But Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism expert at Georgetown University, said most of the nearly three dozen attacks listed -- many of which were foiled -- appeared to have been masterminded or guided by Mohammed.
"It's almost every single Al Qaeda plot up until he was apprehended," Hoffman said. "This just shows that Bin Laden and [Al Qaeda No. 2 Ayman] Zawahiri can make threats, but Khalid Shaikh Mohammed was the go-to guy."
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday March 17, 2007 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 43 words Type of Material: Correction
Khalid Shaikh Mohammed: An article in Thursday's Section A described accused terrorist Khalid Shaikh Mohammed as a Kuwaiti national. Mohammed was born in Kuwait to Pakistani parents, and was raised and educated there. Kuwaiti officials have said he does not have Kuwaiti citizenship.
Mohammed's central role in so many Al Qaeda plots makes his capture an important milestone, but his statement also provides clues about terrorist groups that may still be at large.
In a section that was partially redacted by the Pentagon, Mohammed discussed terrorist plots that occurred outside the Al Qaeda network, including the killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Mohammed credited the slaying to a group of Pakistani militants.
The "Pakistani mujahadeen group" Mohammed mentioned appeared to refer to militants who got their start fighting in Indian-controlled Kashmir but have since gained more global and regional ambitions, Hoffman said.
Mohammed spent most of his speech, which stretched over nearly four pages in the single-spaced transcript, attempting to explain his view that Al Qaeda attacks were a series of battles in a war for liberation. He said that U.S. labels such as "terrorists" and "enemy combatants" were deceptive, and that Al Qaeda operatives were merely soldiers. At one point, he compared Bin Laden to George Washington.
"If now we were living in the Revolutionary War and George Washington, he being arrested through Britain, for sure they would consider him enemy combatant," he said. "But American, they consider him as hero."
As he expressed regret for the children killed in the Sept. 11 attacks, he said they were the victims of a war and likened them to Iraqi civilians killed during the U.S. invasion.
"Because war, for sure, there will be victims," Mohammed said.
Hoffman said Mohammed's long speech was "striking for how logical and rational" it was, but he said it was not uncommon for terrorist leaders to describe themselves as reluctant warriors, or to compare themselves favorably to American revolutionary leaders.
"It's completely typical of all terrorists throughout history," Hoffman said.
Mohammed appeared calm and composed, based on the transcript, and made an effort to understand the tribunal process and to cooperate with the panel. At one point, an officer asked him if he had any questions about the tribunal process.
