KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – The 11th of September each year remains etched in history as the most devastating terrorist attack ever launched against the United States, leaving global security and intelligence agencies reeling from the meticulous planning and audacity of the Al-Qaeda network behind the 9/11 assaults. Yet, a lesser-known chapter of this saga highlights the pivotal role played by Malaysia’s Royal Malaysia Police Special Branch (MSB), which gathered critical early intelligence on Al-Qaeda operatives 22 months before the attacks rocked the world.
The revelation comes from Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Tan Sri Ayob Khan bin Mydin Pitchay, who served under the esteemed leadership of CP Datuk Yusof Rahaman, then Assistant Director of the External Intelligence Division. Ayob, who joined the MSB in 1993 and later headed its Counter Terrorism unit, detailed how the division’s efforts in late 1999 and early 2000 helped expose the presence of key Al-Qaeda figures in Malaysia—information that could have altered the course of the 9/11 tragedy.
Early Intelligence and Covert Operations
In December 1999, U.S. intelligence alerted the SB to suspected Al-Qaeda operatives planning to enter Kuala Lumpur. On January 4, 2000, more specific details emerged, including flight information and a photograph of senior operative Khalid Al-Mihdhar (KAM), who was tracked arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). Ayob, alongside Inspectors Mohd Raby and Ooi Yuet Kueh, conducted discreet surveillance, confirming KAM’s identity as he passed through the baggage claim area. Unbeknownst to them, KAM would later be one of the hijackers who crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, claiming 189 lives.
The team tailed KAM to a budget hotel in Bukit Bintang, where he was met by a local Arab student working part-time with a travel agency. Further monitoring revealed the presence of other operatives—Nawaf Al-Hazmi, Salah Saed @ Khallad Attash, and Ramzi Bin Al-Shibh—who stayed in Malaysia from January 4 to 8, 2000. Khallad Attash, notably, later coordinated the USS Cole bombing in Yemen in October 2000.
Meticulous Tracking and International Cooperation
The operatives, highly trained and cautious, avoided hotel phones, opting instead for public phones and internet cafes in Bukit Bintang, including one outside Menara Maybank on Jalan Tun Perak. The SB successfully obtained toll records of their calls, which included international numbers linked to senior Al-Qaeda figures, such as Ahmad Al-Hada in Yemen, KAM’s father-in-law and a known contact from the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Tanzania and Kenya. This intelligence was shared with U.S. agencies, though critical details reportedly did not reach the FBI, a lapse detailed in the 9/11 Commission Report.
When the operatives departed for Bangkok on January 9, 2000, their flight and contact details were passed to U.S. counterparts, yet the lack of inter-agency coordination in the U.S. limited its impact.
Uncovering Jemaah Islamiyah and Global Recognition
Ayob’s team continued their work, monitoring local links such as Yazid Sufaat and other Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) members connected to Al-Qaeda. This led to a major operation on December 11, 2001, which exposed JI cells across Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, and Thailand—the first such breakthrough recognized internationally. The success was attributed to the collaborative efforts of the SB’s various divisions, guided by seasoned leaders like Datuk Yusof Rahaman, Dato’ Hasan Ahmad, Dato’ C. Pakianathan, and SAC Azmi Zain.
A Legacy of Excellence
Reflecting on the achievement, Ayob emphasized that the SB’s triumph was a collective effort, driven by officers who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to safeguard Malaysia’s peace. As the nation marks the 24th anniversary of 9/11, this account underscores the global significance of Malaysia’s intelligence contributions and the enduring legacy of its Special Branch.
