CIA Memo: Draft Psychological Assessment of Abu Zubaydah

1'31 /03 DRAFT To.? -.ECRET. 00 3 5 SVC11.0iggillASSCIS'aritit al-'Abedin at- kb. id-o'n HaSSM . • - • = 4 k.a. Abu Zuhaydah 1 1 . Th following psychological assessment of Zain a:-.Ai v . istaharirlA Hassan, (aA, a. AWL al-Abideen • . Zubaydah) is based upon . o the resul 'ts of direct interviews with and o $servations of the sujpject, and from i - imatin 1 es sti : s .; 4, • ' fy ., -'- d rag ' ey riati4 firound Informatioii. For at least a decade, subject has•lived and worked within an e :ronment that has i:•ondoned, nurtured,. intensified, and rewarded his radical beliefs. T 1 following iS a partial list of responsibilities Mat the subject has held (no particular o er). Subject is curtendy 31 years old. tl Aon Z13bay40 :x of from very low-level RI t'li abidin (catied 1 Bird rr f courier by some) by .age of telfourthIn iiri n al•--Q - J oi-19 No one rises to that level in such a short ert of time without Wing dedicated, trusted, and strong. i, Allegt to h:i•re written al-Qa2ida's • ii,. manual on r topiQ resistance techniques arid lectured on the Involved in e "cry major al-Qa'ida terrorist ozier . ,tifw- •--- • . , . ,..,• ' as the operational planner or 1.44: m ille nnium olOt (2000 ), the Paris embassy (2001) and a planner{:. the I I Sept4ber hijackings ­ will h killed and maimed thousands ofAmericans. iit Se•rved as sc ,:,) -.-I. '- . • ...1iii . .ati;.4 heutenant and played a key role in the movement andtrainit, of operatives on Vehalf of al-•Qu'ida, the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, add. other i. rrorist elements iwiide - .Pakistan and A.f.'; - the MI orailum threat last lift.-alf„stall. He 'WEIS a key player inplankri ig, :ar and appears to be engaged in ongoing terrorismagainst 1.IS intereSts. Zubaydah is wanted in jordan for Ins role in the 1'i-fillet­ final-a plot. Directed the ;Art-4 of a :Bin Ladin cell in jordan that was disrupted in Amman in Decerler 1999 for plotting telrorist acts against US and Israeli targf.its during the Millei . ir inin celebrations irtUordan. Two central -figures of the plot, under arrest, identi4 Abu Zubaydah ai being the primary supporter of this: cell and the plot. 10 gf$ . Manazed a tiegoric ,, fs • -. .n, k-arilpt, safebouses, and mulahedin-related offices in Pesita-A" arm .aighanistan, :assisted ill otinz extTeruist iletW money . d materials in suptiort of various jihads g ITIeD, the wof f, .12g,.:,ind,„, ,. ,,,•\ 0 00 1311(3 %?.; DRAFT TOP MET • Served as Apt: Camp Commander for _al-Qa'ida train anp in kfglanistan Perjnall.y approved entty and graduation of all trainees irc4-1999-2000. From 1996-1999 approved alt individuals go ; in and out of Afghanistan to the training camps. No one came in and out of P. tviar, Pakistan v,ithbut his knowledge and approval. Served as al-Qaida's coordinator of external contacts, or foreigrt communications. 11 Acted as al4aida's Cl officer and was trusted to in spies to uieir utes .R.4, ant History: -Subjegt reported that he persisted for a few years in holding onto the po libility that he could_ eventually transition from jihad life back into college and pursuit lihis traditionaLegtcational, career, and family goals. As time passed he t appeared to And a special niehefor himself. He became increasingly integrated into the jihadist ide pogy and lifestyle. He periodically felt pangs of homesickness, longed ftir the : — . . -, • company ck.jannly, and faritastzmi about a fitture ;:ts a computer expert or engineer. However, otprtime, the freQueney and intensity . of these thoughts.. and feelings diminished.ilie began to think of aT,, activity outside jihad.:z‘, "silly". Eventually, he anderstma at his mind and heiirt were devoted to serving Allah and Islam through his jihad. liee a..,., -, ..,.:( that he has ha "no" doubts or regrets (thou; choosing to pursue and devote hirostf to jihad since th.t mid-1990's. .4.,. . i . Per}gtillIte: Subject is a highly self-directed individual who prizes his nuiependet.4. tie SOCK8 1:0 express his -independence 1.-.:y doing things his own w-ay and having hi 4: style to the exte4t that he can within the sunetTme of radical salafist i enviroamenl . Vb.en he makes 011.G.S.SiOTIS, it is within the context of his ideological andreligious coOtetions. He has nih-cissisdc features that are evident in his attention to his :Sr appearance -pa in his obvious "4 -fforts" to demonstrate that he is really a rather "humble and regular w." Sub'ect clearl' - oc- .s. }-authority. e is SWIM Un cow U. 5VC In ow le or; rz,...0 his environment and conducts I P' conceded that he still wrestles with Issues ragar•'. z the killing of ciO.liens and h • e acknowledged that he -celebrated 6,5 destruction of the World Trade Center. • He isfrtete:Au:tit" curious, skeptical and wary of others' intentions. possesses excellent self discioline and rtadjiy sets aide hi own illititsts to meet his reTainibiliSS. ...... ofl OL75 .*: a i‘ ,C 'libiect is Derfectionistic .ersistelit private t .y cautious i egarcirir opening up o others tme ig w capau e iri interaction: vith others from a ,i ,aliety of backgrounds. Not surraisingly, he possesses the discipl'f f , drive, creativity andd, pragmatism that characterize effective leaders. So .i. Skills and Relati is nig y s iia y per and quick to recomize and assess the moods and motivation' of others. He is alert and keenly observant of others' interactions. fie•is strongly "'.Siren to can:Tally afio aa4ge a situn hetlire voicing opinions o revealing feelings. IN is adept at chooshig to conceal or convey a particular attitude or emotion . depending :t0 the context and. ithmediate utility. Subject tends to b a very private person who is skelical of others' intentions and alert for ulterior motives. He isailarkedf , - . vigilant aribends not to trust others easily. Status7Copine, bverall, su.hjeet'a background as revealed ilejf-report Oncludirig diaries and interview; does not. indicate that he has a. history. of 4od. disturbance or other psychiatric pathology. Indeed, his reported. and known hisOb indicates that he is remarkably resilient and confident that he can overcome 4tiversity. During thd occasions that he experiences increased stresS andlor , . low mood, may become sor4what more withdrawn, melancholy, and reflective. :However, t 's shift in mood will likely last a relatively short time. He denies and there is no evidenc-his me cited hist6ry of thou'" .t disorder or endurii moot or 4sntal ealth problerns. uoject is genera y se! sufficient and. relies on his understanding and application4f religious andsy4ltol pogkal principles, MIA gerice and discipline to avoid and overcoihe problems. His f4Ith, the blessings of rdigious leaders, and camaraderie, of like-.minde*ujahedin brotherk have provided him with a reliable and durable support system. Of Articular -note has been subject's ability to marine his mood and unctions duringcapthi ty, Being circumspect, calm, controlled, and deliberate is net — ] of sifc'ect's de e;.i. .o. t charaderisi ition, qf, sloweo. strong gips ot sympathetic, rit.INOUS system arous (pm ay rear) wt.= he Operienced the initial hard" clislocation of expectation intervention folloI -ing son o3 Drie to his in credihly strong resolve, expertise in cMlian -.warfare, resistance • . 4 experieactwas one of the few :that led to him providing sigr.Liti.cant actionable . 4 AS has b,--en. intelFwma. to int-en-D*nm techngneS (the latter two which he trained hundreds of others on) thisi ?.throughout detainment, he was.ab_ l; to quickly ba-ice, back ftm those Most fliSCORCertin2. MOWS.ItS and regain an air of earn conlidenc$1 and strong resolve in not parting with other threat. infonnation. . . ?litre orkciev of...:ording to the subject. the ihad will ultimate:I be vietorion.Ziver American and the west. MitvationS, SU bi Mt's primary ITiotivadons are On no parkniar ()vier): - statusipretge, power, influeliee, serving the Uri -tin:all, serving the prophet -and Allah, . . purstimg epureii1ecicontriiy.tting to the establisImmt Of Sliari'a among Muslim cmmtries, Won --'uting to the "lifting up" of Muslims throW4hout the world, anti contd.:n:7LO te the restoration ,1. 4 the Palestinian homeland. IPriMar v Stren2ths. in no particular order) Ahility. to focus, goal-directed disciplinenntelligence, emotioilal resilience, street savvy; ability to. or.ganize and manay. people, alility to delegate keen obServation si s Iluid adaptability (earl anticipate and adapt Older duress and witib minimal resources), capable of amssinR and exploitinz the needs if others, ability to ijust goals to emergin7'opportunities 41'00 1 77 DR FT CIAO() 7,ET • DRAF TP SECRET .)2arY):. S',11.;iCCL du.,,y as a sold crlwaiN °Thu all -id is to dei ay s cad, and h o protect h at is n c:-1 -t critical to tb.e success of ids canse. 13e assunis that we tindersta:id this. raus, net likely o be Gag:II-YIN and Interri. , intraudateOr wcaened bei42 in lies. H:s job is to lie. Dtutag irderview c•-xplairked th.:0 yie lied to his neiithbors. to shopkeepers, to bankes, travel agents, airport . .. .0-1cF to Totec.t v:op:e and actividcs. fle. said, "I lie, personnel, Wu many ol len ;­'lie, lie,Ne,r "t rides untY th oart is:. deeeptiOW he ularia5,,ed. th .. A ;. :lc aairca a Urn -..: 0,,olb :::.A.c. .,1:..nT.ric,it3on. coni by persigenerheEing the same . -.)d of several week.s c.:r months. .,...-; ::.z, iera:f.'.(1. a a he . :•ver i per:,. ­ . • that the coalbrution. of skillftil leceu on and 'vino . Daws off. :::,:• e has talked with al-Zawahiri and it is likely that Znwhii tã about Ms 0gperiencc a.s of the. Eg,yptians -and Russions roddition, subiert familiar ail probably vers.ed rcgar(lingal cop d resistara-,e training materials_ tins, one would c•-.0ect that subject would draw .r ti this lunci of kriewled.Re alen.ts to cooe .wIlh 'his own ca it Yity. kiiect believes in the :tit:nate destiny et Islam. Is to dominate ale world. He believes tha sJobai vctcry a iaiwitabIe. Th•s., there is the eharice tb.:„Mtie could r.,-;tion2l:ze thai nrovidin info7Ma;i0I1 -will harrn eutTent efforts biu. represent c.:M.LY a teinnorars? C IA0,110 41 1) I) 7z9 CIA00