While Khalid Sheikh Mohammed claimed responsibility for planning many terrorist attacks, one is strangely missing in his list: The Djerba bombing in Tunisia. On April 11, 2002, a terrorist attack targeted the Ghriba synagogue, killing 21 people, including 14 German tourists, two French citizens and five Tunisians. KSM’s role was clearly established by German, Spanish and French investigations.
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was indicted in France for the Djerba bombing for his role in “planning and coordinating” the attack, according to the order for trial delivered on November 10, 2006. The investigation revealed that at least nine telephone contacts occurred between the suicide bomber, Nizar Naouar or family members, and KSM in the months preceding the attack until the day of the bombing. The last phone calls, according to the French investigation, were made to receive instructions from KSM regarding the launching of the attack.
The investigation also revealed that KSM organized the funding of the operation through Spain, and instructed two associates to provide 5,720 Euros to the bomber. The Spanish financiers were sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment on May 9, 2006. The Spanish Court (SPA_Sentence_Djerba_Bombing.pdf) stated (Page 5 and 12) that KSM had “planed the attack on the synagogue of Ghriba, ordering the suicide bomber Nizar Naouar to carry out the attack”.
KSM's transcript of hearing before the Combatant Status Review Tribunal (Revised version released by the DOD on March 15, 2007) can be downloaded here: DOD_CSRT_KSM_Transcript_of_Hearing.pdf
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