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“Indian authorities also told the US that the trail led back from Sheikh to the then chief of ISI, Lt Gen Mahmud Ahmad who<br />
was subsequently forced to retire by Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf. The FBI had been provided with the details,<br />
including Sheikh’s mobile numbers. But Pistole’s testimony is silent on these issues. The FBI has estimated the September<br />
11 attacks cost between $175,000 and $250,000. That money which paid for flight training, travel and other expenses<br />
— flowed to the hijackers through associates in Germany and the United Arab Emirates.” 1<br />
- On October 6, 2001, a senior-level U.S. government official, told CNN that U.S. investigators had discovered Ahmed<br />
Omar Saeed Sheikh (Sheik Syed), using the alias “Mustafa Muhammad Ahmad” had sent about $100,000 from the<br />
United Arab Emirates to Mohammed Atta. “Investigators said Atta then distributed the funds to conspirators in Florida in<br />
the weeks before the deadliest acts of terrorism on U.S. soil that destroyed the World Trade Center, heavily damaged the<br />
Pentagon and left thousands dead. In addition, sources have said Atta sent thousands of dollars—believed to be excess<br />
funds from the operation—back to Saeed in the United Arab Emirates in the days before September 11. 2<br />
- The Wall Street Journal was one of the only Western news organizations to follow up on the story, citing the Times of India:<br />
“US authorities sought General Mahmud Ahmed’s removal after confirming the fact that $100,000 was wired to WTC<br />
hijacker Mohammed Atta from Pakistan by Ahmad Umar Sheikh at the instance of General Mahmud.” 3<br />
-Another Indian newspaper, the Daily Excelsior, quoting FBI sources, reported that the “FBI’s examination of the hard disk<br />
of the cellphone company Omar Sheikh had subscribed to led to the discovery of the “link” between him and the deposed<br />
chief of the Pakistani ISI, Mahmud Ahmed. And as the FBI investigators delved deep, reports surfaced with regard to<br />
the transfer of $100,000 to Mohammed Atta, one of the terrorists who flew a hijacked Boeing commercial airliner into the<br />
World Trade Center. General Mahmud Ahmed, the FBI investigators found, fully knew about the transfer of money to Atta.”<br />
(2) With regard to Gen. Mahmoud Ahmed meeting with Government Officials:<br />
- It is confirmed that he did meet with Senator Bob Graham and Rep. Porter Goss, the chairmen of the Senate and House<br />
Intelligence Committees. He arrived on the 4th of September, one week before 9-11, on what was described as a routine<br />
visit of consultations with his U.S. counterparts. According to Pakistani journalist, Amir Mateen on Sept 10th 2001:<br />
“ISI Chief Lt-Gen. Mahmoud’s week-long presence in Washington has triggered speculation about the agenda of his mysterious<br />
meetings at the Pentagon and National Security Council. Officially, he is on a routine visit in return to CIA Director<br />
George Tenet’s earlier visit to Islamabad. Official sources confirm that he met Tenet this week. He also held long parleys<br />
with unspecified officials at the White House and the Pentagon. But the most important meeting was with Marc Grossman,<br />
U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. One can safely guess that the discussions must have centred around<br />
Afghanistan . . . and Osama bin Laden. What added interest to his visit is the history of such visits. Last time Ziauddin<br />
Butt, Mahmoud’s predecessor, was here, during Nawaz Sharif’s government, the domestic politics turned topsy-turvy<br />
within days.” 4<br />
This, of course, raises a serious question as to why Government Officials were meeting with an individual which had reportedly<br />
requested the 100k wire transfer to Mohammed Atta. We can assume the Government had no knowledge of the<br />
fact before hand. However, since the FBI has confirmed the relationship, it is very odd that no investigation was made, especially<br />
since the 911 Commission admits that it cost ‘only a few hundred thousand dollars’ to finance the attack, making<br />
such a large percentage move of that money very suspicious. Not to mention, they didn’t even bring up Gen. Mahmoud<br />
Ahmed’s 100k wire transfer in their final report, even though it was public knowledge at the time.<br />
Another general point to consider is that fact that Pakistan ISI has worked in lockstep with the CIA for years.<br />
“With CIA backing, the ISI has developed, since the early 1980s, into a parallel structure, a state within a state, with<br />
staff and informers estimated by some at 150,000. It wields enormous power over all aspects of government.” - Michael<br />
Meacher 5<br />
And finally, In the course of Condoleezza Rice’s May 16th press conference, an accredited Indian journalist asked a question<br />
on the role of General Mahmoud Ahmad:<br />
Q: “Are you aware of the reports at the time that the ISI chief was in Washington on September 11th, and on September<br />
10th $100,000 was wired from Pakistan to these groups here in this area? And why was he here? Was he meeting with<br />
you or anybody in the Administration?”<br />
Ms RICE: “I have not seen that report, and he was certainly not meeting with me.”<br />
What is revealing about this denial is that the White House and CNN transcripts of Dr. Rice’s press conference, the words<br />
“ISI chief” were transcribed respectively by a blank “--” and “(inaudible)”, even though they can be clearly heard on the<br />
Video recording.<br />
1 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=107432<br />
2 http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/south/10/08/india.ressa/<br />
3 http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=95001298<br />
4 Amir Mateen, ISI Chief’s Parleys continue in Washington, News Pakistan, 10 September 2001<br />
5 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/jul/22/usa.september11