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Terrorists Must Have Had Own Pilots in Scheme That Defied Planning, Experts Say
AP ^ | 9/11/01

Posted on 09/11/2001 10:21:50 AM PDT by truthandlife

The terrorists who apparently hijacked four planes and attacked the World Trade Center and Pentagon could only have succeeded by using their own trained pilots in a scheme that defied all scenarios envisioned by national security officials, terrorism experts said. "They flew the planes themselves," Gene Poteat, president of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers, said Tuesday.

"No pilot, even with a gun to his head, is going to fly into the World Towers," he said.

The hijackers used the airplanes as weapons, Poteat said, adding that they may also have had the ability to disable communications systems used to alert authorities to trouble.

"This has been an enormously long-planned and obviously carefully planned operation," Poteat said.

That massive planning effort was far beyond anything conceived by counterterrorism officials, who have focused on preventing individual attacks, said Steven Emerson of the Investigative Project, a research group focused on international terrorism.

"No one thought there was a capability of doing simultaneous attacks so none of the counterterrorism scenarios ever envisioned this," Emerson said.

Authorities have examined the chances of individual attacks on high-profile targets such as the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, including an attack on a large building using a commandeered plane, he said.

But most research examining the potential for attacks causing devastating loss of life has focused on chemical or biological means, he said.

"To the extent we know now, this is relatively low technology," Emerson said.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; News/Current Events
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1 posted on 09/11/2001 10:21:50 AM PDT by truthandlife
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To: truthandlife
I could be wrong, but I don't think they had to be particularly well trained. All they needed were people willing to die. I also don't think you'd have to be a pilot to steer a plane into a building.
2 posted on 09/11/2001 10:36:56 AM PDT by thatsnotnice
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To: truthandlife
I never could understand why aircraft crew compartments weren't entirely separate (and isolated) from the passenger cabins.
3 posted on 09/11/2001 10:37:28 AM PDT by SpyGuy
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To: truthandlife
The ONLY way they could have done this is with their own pilots, (see Egypt Airlines suicide pilot), which means they needed time and training, AND PROTECTION. Like from a government, like Afghanistan for instance. Find out where bin Laden is, and nuke the whole area. Otherwise we are in for a steady diet of this.
4 posted on 09/11/2001 10:37:57 AM PDT by Republic of Texas
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To: truthandlife
>>>>none of the counterterrorism scenarios ever envisioned this," Emerson said <<<<

stupidity, negligence, treason or "Amerikanishe Reichstag Feuer?

5 posted on 09/11/2001 10:38:42 AM PDT by DTA
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To: truthandlife
This is exactly the thought I had this morning...that it couldn't have been our pilots: and I heard on Fox that Osama bin Laden owns several commercial jets and trains operatives to fly them. Anyone know who else has those resources? That is a pretty strong link to bin Laden IMHO.
6 posted on 09/11/2001 10:40:10 AM PDT by wienerdog.com
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To: DTA
Damn, dude, I thought about that too... for a second...
7 posted on 09/11/2001 10:41:37 AM PDT by wienerdog.com
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To: All
Of course our pilots didn't fly into those buildings. A pilot would take a bullet first, and that's what happened.
8 posted on 09/11/2001 10:43:10 AM PDT by Joe Hadenuf
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To: SpyGuy
The Taliban says they feel our pain. I got a better way for them to feel our pain. Push the button, George! And while you're at it, Dubya, Push the button on these bastards, too! Like they say, Kill 'em ALL! Let God sort 'em out!
9 posted on 09/11/2001 10:43:25 AM PDT by FairAndBalanced (Now, it's time to respond.)
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To: thatsnotnice
Flying an airplane at 400+ mph that handle like a truck into a relatively small target like a high rise building has got to be tough. These guys knew what they were doing, and probably had some simulator time to practice the "procedure" to boot.
10 posted on 09/11/2001 10:43:41 AM PDT by chadmaster
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To: DTA
"...or "Amerikanishe Reichstag Feuer?"

Don't be ridiculous. This is America. Not Europe or the Balkans.

P.S. You need some more work on your Deutsche. You left out a "c".

11 posted on 09/11/2001 10:45:05 AM PDT by okie01
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To: thatsnotnice
I'm sure anyone could steer a modern jet with a little training, but to navigate to NY and hit a building going 2-300 mph probably takes some skill.
12 posted on 09/11/2001 10:45:06 AM PDT by Republic of Texas
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To: truthandlife
It only takes a 'trained pilot' to take off/land airliners. Once in the air, if you can fly a cessna, you can fly a 757.

A good friend, a United 747 captain, once told me they are easier to fly in rough air, for instance, than piper cubs.

13 posted on 09/11/2001 10:46:34 AM PDT by tpaine
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To: truthandlife
"To the extent we know now, this is relatively low technology," Emerson said.

And, of course, it can be almost completely prevented in a very simple way that also involves only the lowest technology.

Let anyone who wants to carry a gun onto an airplane.

14 posted on 09/11/2001 10:46:44 AM PDT by Barak
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To: truthandlife
"To the extent we know now, this is relatively low technology," Emerson said.

And, of course, it can be almost completely prevented in a very simple way that also involves only the lowest technology.

Let anyone who wants to carry a gun onto an airplane.

15 posted on 09/11/2001 10:46:58 AM PDT by Barak
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To: SpyGuy
I never could understand why aircraft crew compartments weren't entirely separate (and isolated) from the passenger cabins.

I don't understand why airlines crews are not trained and equiped in the proper use of firearms.

16 posted on 09/11/2001 10:48:24 AM PDT by JeepInMazar
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To: thatsnotnice
I'm with you. Steering planes in clear flying conditions just isn't that hard. Most of training focuses on the "hard" parts: taking off, landing, dealing with emergencies. Anybody who's spent a few hours with MS Flight Sim could at the very least steer a plain into a big building, especially if you wait to take over the plane until AFTER the pilot has gotten it in trim, then our terrorist SOB won't have to screw with the rudder or the engine levels. Once it's trimmed you can fly with just the yoke.
17 posted on 09/11/2001 10:49:11 AM PDT by discostu
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To: Republic of Texas
There are many, many retail flight simulators avaliable for any commerical aircraft you can name, for less than $50.

These are EXCEEDINGLY detailed sims with accurate cockpits, almost every real control, etc.

They even have hyper-realistic terrain, including Manhattan and all its buildings.

I've never flown a plane in my life. I've spent countless hours flying flight sims, though(Only fighter aircraft, mainly WWII...commercial stuff bores me.)

But, give me one of the commercial aircraft sims, set it on the highest difficulty level, and have me play it 8 hours a day for several months, I guarantee you could plop me into the cockpit of a commercial airline within a few miles of a given building and I'll hit the building every time.

They're not as good as the sim cockpits the airlines have. But they don't have to be. I wouldn't want someone who has only flown MS Flight Simulator for a few months to fly a regular scheduled taking off and landing, but, after a highjack, getting the pilot to get you to a general area, disabling said pilut, taking over in CAVU conditions (clear weather) accurately hitting a large major landmark is a piece of cake. No need for these guys to be experienced or trained pilots at all.

18 posted on 09/11/2001 10:50:41 AM PDT by John H K
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To: truthandlife
I am not qualified to speak on any of this, so I will.
I have reached the conclusion that this action has been in the works for years, and maybe a decade. This is not a bunch of nickel-dime terrorist who woke up one day and decide to raise a little hell.

People were put in place, policies were altered, huge amounts of money was raised, people in both high and low places have been making things happen for a long time and this morning was just the end (maybe) result.

Were rogue pilots planted? Were flight crew personnel corrupted? Did we have spies working in airports at the security check points?, baggage handling?

During the Clinton administration, security was essentially non-existence. Was this part of the prerequisites? Was the China-gate part of this? Was the dive in the DOW about this? (money manipulation from abroad).

Terrorists have always been replete with loose lips. In a society that appeals to the lowest of humankind, it has always been necessary for them to employ less than professional assistance to pull off their plots. These people often deal in drugs and other sundry activities to support their lifestyle. These people draw a reasonable amount of attention from our trusted resources. So why were we not aware of a plot of this magnitude?

I believe this was not a terrorist attack but an invasion from without. I suspect China and believe they are playing us against the middle-east so they can benefit from the spoils. I also think Clinton played a role in staging this.

Everyone agreed that Clinton would not surrender his power after leaving the Presidency. Maybe he hasn’t.

19 posted on 09/11/2001 10:50:47 AM PDT by Paine's Ghost
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To: truthandlife
What if the planes were never hijacked at all. That is, the terrorists got themselves hired by the airlines as pilots with this long-term scenario in mind. Has anybody considered this possibility?
20 posted on 09/11/2001 10:51:35 AM PDT by SamAdams76
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