◆ SpookStack

(U) Banking in the US (LES) The hijackers financed their operation with money electronically transferred from overseas as well as with cash and traveler checks they carried—and declared—when they entered the US. They opened US bank accounts and used them legally, but they favored an unusual practice of sharing accounts between unrelated members. None of the hijackers worked to supplement this funding. * The hijackers, often in pairs, used 24 bank accounts from branch banks belonging to Sun Trust, Hudson United, First Union, Bank of America, and Dime Savings. * As the operation drew near, the hijackers closetl the majority of their bank accounts and wired most of the remaining money overseas. through Western Union stations at bus terminals and grocery stores. (U) How They Communicated (LES) The hijackers favored communications techniques designed to make operational discussions diffieult to trace. * They used pre-paid calling cards combined with payphones to make operational telephone calls to conspirators in the US as well as the Middle East and Germany, according to law enforcement information. They used cell phones to receive operational calls. * They apparently reserved their most sensitive planning discussions for face-to-face meetings, which likely were held three times in 2001; Germany in January, Spain in July, and Las Vegas in mid-August, : At least nine hijackers used post office mailboxes from such places as Mail Boxes Ete and Mail Depot, possibly to receive regular mail and to help establish residence. (U) Businesses They Frequented (LES) Besides rental car businesses and commercially available past office boxes, the hijackers also frequented several other businesses. * Many of the hijackers worked out at eyms—possibly to help prepare them for subduing passengers in taking over the airliners. * They used Kinkos for photocopying unknown materials and for cornputer rentals. * Marwan al-Shehhi also visited several bars during his stay in the US and along with Hamza al-Gamdi twice in July 2001 purchased a large amount of pornography—$250, and $183 worth—from a Video Outlet store in Florida. BEQ. #36-1 (SERRETNOFORN,X1) 000000029