Hijackers 'booked tickets at library'

Herald Sun ^ | 29apr05 | correspondents in Washington

[Calpernia]

THE Bush administration revealed today that some of the September 11, 2001, hijackers booked their tickets on the internet using a computer in a college library in New Jersey.

The disclosure by Ken Wainstein, US attorney for the District of Columbia in testimony to the House of Representatives subcommittee on crime, terrorism and homeland security, was intended to bolster the government's argument that Congress should renew a law allowing it to seize library and bookstore records.

"Investigators tracing the activities of the hijackers determined that, on four occasions in August of 2001, individuals using internet accounts registered to Nawaf Al Hazmi and Khalid Al Mihdar - 9/11 hijackers - used public access computers in the library of a state college in New Jersey," Mr Wainstein said.

He testified that computers in the library were used to review and order airline tickets on an internet travel reservations site.

Al Hazmi and Al Mihdar were hijackers aboard American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon on September 11. Their last documented visit to the library occurred 12 days before the attack when a person using Al Hazmi's account used the library's computer to review the reservations, Mr Wainstein said.

[Nathan Zachary]

The safest place to plan terrorist activity is within the USA. It's a violation of their rights to try stop them.
Strange country we live in. If we don't take the temporary
steps needed to protect our freedoms and secure the nation, we will wind up loosing both in the future. Criminals should not have rights. They forfeit them when they break the law.

[Majic]

Two words for those who think protecting civil liberties is a waste of time:

President Hillary

[eno_]

Or, we could DEPORT the moon-worshipping FREAKS and keep our freedom.

Or do you like defending your own cage?

[expatpat]

That's a strong argument......

[nw_arizona_granny]

Bump

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping

[muawiyah]

You mean it wasn't about the 911 terrorists dating librarians?

Well, just heck and darn that!

[muawiyah]

Some of these guys had Virginia driver's licenses. Why was New Jersey issuing VA documents?

[Little Ray]

Have to prove they broke the law first. Then there is malicious intent.

[Calpernia]

>>>Some of these guys had Virginia driver's licenses. Why was New Jersey issuing VA documents?

I don't know what the breakdown is. The New Brunswick officer said most of the hijackers got their fake IDs in New Brunswick.

If that statement meant the ones that 'didn't' have have VA IDs or if that meant that New Brunswick issued various fake IDs from other states....I don't know.

[Doe Eyes]

If we don't take the temporary steps needed to protect our freedoms and secure the nation, we will wind up loosing both in the future.

In the context of this specific event (terrorist booking flights at a library) what temporary steps do you see fit?

[drpix]

Between the 19 of the 9/11 hijackers, they had seventy something driver's licenses. So most probably had both NJ & VA IDs along with many others. I guess their MO was to use the NJ IDs while in NJ.

God save us from those politicians still opposing the toughening of driver's license requirements.

[mware]

Two of the terrorist resided on William Patterson College.

[mware]

Two of the terrorist resided on William Patterson College.

[Calpernia]

Were they the same ones that had an apartment in Patterson?

[mware]

I can not be sure, but I believe they are the ones that had the apartment in Patterson.

[traumer]

smart bastards..... Now everybody will have to suffer:

"Congress should renew a law allowing it to seize library and bookstore records "

[Ziva]

This highlights the value of the so-called "library" provision (actually it is all business records, described in Section 215.)

We need to protect our right to national security. You can get help in fighting for your national security rights at Americans for National Security Rights.

[nmh]

I'd bet you are right.

[Calpernia]

Between all the corrupt political busts and all these stories dribbling out again...

I bet we are going to find out!

We will need lotsa popcorn :)