Posted on 11/05/2003 5:48:21 AM PST by blam
FBI identifies another September 11 hijacker
November 05 2003 at 08:57AM
Washington - The United States Federal Bureau of Investigations has identified an al-Qaeda suspect who agents believe was the "20th hijacker" in the September 11 plot but left the country before the plan was realised, USA Today reported on Wednesday, citing a top federal law enforcement official.
The official said the al-Qaeda operative got into the country but "had to leave" shortly before 19 hijackers carried out the attacks.
"We are fairly confident we know who No 20 is," said the official, who is involved in September 11 investigation and asked not to be identified, according to the newspaper.
USA Today said the official would not say why the operative left, whether he is alive or whether he is in US custody.
The newspaper reported that a top Justice Department official confirmed that the FBI believes it has identified the 20th hijacker.
The report said that both officials said the FBI does not believe the suspect was accused al-Qaeda conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui or Ramiz bin al-Shaibah, the man suspected of co-ordinating the attacks. Bin al-Shaibah tried to get into the US at least four times before the attacks.
Moussaoui is the only person charged in the US in connection with the hijacked plane attacks that killed about 3 000 people.
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