CIA Memo: Draft Psychological Assessment of Abu Zubaydah

P ) P, 0 . I g4 t : 0007 4 % h 0 4 i % t P To: I john Yoo 1 ; h Phone:.. f: b Fax H- From: Phone: Date: 24 July 2002 $ H cover page:17 Pages/1' chiding this / 0 i i , t 0 z. I I l Here is the psphological assessmeftt. Please feel free to callme3. t work or at honje, whenever. $ . i 10 Thanks — 1 I 1 t I t t t t t il. t 1 t , t tt ..$ i t a aq tt t t t i 4 .kk It. , t .kt % 4 t. TOO 000 $ ? C IA000552 11.2.5102 5:04P1 R T 1 TOP CRE,'T vcholos,iical Assessment cif n al- 'Abedin ai-Atildeen Muhammad Hassan!. a.k.a. Abu Zubaydah Thegollowng psycholo i' -koal assessment of —a. al.-Ah..ide-en ,.,., ii., 7 in all-'bedulMuharamarplassan, (a.k.a. Abt Zuhaydah) is rased uponp' e results of direct interviews with and olliervations of the suliject, and from informatiorl obtained from colateral „ . -4 sources suo as mtellio,. C'',' .1.e. Bound Informatiot For at least a decade, suIect has lived and worked within an eigrironment that has -oradorted, nurtured, intensified, and rewarded his radical beliefs. 14 following is a par al list of responsibilities 1- at Ale subject has held (no particular Mer). Subject is cuOently 31 years old. Abu Zuba.yr..,ah worked from ve: j /ov,r-level mujahidin (ca led cOlifier by some)) by age t-)f 31 tdthird or fourth mit in al-QaIda, No one rise to ti a.t level in such a short perigd of time without tiping dedicated, trusteri,_angl strong. Alleged to n•„:mtive, written al-Qa'ida's rranual on resistancs,e t 41niques and lectured on the tope ::: 1 iF,;: :i: ” I Inv W olved :every major al-Qa 14A. terrorist operation: sexy' as the operational planner for Me millennium plot PO(0), the Paris embassy 0011 and a planner of t.he I I Sept:amber hijackings, -,,vti4 ich, killed and maimed thqusands of Americans. :, l ,..•::3 i Served as si .or Usama Bin I-4 in lieutenant and played alkey role hi the movement and trailing of operatives offbehalf of al-Qa'ida, the Epptian Islamic Jihad, and • otht terrrgist elements pside Pakistan and Afghadistan. He was a key player in theMillennium threat 14t year and a' pe fD he ehaged in on.going terrorism plarNing against US int4tests. Zubaydah is wantel in Jord:m for his role in the „ ::: Miiiinnium plot. - , Dirmted thatart-uo of a Bin 4d ii~ cell in Jordan that wa4 disrupted in Amman in „.. Dec nber 1999 for plotiing terrorist acts againstl$, and Israeli targets during the muln ce:Ittwat).=„111 Jordan. Two central fin' n-es of the plot, under arrest, ified Abu Zuhaydat. as being the primary sup orter of this cell and the plot. Manned alOtwrxk 0.f training famps, safehouses, and m+2IuyEn.-related offices in Pf•'-slawar and Afghanisa, assisted in other extr- j MO* and materials in ipport of various Away :round the lorld. 0000002 D R T TOP ,C.11ET IA000553 7125M 5:04 SECRET Served as l utv camp Conor-de: for al-Qaida trainimicam in hanistan. ed entiif and graduation of all trdpees -circa:11999-20K From 19961199, apprOed all individuals gotta m an ou of Afg*istan to the training ca+, No one came in and out of Pesigwar, PakiVsan without his knowledge and appto•aL SerVed as al-Cgida's coots nator of external cPntacts, or foreign commuttications. , z Acted as al . aIda's CI officer Fhd was trusted to find spiel in their midst. - f; E.-. ReleVant History.. Subjeilt reported that he persist:xi for a few years in holding . onto the poeibility that he could eventually transition froal jihad life back into college and pursuit ilif his traditional edltational, career, and fail i goals, M time passed he appeared tomnd a special niche for himself. He became in nA. 5t,preasingly integrated into the . jihadist idetitogy and lifestyle. ge periodically felt pangs if hom.esicimess, longed for the ii . rornpmiy of-darnily and.f.anws.1-4&i. about a future as a comp uta wzpert or engineer. However, ofrrtime, the frequenly and intensity of these thbughts and feelings diminishediaie began to think Sf -anv activity outside jiha4 as "Silly" Eventually, he 3:,, -. •a ,., , understood Oat his mind and h4rt were devoted to servini Allah and Islam through his jihad,. he a„-. ljrted that he has h41 ''n.o" doubts er regrets agout choosing, to pursue and ;.• ... devote himillf to jihad since th raid-1990's. . i Perskipalitvi Subj62t is 4.highly Self-directed indivtdual -svho prizes his indeperiden*. He seeks to expite ss his independence by ding things his own way and having his 41N,n style to the exteiit that he can within the sticture of r ctdical-salafist envirorimenli. When. he makes i:oneessions, it is Within thii context of his ideological: and religious cOvictions. He has aiicissistic features that are i,vident in his attention to his . appe--Irance , d in. his obvious "Worts" to demonstrate, dial. he is really a rather "humble ,., ,, -, .3 and reg •, n .,r..,.4 - -,.... ^tsr '-k qi; ' ; -,,,, authority. Is t r e t corn giVe now e or ties ins env ronm " t and conducts '^ bu e cone e,d that he still wrestles with • ... 4i: issues rev•no the hill if I . I e acknowledged. that he co e rat!. destruction of .h World Trade Center, He iNintellectually can4s, skeptical and wary of Shers' intentions : pcsesses set-disci dine and reaailv sets aside his own int ests to his T.CS --011Sall168. -ubj tt is perk:tionistic (very 00 0 0 0 0 3 D R T TOP kCR,ET CIA000554 :WW2- 5:04 ersistint private ( ..:6.uy cautious regarding operung. up to aners.), nlig :; y capaOle m iiiteractio*with others front ahFariety of backgrounds. 11ot -surprisingly, he possesses the discrplikle, thi\-T, creativity .:ind Dras.,,matism that char*erize effective leaders. _... . - ,•:• 9. Sye I &Kills and RelatInshils: Sub' ect has ec.f.. x lent. social skills and social is igiJy Kepa., y perceptive-agp gick to recognne and atsess we moods an mot'.ivationtiof otht-)...s. He is alirt and keenly observant ci t th.ffs interactions. H" is strongly 4-lined to carefully gauge a sinv.ton before vol.4.:M.g opirnons or revealin.g feelings, ili is adept at cb.00si4g to conceal or convey a fiarticular attitude or emotit -m deperiding4n the context and it:mediate utility. Subject tends to be a. very private- person who is skepti cal of others' inteittions and alert for u3 e ', :: Iv viellant arAtends not to trust hers easil • . EnfiitonallMental starzi(_oping SKI Is. 0 r II, ;unea as revealed bOelf-reporf: (includlig diaries and interview) tes not indicate that he has a history of i*ood disturbance otiotber psychiatric pathologp, indeed : !his reported and known hislOry indicates that hOli is remarkably n.•.silient tang confideu criat he can overcome (14 vers ty. Daring the occasions that he. -experitinces increased stre:,;s kdior t moricUi&..e roaN become sonie'4:hat more withdra.wn, nielancnoly, ad reflective. However, -542 shift in mocrd likely last a relatively shi'...rt time. He denies and there is no evideneilin his reoorted hisibry of thought disorder oniod.unianmental robIerns, •uljeci is 2e{,,era y seTh-sufficient and 1;.e1.1e3 on his understanding and applicatioriR religious and pschoiogical. principles, intaigence. and discipline to avoid. and overeditie problems. His 4i 11 the blessings. CA religi6us leaders; and camaraderie of li:ke-mindamujahedin. brother:: have pi -c-wided him with i reilable arid durable. support systeTil, O osticulat ;-,ote.. has b$,. :.‘en subject's ability to matage. his mood and ernotions during clete.',i4i(-1.a. Being circrinspect, calm, controlled, arJ delib erate is like] •ch2 ar.rte 0000004 DRAFT TC: SKRET CIA000555 7125102 5b4 D R TO CUT addition, h0 sympathetic nervous sistern arousal (possibly fear)when he exaienced the initial 1-:onfrfmtational" dislocatidn of expectation during -an interrogatioi$ession. Due to hi4lincredibly strong F8801.1,T,lexpertise in civilian warfare;resistance tqfptetTogatiosi t6chnitae-s (the latter two which be_ trained lrundreds of others on), this expitlence was one of tbe few that led to'" pro -4ding sipificant actionable intelligence:1*s has been obstrid throughout his recent d4ention, hY was able to quickly bailie back from these Icost disconcerting momeis and regain an air of cairn confidence, tild stong resolve injnot palling with other thriat informa ion, -5 . . al% Accoldint t a i a i"' victorious °ill- Motiv•Eions... Subject's pdtuaq motivations are On flo particular -ordei): statusiprestiii power, influence4erving the Uromah, servih the proPhet and Allah, :::: pursuing a "Ivo jihakr, contribu4n2. to the es tablishruent fxt Shari' aMong Muslim countries, coNributing tote "lif(lng Lip" of MUSIIIPS throe gout the wOrld, and contributing f4 the restoration of -k,e, Palestinian homeland. i Prim* Strenn, tb.s. i:ln no ticskrticular order) Ability ttifocus., pa -directed . discipline, intilligence, em.otionalresilience, street. savvy, iiiiity to Cii.q.aDiZe ila manage 6 -.. people, ;:ibilittito delegate tasks, liken observation skills, fillip adaptability (can anticipate and adapt uniar duress and with ifinimal. resources), capabli of assessing and ex loit' -the needs of if s lilit -to ad: llt ocals to erne c 1,- 0000005 D T ,,ECRET C IA000556 Vi2 5O4 DR TOP F,CRET L)i am 13-: , ,ey.T ,::gation. Subject a a isoRlieriviaitmujahid :o m]steild, and he tD (zii:icai to success of h calLse. He. ass -cialtc,s t, -tat we imderstan.c3:u0 o be isitimiciaced91: cauOIC :Li lies_H nt explained :tit he lied to his f.k'ii, -hhors. •_so sti:-)prke-Ter.s. Personn&„ rd mars others toprot:.y.-a h e . activ:t!:-..s. He sald, I he lie, lie, He, te rec,cud to he,ile, -• -.1c,nshe ITIMI'e‘i 'Teat .suceeK acatiori Darco'y persistentlAKing the lie. t-rv. ei.-period or I inon:_hts. He has learna: that the coralhation of skiff:Aá at cn efl hint, cf-f. talked with i-',2yrhai:1;i1-7,2iviahiri it is liktly that zawalairi talked ;..thout his coerieT)c.- :1;apt, ,,:;. of i.Egyptiwls and Ruasiazis_ adcjitic5n, subJect taTulild aue.l:Trofiably ;vell %e:-;.ed eatJc a d .een.7.ioh re5;istance rhawrials. Tliuc, On V,'012:1d a ettha: ect CU lid Of knOWledce }'4. ; cionci wit h H5: 0 -, beha in the ffl'irriatf, Isiah/is to dominate: trit' i;,:,orld, that a1 ail e hele a.the chance th b ii ri th 31. rir V1Ot, ',. -:-.fasti3t.lon ll arTh carfent ttO1 btit re 'Y,:.e.sent °My a t'..-JI.E301'at.-v 0001-'0OG DRA CREi' C IA000557 0 01.":10 DR T TC tTalET C IA000558