Thomas H.
Kean
CHAIR
Lee H. Hamilton
VICE CHAIR
Richard Ben-Veniste
Fred F. Fielding
Jamie S. Gorelick
Slade Gorton
Bob Kerrey
John F. Lehman
Timothy J. Roemer
James R. Thompson
Philip D. Zelikow
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
301 7th Street SW, Room 5125
Washington, DC 20407
T 202.331.4060 F 202.296.5545
www.9-llcommission.gov
copy
March 16, 2004
Via Facsimile (404) 724-3550
Mr. Raymond D. Fortin
General Counsel
SunTrust Banks, Inc.
v
SunTrust Plaza
P.O. Box 4418, Mail Code 643
Atlanta, GA 30302
Dear Mr. Fortin:
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States is
investigating the facts and circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001
terrorist attacks, and the government's response, to evaluate the lessons learned
from those attacks and to make recommendations for preventing future attacks.
As part of our work, we are interviewing a number of people who may have
information and insights relevant to our inquiry. The Commission requests an
interview with a representative of SunTrust Banks regarding contacts the
September 11 hijackers had with SunTrust. Specifically, we are asking SunTrust
to designate a witness or witnesses competent to testify about the following
subject areas:
1) Any suspicions raised by any SunTrust personnel about any of the
September 11 hijackers, including the suspicions giving rise to the June
11, 2001 internal Security Alert concerning September 11 hijacker
Marwan Al-Shehhi.
2) SunTrust's response to any pre-9/11 suspicions about any of the
September 11 hijackers, including the June 11,2001 internal Security
Alert, any other alerts, any contemplated or actual filing of suspicious
activity reports, and any contemplated or actual contact before 9/11 with
any law enforcement or regulatory agency regarding any of the September
11 hijackers.
3) The extent to which the transactions of the September 11 hijackers
complied with or violated internal SunTrust compliance policies and
procedures.
26 Federal Plaza
Suite 13-100
New York, NY 10278
T 212.264.1505 F 212.264.1595
Mr. Raymond D. Fortin
March 16, 2004
Page 2

4) The extent, if any, to which SunTrust has changed any of its policies or
procedures since September 11, 2001 to detect the use of SunTrust by
potential terrorist operatives.

A related document request is attached. We request that the designated witness or

witnesses appear at our office in Washington, DC for an interview as soon as
possible. Please contact Douglas Greenburg, a member of the Commission's
professional staff at (202) 331-0629 to discuss this scheduling of the interview
and compliance with the attached document request.

Sincerely,

)aniel Marcus
General Counsel

Attachment
Thomas H. Kean
CHAIR
SUNTRUST BANKS, INC. DOCUMENT REQUEST
Lee H. Hamilton
VICE CHAIR

Richard Ben-Veniste
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States
(the "Commission") requests that the SunTrust Banks, Inc. ("SunTrust"
Fred F. Fielding or the "respondent") provide the Commission with a copy of the
Jamie S. Gorelick following documents no later than March 30, 2004 (the "production
date"):
Slade Gorton

Bob Kerrey 1. All documents (other than account statements) related to the June
11, 2001 internal "Security Alert" concerning Marwan Al-Shehhi.
John F. Lehman

Timothy J. Roemer 2. All documents created prior to September 11, 2001 (other than
account statements) related to any suspicions concerning the
James R. Thompson
activities of the September 11 hijackers.
Philip D. Zelikow
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 3. All documents created prior to September 11, 2001 related to any
actual or contemplated contact with any law enforcement or
regulatory agency concerning the September 11 hijackers.

The Commission requests that the documents requested above be

provided as soon as they are available. If the requested documents are
withheld from production, even temporarily, based on an alleged claim of
privilege or for any other reason, the Commission requests that the
respondent, as soon as possible and in no event later than the production
date, provide the alleged basis for not producing them, with sufficient
specificity to allow a meaningful challenge to any such withholding.

If the respondent does not have possession, custody or control of the

requested documents but has information about where they may be
located, the Commission requests that the respondent provide such
information as soon as possible and in no event later than the production
date.

If the respondent has any questions or concerns about the interpretation

of this request, the Commission requests that any such questions or
concerns be raised with the Commission as soon as possible so that any
such issues can be addressed and resolved prior to the production date.

March 16, 2004 Daniel Marcus

General Counsel

TEL (202) 331-4060

FAX (202) 296-5545
www.9-1 lcommission.gov