Editing Saeed al-Ghamdi (section)

==Early life and education==
Saeed al-Ghamdi was from the [[al-Bahah Province]] of [[Saudi Arabia]], and shared the same tribal affiliation with fellow hijackers [[Ahmed al-Ghamdi]], [[Hamza al-Ghamdi]], and [[Ahmed al-Haznawi]], although he was not related to either al-Ghamdi. He may have been in contact with the two al-Ghamdi's and al-Haznawi as early as 1999.<ref name="commission">{{cite report|url=http://www.gpoaccess.gov/911/pdf/sec7.pdf|title=The 9/11 Commission Report|publisher=[[United States Government Printing Office]]|location=Washington DC|date=July 22, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100809032821/http://www.gpoaccess.gov//911/pdf/sec7.pdf |archive-date=August 9, 2010|pages=231–33}}</ref> This group is noted as being some of the more religiously observant of the hijackers. al-Ghamdi spent time in [[al Qasim]] province, Saudi Arabia where he transferred to college but soon dropped out and ceased contact with his family. While there he probably associated with the radical Saudi cleric named [[Sulayman al-Alwan]] as several other future hijackers had.<ref name="commission"/>

Al-Ghamdi later headed to [[Chechnya]] to participate in the conflict against the [[Russia]]ns. At this time, Chechen fighters were turning away additional foreigners, many of whom ended up in [[al-Qaeda]] camps in [[Afghanistan]] to train and await entry to Chechnya. Saeed ended up at the Al Farouq training camp, where he met [[Ahmed al-Nami]], and the brothers [[Wail al-Shehri|Wail]] and [[Waleed al-Shehri]]. The four reportedly pledged themselves to [[Jihad]] in the Spring of 2000, in a ceremony presided over by Wail Al-Shehri—who had dubbed himself ''Abu Mossaeb al-Janubi'' after one of [[Muhammad]]'s companions.<ref>{{cite news|first=Charles M.|last=Sennott|url=http://www.boston.com/news/packages/underattack/news/driving_a_wedge/part1_side.shtml|title=Before oath to jihad, drifting and boredom|newspaper=[[Boston Globe]]|publisher=Boston Globe Partners L.P.|location=Boston, Massachusetts|date=March 3, 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080830042824/http://www.boston.com/news/packages/underattack/news/driving_a_wedge/part1_side.shtml |url-status=live|archive-date=August 30, 2008 }}</ref>

Saeed Al-Ghamdi was known to [[Tawfiq bin Attash]] who is thought to have convinced him to become a martyr. Al-Ghamdi was at that time working as a security guard at Kandahar airport along with [[Waleed al-Shehri]].

Some time late in 2000, al-Ghamdi traveled to the [[United Arab Emirates]], where he purchased [[traveler's cheques]] presumed to have been paid for by [[Mustafa al-Hawsawi]]. Five other hijackers also passed through the UAE and purchased travellers cheques, including [[Majed Moqed]], [[Wail al-Shehri]], [[Hamza al-Ghamdi]], [[Ahmed al-Haznawi]] and [[Ahmed al-Nami]].

On 13 November 2000, another Saeed al-Ghamdi tried to obtain a visa to enter the United States, but was declined. Although the [[9/11 Commission]] makes mention of him, there is no evidence he was associated with the hijackers.

In March 2001, al-Ghamdi was filmed in a farewell video that was later aired on [[Al Jazeera Arabic|al-Jazeera]]. In the video, many future 9/11 hijackers swear to become martyrs, although no details of the plot are revealed. al-Ghamdi referred to America as "the enemy", and is seen studying maps and flight manuals.<ref>[http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline/2002/financialtimes091102.html Cooperative Research] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031121164502/http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline/2002/financialtimes091102.html |date=2003-11-21 }}</ref>