. ▁Bin ▁al - Sh ib h ▁applied ▁for ▁an ▁entry ▁vis a ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁four ▁times , ▁and ▁was ▁refused ▁each ▁time . ▁He ▁made ▁vis a ▁applications ▁in ▁Germany ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁again ▁in ▁June , ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 6 , ▁and ▁October ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁ 9 / 1 1 ▁Commission , ▁this ▁ref us al ▁of ▁a ▁vis a ▁was ▁motiv ated ▁by ▁general ▁concern ▁by ▁U . S . ▁officials ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁that ▁people ▁from ▁Y emen , ▁which ▁was ▁struggling ▁econom ically , ▁would ▁il leg ally ▁over st ay ▁their ▁visit ▁and ▁seek ▁work ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁His ▁friend , ▁Zak ari y ah ▁Ess ab ar , ▁was ▁also ▁denied ▁vis as . ▁After ▁failing ▁to ▁gain ▁a ▁vis a ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁bin ▁al - Sh ib h ▁took ▁on ▁a ▁" co ordin ator " ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁plot , ▁serving ▁as ▁a ▁link ▁between ▁Att a ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁K hal id ▁She ikh ▁Moh ammed ▁in ▁Afghan istan . ▁ ▁Con ne ctions ▁to ▁ 9 / 1 1 ▁attacks ▁ ▁S ae ed ▁al - G ham di ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁al - J aze era ▁rep orter ▁Y os ri ▁Fou da ' s ▁document ary , ▁Top ▁Secret : ▁The ▁Road ▁to ▁September ▁ 1