Niaz Khan
Encyclopedia
Niaz Khan is a citizen of the United Kingdom
, born in Pakistan
, who asserts he defected from al Qaeda in 2000, and warned the FBI of al Qaeda's plans to attack civilian targets in the United States
.
Khan described growing disillusioned with his gambling debts and his job as a waiter.
He describes being recruited to travel to Pakistan for training for jihad, outside a London
gambling establishment, by a recruiter who offered to pay off his gambling debts.
He describes being trained just outside Lahore
in how to hijack planes.
His trainers had mockups of Boeing aircraft for the training.
He was then to travel to New York City
, in April 2000, to join a cell intending to attack civilian targets in the USA.
However, he described having cold feet, and failing to meet his contact at the airport.
He described gambling away all his contingency money.
He described fearing punishment from his terrorist handlers.
He approached the FBI and warned them that al Qaeda was planning to hijack planes to attack civilian targets in the USA.
He was debriefed by the FBI for several weeks.
Although he passed two lie detector tests, ultimately the FBI didn't believe him.
The FBI sent him back to the UK, where he was interviewed by UK security officials, who didn't believe him either.
The Guardian quoted Khan's reaction to watching al Qaeda's attack on September 11, 2001.
Khan was interviewed by NBC News
in 2004, on national TV.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, born in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, who asserts he defected from al Qaeda in 2000, and warned the FBI of al Qaeda's plans to attack civilian targets in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Khan described growing disillusioned with his gambling debts and his job as a waiter.
He describes being recruited to travel to Pakistan for training for jihad, outside a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
gambling establishment, by a recruiter who offered to pay off his gambling debts.
He describes being trained just outside Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
in how to hijack planes.
His trainers had mockups of Boeing aircraft for the training.
He was then to travel to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, in April 2000, to join a cell intending to attack civilian targets in the USA.
However, he described having cold feet, and failing to meet his contact at the airport.
He described gambling away all his contingency money.
He described fearing punishment from his terrorist handlers.
He approached the FBI and warned them that al Qaeda was planning to hijack planes to attack civilian targets in the USA.
He was debriefed by the FBI for several weeks.
Although he passed two lie detector tests, ultimately the FBI didn't believe him.
The FBI sent him back to the UK, where he was interviewed by UK security officials, who didn't believe him either.
The Guardian quoted Khan's reaction to watching al Qaeda's attack on September 11, 2001.
Khan was interviewed by NBC News
NBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
in 2004, on national TV.