Essam al-Ridi
Encyclopedia
A veteran of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Essam al-Ridi was an American who was tasked to purchase a light aircraft by Osama bin Laden
in 1993; but fled after accidentally crashing the plane into a sand dune.
In 1982, he went to repel the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, becoming close colleagues with Osama bin Laden
. He participated in the Battle of Jaji
, but claimed that Arab claims of victory disillusioned him, and later returned to the United States.
was moving into the Sudan
in 1993, bin Laden asked al-Ridi, then living in Texas, to buy a light aircraft to ferry Stinger
missiles and other materiel the group had acquired in Afghanistan. With $250,000, al-Ridi purchased a 1960s Sabre-40 jet from the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group in Arizona.
Since the plane had a range of only 1,500 miles, al-Ridi was forced to make a 7-leg journey to deliver the plane, flying to Sault Sainte Marie
, then to Frobisher Bay
where -65 weather cracked a windshield and burst the hydraulics
, causing him to lose a week repairing the aircraft. Finally he embarked to Iceland
, through Europe and finally arriving in Cairo
, before embarking on the final leg of his trip.
A year and a half after delivering the plane, al-Ridi was called back to Khartoum
, where he met with Ihab Ali Nawawi
, and was informed that improper maintenance made the plane inoperable. Wadi el-Hage requested that the pair fix the aircraft, and then take it back to Cairo to re-sell it.
The pair of them tried to repair the plane, its tires had melted to the runway
and its engines were filled with sand. The brakes failed after a test flight with both men flying, and the plane crashed into a sand dune.
The event attracted public attention, since the plane was unique in being a private aircraft at Khartoum International Airport
and known to belong to Osama bin Laden
. Worried that the Egyptian Mukhabarat
would learn of his whereabouts, al-Ridi fled the Sudan.
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
in 1993; but fled after accidentally crashing the plane into a sand dune.
Life
Born in Egypt, al-Ridi moved to the United States and settled down in Texas where he took flight lessons. Eventually he became a flight instructor himself, teaching at the Ed Boardman Aviation School.In 1982, he went to repel the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, becoming close colleagues with Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
. He participated in the Battle of Jaji
Battle of Jaji
The Battle of Jaji occurred in May 1987, during the first stage of withdrawal of Soviet forces from their invasion of Afghanistan. Remaining Soviet troops supported the Soviet-backed government's operations in Paktia Province against the Mujahideen, hoping to relieve a besieged garrison at Ali...
, but claimed that Arab claims of victory disillusioned him, and later returned to the United States.
Sabrejet incident
When al-QaedaAl-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
was moving into the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
in 1993, bin Laden asked al-Ridi, then living in Texas, to buy a light aircraft to ferry Stinger
Stinger
-Biology:* Stinger, an organ or body part found in various animals that usually delivers some kind of venom.* Stinger , a minor neurological injury suffered by athletes.-Sports and entertainment:...
missiles and other materiel the group had acquired in Afghanistan. With $250,000, al-Ridi purchased a 1960s Sabre-40 jet from the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group in Arizona.
Since the plane had a range of only 1,500 miles, al-Ridi was forced to make a 7-leg journey to deliver the plane, flying to Sault Sainte Marie
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the north-eastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canadian border, separated from its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the St. Marys River...
, then to Frobisher Bay
Frobisher Bay
Frobisher Bay is a relatively large inlet of the Labrador Sea in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. It is located in the southeastern corner of Baffin Island...
where -65 weather cracked a windshield and burst the hydraulics
Hydraulics
Hydraulics is a topic in applied science and engineering dealing with the mechanical properties of liquids. Fluid mechanics provides the theoretical foundation for hydraulics, which focuses on the engineering uses of fluid properties. In fluid power, hydraulics is used for the generation, control,...
, causing him to lose a week repairing the aircraft. Finally he embarked to Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, through Europe and finally arriving in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, before embarking on the final leg of his trip.
A year and a half after delivering the plane, al-Ridi was called back to Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
, where he met with Ihab Ali Nawawi
Ihab Ali Nawawi
An Egyptian-American cab driver, Ihab Mohamed Ali Nawawi became a personal pilot to Osama bin Laden in the early 1990s.-Life:Nawawi moved to the United States as a youth with his family, and attended an Orlando high school before traveling to fight in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.He trained...
, and was informed that improper maintenance made the plane inoperable. Wadi el-Hage requested that the pair fix the aircraft, and then take it back to Cairo to re-sell it.
The pair of them tried to repair the plane, its tires had melted to the runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
and its engines were filled with sand. The brakes failed after a test flight with both men flying, and the plane crashed into a sand dune.
The event attracted public attention, since the plane was unique in being a private aircraft at Khartoum International Airport
Khartoum International Airport
Khartoum International Airport is an airport in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan.It will be replaced with a new airport 40 kilometers south of the centre of Khartoum by 2012...
and known to belong to Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
. Worried that the Egyptian Mukhabarat
Mukhabarat
Mukhābarāt is the Arabic term for intelligence, as in intelligence agency. In the West, the term is sometimes used negatively, connotating repression, often by means of secret police or state terror, in Arab countries...
would learn of his whereabouts, al-Ridi fled the Sudan.