The life and radicalization of Waleed al-Shehri, a hijacker in the September 11 attacks

Wars & Conflicts · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Born into a conservative Saudi household, Waleed al-Shehri transitioned from a student to a militant participant in the 2001 terrorist attacks. His journey involved clandestine travel, specialized training in Afghanistan, and a final, fatal role aboard American Airlines Flight 11, which struck the World Trade Center in New York City.

Waleed al-Shehri was born on December 20, 1978, in the Asir Province of Saudi Arabia. Raised in a fundamentalist environment that restricted access to modern media, he initially pursued studies to become a teacher. His path shifted when he joined his older brother, Wail, to seek assistance for a mental health concern in Medina. The brothers eventually traveled to Chechnya to support an insurgency before being redirected to Afghanistan. There, they pledged themselves to jihad and underwent training at the Al Farouq camp.

By late 2000, the brothers returned to Saudi Arabia to secure U.S. visas and new passports. Waleed arrived in the United States in April 2001. During his time in Florida, he obtained a driver's license, opened a bank account, and engaged in travel that included a brief, unsuccessful trip to the Bahamas. Investigators believe he and his brother were part of a group that traveled through Iran to avoid passport stamps, a tactic used to mask their movements. Reports also suggest he acted as a courier for Osama bin Laden, conveying a preference for targeting the White House.

On September 11, 2001, Waleed and his brother boarded American Airlines Flight 11 at Logan Airport. Despite being flagged by the Computer-Assisted Passenger Prescreening System, the security check only applied to their luggage, allowing them to board. Once in the air, the hijackers seized control of the aircraft. The flight was subsequently crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, resulting in the destruction of the building and the loss of many lives. Following the attacks, confusion regarding the identities of the hijackers led to erroneous reports that some were still alive, though these claims were later debunked as cases of mistaken identity.

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