Why were San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and others told not to fly on 9/11? Hmm. If this were the case, one would think that the corrupt little commie popinjay would be shouting it from the rooftops. I can't believe he would pass up an opportunity to smear Bush.
I wonder if they have a source for this, or if it is just more gasbaggery from this blowhard attorney.
-ccm
Question #1 : Who called San Francisco mayor Willie Brown and told him not to fly on September 11?
Answer: Nobody told Willie Brown not to fly on September 11. To quote the San Francisco Chronicle, "For Mayor Willie Brown, the first signs that something was amiss came late Monday when he got a call from what he described as his airport security -- a full eight hours before yesterday's string of terrorist attacks -- advising him that Americans should be cautious about their air travel." He wasn't told not to fly by his airport security, but he was told to be cautious about his air travel. To quote Willie Brown, the call "didn't come in any alarming fashion, which is why I'm hesitant to make an alarming statement. It was not an abnormal call. I'm always concerned if my flight is going to be on time, and they always alert me when I ought to be careful." Given the fact that Brown refused to name his source, but that it was someone who he goes to repeatedly for flight and security information, we're probably talking about a contact he has at San Francisco International Airport.
The call must not have been too serious, because Brown did not cancel his scheduled 8am flight to New York on United Airlines. Rather, Brown was waiting for his ride to the airport when the September 11 attacks occurred, causing all flights to be cancelled.
What exactly was the warning that Brown received? Did somebody have some inside information? As it turns out, the San Francisco Chronicle answers this question two days later. On September 7, 2001, the State Department issued an updated worldwide warning on possible threats posed by al-Qaeda. The memo included the original May 2001 warning that "American citizens may be the target of a terrorist threat from extremist groups with links to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda organization." It also said, "In addition, we have received unconfirmed information that terrorist actions may be taken against US military facilities and/or establishments frequented by US military personnel in Korea and Japan."
The September 2001 warning was meant mainly for Americans living abroad in Asia, but people involved in security and foreign policy matters took note of it as well (to see the warning in full, click here). According to the San Francisco Chronicle, "Officials at San Francisco International Airport said they weren't aware of the State Department warning - but someone in the airport security section knew of it and passed word of the warning onto Mayor Willie Brown when he called to check on the status of flight he was planning to take to New York."
(Sources: "Willie Brown got low-key early warning about air travel", The San Francisco Chronicle, Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross, September 12, 2001; "State Department memo warned of terrorist threat", The San Francisco Chronicle, Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross, September 14, 2001; "US renews global terror warning after threats to military in Japan, SKorea", Agence France Presse, Matthew Lee, September 8, 2001)
http://www.liberalconspiracy.com/911FAQ.htm