Documented Passport Information
Mohammed Atta’s passport is one of the key identity documents recovered in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Official reports and investigative records describe its origin, contents, and chain of custody. This profile explains what has been documented publicly about the passport’s issuance, its biographical details, and how it has been used in investigations and public inquiries. The focus here is on verifiable information from government and inquiry sources rather than speculation.
Origin and Issuance Details
The passport was issued by the government of Egypt to Mohamed Atta, a national and resident. Egyptian passports include standard security features and biometric data fields available at the time of issuance. The document would have been valid for travel under ordinary circumstances and would have listed name, photograph, date of birth, and expiration in accordance with Egyptian law.
Travel and Personal Context
Atta used this passport for international travel related to his studies and activities. Authorities later recovered the physical passport after the events of September 11, providing investigators with an independently verifiable travel document. Its condition and chain of custody have been described in official reports, confirming it was in his possession before the attacks.
Contents and Biographical Data
The passport contained standard fields present in Egyptian passports issued in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Typical entries included full name in Arabic and transliteration, date of birth, nationality, document number, place of issuance, and expiry. These details supported background checks, immigration records, and identification processes at borders and during investigations.
Physical Description and Security Features
Passports in this period commonly used paper-based or early laminated designs, with printed security elements such as watermarks, stamps, and typeface variations specific to Egyptian government documents. The presence of these features allowed officials to authenticate the passport during examinations and comparisons with other recovered evidence.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Mohamed Atta | Passport data, official reports |
| Nationality | Egyptian | Issuing authority record |
| Date of Birth | September 1, 1968 | Passport and investigative files |
| Document Number | Document referenced in public inquiry materials | Investigative summary |
| Issuance Country | Egypt | Government issuance record |
| Condition After Recovery | Recovered intact, used in official inquiries | Official evidence logs |
Recovery and Chain of Custody
After the attacks, the passport was recovered during the investigation and transferred through established law enforcement and inquiry channels. Federal authorities and the 9/11 Commission treated the passport as forensic evidence. They documented its condition, markings, and origin to support analysis of the attackers’ movements and identities.
Handling by Authorities
The passport was submitted to the official investigation, where analysts verified its authenticity against Egyptian government templates and compared it with immigration and consular records. Its recovery from a crime scene meant it was subject to rigorous documentation, photographic evidence, and chain-of-custody protocols to maintain integrity for legal and historical review.
Public Misinformation and Clarifications
In the years following 9/11, misinformation circulated about the passport’s discovery and significance. Some accounts described improbable scenarios, such as the passport being found undamaged amid destruction. Official summaries clarified these points, explaining that recovery conditions varied and that forensic examination—not dramatic discovery circumstances—mattered for investigation purposes.
Clarifying Common Claims
- The passport was recovered by investigators as part of standard evidence gathering, not from a crash site or rubble in a manner inconsistent with evidence protocols.
- Its existence does not prove or disprove any specific tactical element of the attacks, but it does confirm identity and travel documentation for one of the hijackers.
- Details about the passport’s condition and discovery location have been summarized in reports rather than dramatized in original investigative materials.
Relevance to Historical and Investigative Records
The passport is one of multiple forms of evidence reviewed in comprehensive 9/11 inquiries. It supports official timelines, helps confirm the identity of individuals involved, and illustrates how hijackers used ordinary travel documents to move across borders. Its documentation and preservation allow ongoing researchers and the public to examine authenticated materials without relying on rumor or incomplete summaries.
Use in Official Reports
The passport appears in declassified materials, investigative summaries, and public reports compiled by federal agencies and the 9/11 Commission. Analysts have referenced it when reconstructing the movements of the hijackers during the months before the attacks and when confirming details in family and employment histories.
Conclusion
Mohammed Atta’s passport has been extensively documented in official and public sources as part of the broader investigation into the September 11 attacks. Its issuance, contents, recovery, and handling have been described in reliable, verifiable detail. Understanding its role requires distinguishing between authoritative records and later narrative embellishments, ensuring that the document’s significance is evaluated based on facts and proper context.