamis Mushait in Saudi Arabia’s Asir region, al-Shehri taught at the elementary level. Early in 2000, he sought treatment for mental health concerns in Medina. In March of the same year, he and his younger sibling Waleed enrolled at an Al-Qaeda training camp located in Afghanistan. Selected with others from their locality to participate in the September 11 operation, al-Shehri returned to Saudi Arabia in October 2000 to secure a new passport before heading back to Afghanistan. By March 2001, he had recorded a video testament.
Al-Shehri entered the United States in June 2001 and lodged in inexpensive motels near Boynton Beach, Florida. On September 5, he traveled to Boston, where he and his brother checked into a motel. Six days later, they boarded American Airlines Flight 11 departing from Boston's Logan International Airport. Approximately fifteen minutes after takeoff, al-Shehri and four co-conspirators commandeered the aircraft and crashed it into the North Tower at 8:46 a.m.
In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, initial reports erroneously suggested that al-Shehri was alive and related to a Saudi diplomat. However, his family residing in Khamis Mushait refuted these claims, confirming that both brothers had been missing for several months prior.
Background
Wail and Waleed hailed from Khamis Mushait, situated in the economically disadvantaged southwestern Asir province near the border with Yemen. Born in Annams and raised within Khamis Mushait’s Um Saraar district, al-Shehri was one of eleven siblings—ten brothers and one sister. Several of his brothers served in the Saudi armed forces; their father, Mohammed Ali Asgley Al Shehri, operated a car dealership. The family practiced strict Wahhabism, avoiding satellite television, internet access, music, and interactions with females. While some elder brothers had proficiency in English, Wail’s command of the language was limited.
During his secondary education and college years, al-Shehri exhibited strong religious devotion. He regularly attended Al-Seqley Mosque—constructed by his family—and participated in government-endorsed religious camps. The Asir region was known for its intense religious fervor, with many young men admiring Osama bin Laden, whose family maintained connections there; notably, al-Shehri’s father knew Bin Laden’s father personally. Other hijackers aboard United Airlines Flight 93 also originated from this region.
After completing studies at Abha teachers college in 1999, al-Shehri took up a role as an elementary physical education instructor at Khamis Mushait airbase but went on leave five months later due to depression. Instead of pursuing standard medical treatment, he sought assistance from Islamic clerics and traveled with Waleed to Medina for therapy involving Qur’anic recitations. Witnesses reported seeing both brothers in Medina after September 11.
Afghanistan
Following their trip to Medina, Wail and Waleed al-Shehri vanished while maintaining brief contact with their father through ambiguous messages regarding their return plans. Although both had shown interest in engaging in jihad within Chechnya, they were likely redirected to Afghanistan. Prior to disappearing, they pledged allegiance to jihad at Al-Seqley Mosque alongside Ahmed al-Nami and Saeed al-Ghamdi. Wail led this ceremony under the nom de guerre Abu Mossaeb al-Janubi.
In March 2000, accompanied by Ahmed al-Nami, the brothers traveled to Pakistan before proceeding to Afghanistan. There, Wail trained at Khalden and Al Farouq camps near Kandahar, following standard procedures for new recruits within al-Qaeda. The criteria for selecting non-pilot ("muscle") hijackers are not fully understood; however, senior al-Qaeda operatives likely handpicked motivated candidates from Afghan training camps during 2000. Saudi citizens were favored due to their relatively straightforward access to U.S. visas. According to CIA director George Tenet, muscle hijackers were given only limited information regarding their mission inside the United States.
Upon completing training, al-Shehri and others received $2,000 to return home for acquiring passports and visas. It is possible they received assistance from a relative employed within Saudi Arabia’s passport office. The brothers secured passports on October 3, 2000, followed by U.S. visas on October 24. Wail’s visa application contained vague information—his employer listed as "South City," intended destination as "Wasantwn," occupation as "teacher," and plans for a four-to-six month vacation funded by his salary. Despite scant evidence of financial means, consular officers did not raise objections.
In late 2000, al-Shehri purchased traveler’s checks in the United Arab Emirates, probably financed by Mustafa Ahmed al-Hawsawi. Five other hijackers also acquired traveler’s checks there. The 9/11 Commission suggests that around mid-November 2000, the al-Shehri brothers traveled from Saudi Arabia via Beirut to Iran, allowing them to enter Afghanistan without passport stamps. A senior affiliate of Hezbollah reportedly shared this flight; however, this may have been coincidental.
In March 2001, Wail appeared alongside Ahmed al-Nami, Hamza al-Ghamdi, and Ahmed al-Ghamdi in a video broadcast by Al Jazeera in 2002; they were shown studying maps and flight manuals silently. The video also included Abdulaziz al-Omari reading his final will. Another recording made in Afghanistan featured al-Shehri reciting his last testament; this footage was released on September 7, 2006.
United States
On June 5, 2001, Wail al-Shehri secured an International Driving Permit issued in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Alongside fellow al-Qaeda operative Ahmed al-Haznawi, he arrived at Miami International Airport on June 8, traveling from Dubai through London and was admitted as a tourist for a six-month period. Shortly thereafter, on June 18, al-Shehri established a bank account at SunTrust Bank in Florida, depositing $8,000 via American Express traveler's checks acquired in the UAE.
On June 21, al-Shehri took up residence at the Homing Inn, a low-cost motel located in Boynton Beach, Florida, where he shared accommodations with his brother Waleed and Satam al-Suqami. Both Wail and al-Suqami utilized this location to apply for Florida state non-driver identification cards on July 3. Later, on August 2, al-Shehri moved with his brother and al-Suqami to the Panther Motel & Apartments in Deerfield Beach, remaining there until August 10. During this interval, he frequented the World Gym in Boynton Beach for training and regularly accessed computers at the Delray Beach Public Library.
By August 28, Wail and Waleed al-Shehri had booked seats on American Airlines Flight 11, listing Mail Boxes Etc. in Hollywood, Florida as their contact address. On September 3, they altered their first-class seat assignments to positions offering an unobstructed view of the cockpit. The brothers departed Florida for Boston on September 5 aboard Delta Air Lines Flight 2462.
Upon reaching Massachusetts, the al-Shehri brothers checked into room 432 at the Park Inn Hotel in Chestnut Hill. Reports suggest they may have engaged with a prostitute during their stay. On September 9 and 10, they visited Travelex at Logan International Airport to send $5,000 to the UAE; these funds were received by Mustafa Muhammad Ahmad on September 11. It is possible that hijacker Abdulaziz al-Omari stayed at the same hotel before traveling with Mohamed Atta to Portland, Maine on September 10. When Wail and Waleed checked out on September 11, they left instructions regarding jet operation behind in their hotel room.
Attacks
On the morning of September 11, 2001, at approximately 06:45, Wail al-Shehri, his brother Waleed, and Satam al-Suqami arrived at Logan Airport. During check-in, all three were flagged by the Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (CAPPS) for enhanced baggage screening; however, they did not undergo additional passenger security checks. By 07:40, all five hijackers had boarded American Airlines Flight 11, which was scheduled to depart at 07:45. The al-Shehri brothers occupied adjacent first-class seats 2A and 2B. After a delay of fourteen minutes, the flight took off from Logan International Airport at 07:59.
The hijacking of Flight 11 commenced around 08:14 when the pilot ceased communication with air traffic control. It is believed that the brothers assaulted two flight attendants during the takeover. At precisely 08:46:40, Mohamed Atta crashed Flight 11 into the North Tower of the World Trade Center between floors 93 and 99. The impact trapped roughly 1,344 individuals above the collision point. The North Tower ultimately collapsed at 10:28 after burning for approximately one hour and forty-two minutes.
Aftermath
On September 23, 2001, a BBC News article reported Waleed al-Shehri as still alive, alongside other post-9/11 updates. The article asserted that the al-Shehri brothers were sons of Ahmed al-Shehri, a Saudi diplomat stationed in New Delhi. It was noted that one brother had pilot training from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and was employed by Saudi Arabian Airlines, participating in a training course in Morocco at the time of the attacks. Additionally, reports indicated that Wail al-Shehri had pilot qualifications. Subsequently, Saudi authorities suggested that Wail and Waleed might have been victims of identity fraud, with the diplomat’s son incorrectly identified.
Jamal Khashoggi, writing for Al Watan and Arab News, conducted an interview with Muhammad Ali al-Shehri in Khamis Mushait. Muhammad Ali stated that his sons had been missing for several months and denied assertions that Wail held an aeronautical degree. Instead, he clarified that Wail possessed a bachelor's degree in physical education, suffered from mental health issues, and had sought religious counseling. The father expressed skepticism regarding their purported involvement in the September 11 attacks. Family members reported that before their disappearance, Wail and Waleed exhibited increased religious devotion and showed interest in Chechnya and martyrdom concepts. A Dateline NBC interview with another brother, Salah, confirmed their deaths but described them as not particularly devout and possibly influenced or brainwashed.
Saudi officials eventually verified the hijackers' identities as correct, confirming that 15 of the 19 attackers were Saudi citizens. Addressing conspiracy theories stemming from its initial report suggesting some hijackers were alive, the BBC issued a clarification in 2006 explaining that subsequent investigations had resolved earlier confusion caused by common Arabic names.