Editing Khalid al-Mihdhar (section)

==Aftermath==
After the attacks, the identification of al-Mihdhar was one of the first links suggesting that bin Laden had played a role in their organization, since al-Mihdhar had been seen at the Malaysian conference speaking to bin Laden's associates.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/piece-by-piece-the-jigsaw-of-terror-revealed-9234643.html |last=Blackhurst |first=Chris |title=Piece by piece, the jigsaw of terror revealed |work=The Independent |date=2001-09-30 |access-date=2017-09-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510152137/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/piece-by-piece-the-jigsaw-of-terror-revealed-9234643.html |archive-date=2017-05-10 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Burns, Vincent |title=Terrorism: A Documentary and Reference Guide |year=2005 |publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=0-313-33213-4 |page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780313332135/page/139 139] |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780313332135/page/139 }}</ref>  The FBI interrogated Quso, who was arrested following the USS ''Cole'' bombing and in custody in Yemen.  Quso was able to identify al-Mihdhar, al-Hazmi and bin Attash in photos provided by the FBI, and he also knew [[Marwan al-Shehhi]], a hijacker aboard [[United Airlines Flight 175]].  From Quso, the FBI was able to establish an al-Qaeda link to the attacks.<ref>Wright (2006), pp. 362–637</ref>

On 12 September 2001, the Toyota Corolla purchased by al-Mihdhar was found in Dulles International Airport's hourly parking lot. Inside the vehicle, authorities found a letter written by [[Mohamed Atta]], a hijacker aboard [[American Airlines Flight 11]]; maps of Washington, D.C. and New York City; a cashier's check made out to a [[Phoenix, Arizona]], flight school; four drawings of a [[Boeing 757]] cockpit; a box cutter; and a page with notes and phone numbers, which contained evidence that led investigators to San Diego.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-sep-27-mn-50544-story.html |title=Authorities' Dragnet Snags More Suspects |author=Meyer, Josh |author2=Eric Lichtblau |work=Los Angeles Times |date=2001-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520081248/http://articles.latimes.com/2001/sep/27/news/mn-50544 |archive-date=2011-05-20 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 19 September 2001, the [[Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation]] (FDIC) distributed a special alert that listed al-Mihdhar as still alive,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/inactivefinancial/2001/fil0179a.html |title=Inactive Financial Institution Letters |publisher=Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation |date=2001-09-19 |access-date=2008-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081005204707/http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/inactivefinancial/2001/fil0179a.html |archive-date=2008-10-05 |url-status=live }}</ref> and other reports began suggesting that a number of the alleged hijackers were likewise still alive. For instance, on September 23, 2001, the [[BBC News|BBC]] published an article that suggested al-Mihdhar and others named as hijackers were still at large.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/1559151.stm |work=BBC News |title=Hijack 'suspects' alive and well |date=23 September 2001|access-date=2008-09-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929150134/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/1559151.stm |archive-date=2008-09-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  The German magazine ''[[Der Spiegel]]'' later investigated the BBC's claims of "living" hijackers and reported they were cases of mistaken identities.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,265160-2,00.html |author=Cziesche, Dominik |title=Panoply of the Absurd |magazine=Der Spiegel |date=2003-09-08 |access-date=2008-09-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015063544/http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,265160-2,00.html |archive-date=2008-10-15 |display-authors=etal |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2002, Saudi Arabian officials stated that the names of the hijackers were correct and that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi Arabian.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2002/02/06/saudi.htm |title=Official: 15 of 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were Saudi |newspaper=USA Today |date=2002-02-06 |access-date=2008-09-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929205512/http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2002/02/06/saudi.htm |archive-date=2008-09-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  In 2006, in response to [[9/11 conspiracy theories]] surrounding its original news story, the BBC said that confusion had arisen with the common Arabic names, and that its later reports on the hijackers superseded its original story.<ref name="hermann">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2006/10/911_conspiracy_theory_1.html |title=9/11 conspiracy theory |author=Hermann, Steve |date=2006-10-27 |work=BBC News |access-date=2008-09-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080927014325/http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2006/10/911_conspiracy_theory_1.html |archive-date=2008-09-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2005, [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] [[Lieutenant Colonel|Lt. Col.]] [[Anthony Shaffer (intelligence officer)|Anthony Shaffer]] and [[Member of Congress#Bicameral legislature|Congressman]] [[Curt Weldon]] alleged that the [[United States Department of Defense|Defense Department]] [[data mining]] project [[Able Danger]] identified al-Mihdhar, al-Hazmi, al-Shehri, and Atta as members of a [[Brooklyn]]-based al-Qaeda [[Clandestine cell system|cell]] in early 2000.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/09/politics/09intel.html?scp=1&sq=Four%20in%209/11%20Plot%20Are%20Called%20Tied%20to%20Qaeda%20in%20%2700&st=cse |title=Four in 9/11 Plot Are Called Tied to Qaeda in '00 |author=Jehl, Douglas |date=2005-08-09 |work=The New York Times |access-date=2008-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704220219/http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9714.htm |archive-date=2008-07-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  Shaffer largely based his allegations on the recollections of [[United States Navy|Navy]] [[Captain (naval)|Captain]] [[Scott Phillpott]],<ref name="wp-20050819">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/18/AR2005081801751.html |author=Eggen, Dan |title=Officer Says 2 Others Are Source of His Atta Claims |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2005-08-19 |access-date=2008-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724132004/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/18/AR2005081801751.html |archive-date=2008-07-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  who later recanted his recollection, telling investigators that he was "convinced that Atta was not on the chart that we had".  Phillpott said that Shaffer was "relying on my recollection 100 percent", and the Defense Department Inspector General's report indicated that Philpott strongly supported the [[social network analysis]] techniques used in Able Danger, and might have exaggerated claims of identifying the hijackers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/21/AR2006092101831.html |title=Hijackers Were Not Identified Before 9/11, Investigation Says |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=2006-09-22 |author=White, Josh |access-date=2008-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106151245/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/21/AR2006092101831.html |archive-date=2012-11-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="oig">{{cite web |url=https://fas.org/irp/agency/dod/ig-abledanger.pdf |title=Office Inspector General's Report |publisher=Department of Defense |date=2006-09-18 |access-date=2008-09-29 |pages=17–22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820035023/http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/dod/ig-abledanger.pdf |archive-date=2008-08-20 |url-status=live }}</ref>