Minister of Interior bin Khalid al-Thani Abdallah of Qatar

Having just left the Bush administration, Clarke added that Abdallah had great sympathy for bin Laden, great sympathy for terrorist groups, was using his personal money and ministry money to transfer to al Qaeda front groups that were allegedly charities.

Even earlier than the Los Angeles Times report, ABC News' Brian Ross reported that Abdallah had warned KSM, citing American intelligence officials, and added that KSM had left Qatar "with a passport provided by that country's government.

When Clarke was told by the Los Angeles Times in 2003 that Abdallah had been elevated to interior minister, he said: "I'm shocked to hear that.