"Mohammad Atta was in my Cockpit Jump seat" (Anyone seen this article)

Pat Gilmore

[justshutupandtakeit]

It should be a fairly easy matter to conclusively debunk it. But so far you have not.

[Wolfstar]

It should be a fairly easy matter to conclusively debunk it. But so far you have not.

If it's an easy matter, do it. Not my responsibility to do research for you.

[Wolfstar]

I am entirely agnostic on this email and the episode in question. I am simply stating that the link you provided on snopes does not, as you claimed, "debunk" the story.

As you wish.

[dead]

The first comment has nothing to do with the latter.

I assumed that the writer of this account was of a mind that it was a bad thing that a terrorist with credentials indicating he was a pilot was allowed in the cockpit of his airplane.

If my assumption was correct, it is rather idiotic to complain that he, a person carrying credentials that indicate he is a pilot, is bothered by security personnel who question him despite his having those same credentials Atta used to board his plane.

Most commercial pilots are too intelligent to make such an inane argument. I suppose it's possible that he is the exception to that rule, but I suspect he's not a pilot. He's just some guy on the internet.

[rlmorel]

Half of all the airline pilots graduate in the lower half of their class...:)

[dead]

You're right. I like to tell myself those guys fly cargo!

[justshutupandtakeit]

There seems to be some confusion here. The author is upset that a terrorist was in his jumpseat no matter how he got there. Or whether he used real or phony credentials.

What does that have to do with overly cautious procedures put into place AFTER the attacks?

Now showing that pilots were not faced with such scrutiny would be another matter.

[justshutupandtakeit]

I haven't been trying to debunk it or claim it to be true.
At its face, it is merely interesting or ironic.

[Freee-dame]

bump

[GOPJ]

As a psychiatric counselor who has worked with many family members on those flights I could not hold back the tears. As I looked around the movie theatre I realized I'm not alone.

My heart goes out to you. Working with the families means holding some of their pain -- I'm thankful there are people like you...

[dead]

I am not confused in any way.

I think it's preposterous to, in the same article, note with horror that a terrorist used fake pilot credentials to gain access to his cockpit, and simultaneously complain that he is subject to rigorous scrutiny despite the fact that he carries pilot credentials.

[M. Thatcher]

As you wish.

Ah, but you see, my wish has nothing to do with it. It is apparently your wish -- as in your wishful thinking here -- that the story has been "debunked."

[Wolfstar]

Re your chill pill, up yours.

[april15Bendovr]

Its not easy being a conservative psychiatric counselor in liberal Massachusetts. I come here for therapy.

Thank you for your kind words.

[april15Bendovr]

Did the 911 commission ever look at Operation Able Dangers report on Atta?

Article at NewsMax.com

Missing Able Danger 'Atta' Chart in 2002 Video

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/8/29/12430.shtml

[Fruitbat]

Something seemed a bit different about this jumpseat rider, though, because in my usual course of conversation with him as we reached cruise altitude he avoided all my questions about his personal life and focused very intently upon the cockpit instruments and our operation of the aircraft. I asked him what he flew at American and he said, "These", but he asked incessant questions about how we did this or why we did that. I said, "This is a 767. They all operate the same way." But he said, "No, we operate them differently at American." That seemed very strange, because I knew better. I asked him about his background, and he admitted he was from Saudi Arabia. I asked him when he came over to this country and he said "A couple of years ago.", to which I asked, "Are you a US citizen?" He said no. I also found that very strange because I know that in order to have an Airline Transport Pilot rating, the rating required to be an airline captain, one has to be a US citizen, and knowing the US airlines and their hiring processes as I do, I found it hard to believe that American Airliens would hire a non-US citizen who couldn't upgrade to captain when the time came. He said, "The rules have changed.", which I also knew to be untrue. Besides, he was just, shall I say, "Creepy"? My copilot and I were both glad to get rid of this guy when we got to Atlanta.

There was nothing to indicate, though, that he was anything other than who or what he said he was, because he had the documentation to prove who he was. In retrospect, we now know his uniform was stolen and his documents were forged. Information later came to light as to how this was done.

Nothing to indicate that he was anything other than who or what he said he was? You just outlined an entire paragraph on what indicated it!

Uhhhhh, contact the destination airport and have the FBI waiting!

Just a thought. But hey, what do I know.

Talk about missed opportunities!

[Fruitbat]

My favorite part of the story is the fact that he tells the horrifying story that Mohammed Atta was allowed onto a plane with phoney pilot credentials, then the author complains that he (a pilot!) is harassed by screeners at the airport when he tries to get on a plane.

My favorite is the paragraph I just listed, then with another following stating that there was nothing to indicate that he was anyone but who he said he was. Yeah, sure.

He's either a phoney or a knucklehead. Or both.

Agreed.

[danamco]

So ..... where are hijackers 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 and 40?

Anyone know where the rest of the al Qaeda hijacking teams are these days?




Technically, should it not be possible to identify them through purchased tickets/passenger lists???

[nw_arizona_granny]

You are correct, very interesting.

Thanks.