The 9/11 Commission Report by Thomas R. Eldridge, Susan Ginsburg, Walter T. Hempel II

It is perhaps obvious to state that terrorists cannot plan and carry out attacks in the United
States if they are unable to enter the country. Yet prior to September 11, while there were
efforts to enhance border security, no agency of the U.S. government thought of border
security as a tool in the counterterrorism arsenal. Indeed, even after 19 hijackers
demonstrated the relative ease of obtaining a U.S. visa and gaining admission into the
United States, border security still is not considered a cornerstone of national security
policy. We believe, for reasons we discuss in the following pages, that it must be made one.
Contents:
A Factual Overview of the September 11 Border Story
The September 11 Travel Operation – a Chronology
Terrorist Entry and Embedding Tactics, 1993-2001
The Redbook
Terrorist Travel Tactics by Plot
Al Qaeda’s Organizational Structure for Travel and Travel Tactics
Immigration and Border Security Evolve, 1993 to 2001
The Intelligence Community
The State Department
The Immigration and Naturalization Service
Planning and Executing Entry for the 9/11 Plot
The State Department
The Immigration and Naturalization Service
Finding a Fair Verdict
Crisis Management and Response Post-September 11
The Intelligence Community
The Department of State
The Department of Justice
Response at the Borders, 9/11-9/20, 2001
The Department of Homeland Security