Fayez Banihammad
Encyclopedia
Fayez Rashid Ahmed Hassan al-Qadi Banihammad (March 19, 1977 – September 11, 2001) was one of five hijackers aboard United Airlines Flight 175
as part of the September 11 attacks.
Born in the United Arab Emirates
, Banihammad left his family to pursue relief work. Using the Visa Express
program, Banihammad obtained a U.S. tourist visa.
Banihammad arrived in the United States in June 2001. On September 11, 2001, Banihammad boarded United Airlines Flight 175
and participated in the hijacking of the plane, so it could be flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center
.
in the United Arab Emirates
and was born to Muhammad Fayez Banihammad, a school principal. He typically went by the name "Ahmed".
. He only contacted his parents once after that. He is believed to have visited the Philippines
for three days from October 17–20, 2000.
Banihammad used the controversial program Visa Express
to gain entry into the country together with Saeed al-Ghamdi
. Upon later review of his application, it was noticed that he had not listed an occupation or reason for visit, and when asked where he would be living in the country, simply wrote No. However, he still received the visa.
on June 27, 2001, Banihammad had opened a bank account in the UAE to which $30,000 was deposited by unknown parties only two days before his arrival. He opened another account with SunTrust Banks
in Orlando several days after his arrival, becoming one of nine hijackers to open an account with the bank.
Known as Abu Ahmed al-Imaraati during the preparations, the 9/11 Commission
noted: "He appears to have played a unique role among the muscle hijackers because of his work with one of the plot's financial facilitators, Mustafa al-Hawsawi
." On July 18, Banihammad gave Mustafa power-of-attorney over his Dubai
bank account, and Mustafa reportedly mailed him a VISA and bank card.
Possibly a licensed pilot, a man with his name was registered as having trained at the Spartan Aeronautics School in Tulsa, Oklahoma
, although the school denies that he ever attended, indicating a possible case of mistaken identity.
's one-way first class tickets for United Airlines Flight 175
online on August 27 or 29, charging the $4464.50 to a Visa card from Mustafa al-Hawsawi
, listing both of their addresses as a Mail Boxes Etc.
in Delray Beach
. This was not the same postal box used by Hamza
and Ahmed al-Ghamdi
who purchased their tickets for the same flight a day later with another Mailboxes Etc. postal box in Delray Beach, although both groups listed the same phone number.
Staying in the Milner Hotel from September 8–10, Banihammad asked a hotel clerk to fill out the registration card for the room, citing his poor English. On September 10, 2001, he shared a room with four hijackers; Mohand al-Shehri, Marwan al-Shehhi
and Satam al-Suqami
at the Milner Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts.
On September 11, Banihammad boarded Flight 175, he sat in seat 2A, adjacent to Shehri. About a half an hour into the flight, the plane was hijacked and subsequently flown into the south tower of the World Trade Center
.
that somebody with the same name had attended the Defense Language Institute at Lackland Air Force Base
- a claim that may have been born of a false address Banihammad had used.
United Airlines Flight 175
United Airlines Flight 175 was United Airlines' daily scheduled morning transcontinental flight, from Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, to Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California...
as part of the September 11 attacks.
Born in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, Banihammad left his family to pursue relief work. Using the Visa Express
Visa Express
The Visa Express program was a U.S. State Department program that allowed residents of Saudi Arabia to enter the U.S. without proving their identities. It became controversial when some of the 9/11 hijackers used this program to gain entry into the country, and the program was eventually shut...
program, Banihammad obtained a U.S. tourist visa.
Banihammad arrived in the United States in June 2001. On September 11, 2001, Banihammad boarded United Airlines Flight 175
United Airlines Flight 175
United Airlines Flight 175 was United Airlines' daily scheduled morning transcontinental flight, from Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, to Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California...
and participated in the hijacking of the plane, so it could be flown into the South Tower of the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
.
Aliases
Both Banihammad and the media would often refer to him by one of his aliases, including "Fayez Ahmad", "Banihammad Fayez Abu Dhabi Banihammad", "Fayez Rashid Ahmed", "Rasid Ahmed Hassen Alqadi", "Abu Dhabi Banihammad Ahmed Fayez", and others.Early life
Banihammad was from Khor FakkanKhor Fakkan
Khor Fakkan is a town located along the Gulf of Oman on the east coast of the United Arab Emirates . The town is set on the picturesque bay of Khor Fakkan, which means "Creek of Two Jaws". Khor Fakkan belongs to the emirate of Sharjah but is geographically surrounded by the emirate of Fujairah...
in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
and was born to Muhammad Fayez Banihammad, a school principal. He typically went by the name "Ahmed".
2000
Fayez told his parents, while spending time in 'Asir, that he hoped to find work with the International Islamic Relief OrganizationInternational Islamic Relief Organization
The International Islamic Relief Organization, , is a charity based in Saudi Arabia. It is a member of The Conference of NGOs, where it serves on the board...
. He only contacted his parents once after that. He is believed to have visited the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
for three days from October 17–20, 2000.
Banihammad used the controversial program Visa Express
Visa Express
The Visa Express program was a U.S. State Department program that allowed residents of Saudi Arabia to enter the U.S. without proving their identities. It became controversial when some of the 9/11 hijackers used this program to gain entry into the country, and the program was eventually shut...
to gain entry into the country together with Saeed al-Ghamdi
Saeed al-Ghamdi
Saeed Abdallah Ali Sulayman al-Ghamdi was one of four hijackers of United Airlines Flight 93 as part of the September 11 attacks....
. Upon later review of his application, it was noticed that he had not listed an occupation or reason for visit, and when asked where he would be living in the country, simply wrote No. However, he still received the visa.
2001
Before the pair arrived in Orlando, FloridaOrlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
on June 27, 2001, Banihammad had opened a bank account in the UAE to which $30,000 was deposited by unknown parties only two days before his arrival. He opened another account with SunTrust Banks
SunTrust Banks
SunTrust Banks, Inc., is an American bank holding company. The largest subsidiary is SunTrust Bank. It had US$172.7 billion in assets as of September 30, 2009...
in Orlando several days after his arrival, becoming one of nine hijackers to open an account with the bank.
Known as Abu Ahmed al-Imaraati during the preparations, the 9/11 Commission
9/11 Commission
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, was set up on November 27, 2002, "to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks", including preparedness for and the immediate response to...
noted: "He appears to have played a unique role among the muscle hijackers because of his work with one of the plot's financial facilitators, Mustafa al-Hawsawi
Mustafa al-Hawsawi
Mustafa al-Hawsawi is a member of the militant Islamic organization al-Qaeda and allegedly an organizer and financer of the September 11 attacks....
." On July 18, Banihammad gave Mustafa power-of-attorney over his Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
bank account, and Mustafa reportedly mailed him a VISA and bank card.
Possibly a licensed pilot, a man with his name was registered as having trained at the Spartan Aeronautics School in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, although the school denies that he ever attended, indicating a possible case of mistaken identity.
Attacks
Fayez Banihammad purchased both his and Mohand al-ShehriMohand al-Shehri
Mohand Muhammed Fayiz al-Shehri was one of five hijackers aboard United Airlines Flight 175 as part of the September 11 attacks....
's one-way first class tickets for United Airlines Flight 175
United Airlines Flight 175
United Airlines Flight 175 was United Airlines' daily scheduled morning transcontinental flight, from Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, to Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California...
online on August 27 or 29, charging the $4464.50 to a Visa card from Mustafa al-Hawsawi
Mustafa al-Hawsawi
Mustafa al-Hawsawi is a member of the militant Islamic organization al-Qaeda and allegedly an organizer and financer of the September 11 attacks....
, listing both of their addresses as a Mail Boxes Etc.
Mail Boxes Etc.
Mail Boxes Etc. is a global retail chain of business service centers. The locations offer pack and ship services, couriers, office services, document production, shipping, packing materials, printing, copying, postal services and some other business services.Mail Boxes Etc., Inc...
in Delray Beach
Delray Beach, Florida
Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 60,020. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S...
. This was not the same postal box used by Hamza
Hamza al-Ghamdi
Hamza al-Ghamdi was one of five hijackers of United Airlines Flight 175 as part of the September 11 attacks....
and Ahmed al-Ghamdi
Ahmed al-Ghamdi
Ahmed Salah Said al-Ghamdi was one of five hijackers of United Airlines Flight 175 as part of the September 11 attacks.Ghamdi was born in Saudi Arabia in 1979...
who purchased their tickets for the same flight a day later with another Mailboxes Etc. postal box in Delray Beach, although both groups listed the same phone number.
Staying in the Milner Hotel from September 8–10, Banihammad asked a hotel clerk to fill out the registration card for the room, citing his poor English. On September 10, 2001, he shared a room with four hijackers; Mohand al-Shehri, Marwan al-Shehhi
Marwan al-Shehhi
Marwan Yousef Mohamed Rashid Lekrab al-Shehhi was the hijacker-pilot of United Airlines Flight 175, crashing the plane into the South Tower of the World Trade Center as part of the September 11 attacks....
and Satam al-Suqami
Satam al-Suqami
A law student, Satam Muhammed Abdel Rahman al-Suqami was one of five hijackers of American Airlines Flight 11 as part of the September 11 attacks....
at the Milner Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts.
On September 11, Banihammad boarded Flight 175, he sat in seat 2A, adjacent to Shehri. About a half an hour into the flight, the plane was hijacked and subsequently flown into the south tower of the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
.
Aftermath
After the attacks it was reported by ABC NewsABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
that somebody with the same name had attended the Defense Language Institute at Lackland Air Force Base
Lackland Air Force Base
Lackland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located west-southwest of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 802d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....
- a claim that may have been born of a false address Banihammad had used.