In early January, 2000, “CIA agents tracked [future 9/11 hijacker Khalid al] Mihdhar to Dubai, where he was staying, en route to [an al Qaeda meeting in] Malaysia. They broke into his hotel room and photographed his passport, which reflected that Mihdhar had a multi-entry U.S. visa that would not expire until April 2000. They faxed the passport to the Counterterrorist Center, which notified intelligence services around the world and advised them that ‘we need to continue the effort to identify these travelers and their activities…to determine if there is any true threat posed.’ The Counterterrorist Center has also briefed the CIA leadership, [National Security Advisor] Sandy Berger, and the National Security Council staff. According to the 9/11 Commission, FBI director [Louis] Freeh and others at the Bureau were also made aware of the meeting in Kuala Lumpur, ‘though the FBI noted that the CIA had the lead and would let the FBI know if a domestic angle rose.’ “ [The 5th of the month used for date sorting purposes only.]
– John Farmer, The Ground Truth, Pages 42-43