Two key witnesses in the terror attack probe were found with a computer file labeled "killpresidentbush.exe" and documents linked to a money launderer for Osama Bin Laden, sources told the Daily News.Posted on 09/22/2001 2:05:18 AM PDT by kattracks
Two key witnesses in the terror attack probe were found with a computer file labeled "killpresidentbush.exe" and documents linked to a money launderer for Osama Bin Laden, sources told the Daily News.
The witnesses were identified as Saudi nationals who tried to board a flight from Kennedy Airport to Los Angeles two days after the Sept. 11 World Trade Center attack, a source familiar with the federal investigation confirmed. Their names remain secret.
The two are among a group of 10 material witnesses now in custody in the FBI's probe of the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
The two men showed up at Kennedy Airport on Sept. 13 seeking to board a Los Angeles-bound flight with tickets dated Sept. 11, the day of the attack.
Authorities at the airport grew suspicious because their tickets were backdated and because all four of the flights that were hijacked flew out of Eastern airports and were bound for the West Coast.
The Daily News has learned that authorities found two pieces of evidence that prosecutors believed could link the two Saudis to the terror plot.
One of the men had a computer file labeled "killpresidentbush.exe," said a source familiar with the investigation.
The source would not describe the contents of the computer file.
The other man had documents with references to a man the FBI has identified as a money launderer for Bin Laden, the Saudi millionaire who has called for Muslims to attack American civilians.
Investigators were taking the potentially explosive evidence very seriously.
The "killpresidentbush" reference was of particular significance because of death threats that were made against the President on Sept. 11 — the day of the attacks.
The White House revealed afterward it had received information that the terrorists' ultimate goal was to kill President Bush.
A death threat was called in to the White House that morning, saying the plotters were out to get Air Force One. The caller provided secret information that caused grave concern about the President's safety.
In fact, the threat was taken so seriously, White House officials say, that Bush crisscrossed the country in Air Force One, going from Florida to Louisiana to Nebraska before returning to the White House.
In addition, it is believed the hijacked plane that crashed in Pennsylvania may have been on the way to attack the White House or Air Force One.
Neither of the men in custody here has been charged with any crimes.
The FBI and Manhattan U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White wouldn't comment on the status of the investigation yesterday.
The number of material witnesses grew this week from four to 10 as the New York-based Joint Terrorist Task Force fanned out across the globe chasing thousands of leads — and seeking more than 200 individuals for questioning.
So far, more than 80 individuals have been detained, including 35 who are being held on noncriminal immigration violations.
The task force has focused much of its energy on the 10 material witnesses in custody because agents believe each has pertinent information regarding the terrorism hijack plot.
They also view them as a threat to flee.
In other developments, federal authorities here arrested a Middle Eastern man yesterday with fake pilot documents who arrived at Kennedy Airport on Wednesday on a flight from Spain.
Wael Abdel Rahman Kishk had a bogus pilot's certificate from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which has been linked to at least one of the 19 suspected hijackers.
Agents also found two fake Federal Aviation Administration medical certificates pilots must possess to fly and an Egypt Airlines pilot's shirt, according to a complaint filed by Acting Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Alan Vinegrad.
Under questioning, Kishk admitted he wasn't a pilot and had the documents and shirt "to impress his friends," the complaint alleged.
Kishk was held without bail. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Friesen would not say if Kishk is linked to the terror probe.
Public defender Michael Schneider said Kishk denies having any connection to the terror attack and insists that he was coming to the U.S. to attend college.
The FBI also has turned to unusual sources in its quest for those responsible for last week's attacks.
A lawyer says the bureau is trying to talk with Ramzi Yousef, an admitted terrorist convicted of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
Bernard Kleinman said he has been barred from speaking with his client, who is jailed for life in the Supermax prison in Florence, Colo.
This week, Kleinman said he asked a Second Circuit U.S. appeals judge to allow him a telephone conversation with Yousef. The judge has not ruled on the request.
I agree...because when my family and I were watching the speech, one of my sons asked me why Mrs. Bush had "that" look on her face. I told him that she is proud of her husband, but she is also worried about what might happen to him because he is taking such a strong stand.
Not very cleverly disguised, sort of hard to deny that implication....extraordinary, send them to confinement or the gallows!
Could they be THAT obvious? An ENGLISH file name? I would have expected Arabic. Weirder and weirder this gets.
One threat involved making the White House black, or something along that order.
The assassination attempt on a prez supposedly thought by so many worldwide to be a numbskull would sem to be a silly goal if it were widely believed, but Iraq is the one place that would have a desire to take him out whether or not they thought he was capable. Saddam Hussein would want to take him out as 'an eye for an eye' sort of thing.
Did they also have a folder called "Our secret plan to destroy America."
Now if the men had a file that said something about harming homosexuals it would be a hate crime... but someone has a "kill the president" file and they don't get charged...? go figure.
This is obviously the work of Dr. Evil!
Not quite as stupid as our intelligence agencies, though.
Yes, they did. It was called: Hillaryandbill.txt
Either they have some programing skills or they just liked having the "executable" part associated with president bush?
btw, I heard on radio early this morning that the entire Saudi royal family has boarded 15 747s and is heading to Swiss location. Is something REALLY big planned for midlle east? Has anyone else heard this?
Lets see, on my HDD I have
bikini.exe
California.exe
StressRelief.exe
9Coronas.exe
frog_blender.exe
fly.exe
gerbil.exe
joefish.exe
lemmings.exe
I guarantee you, that most people would think frog_blender.exe is in poor taste and quite sick, some people think its funny. I think the most likely explanation for the killpresidentbush.exe file is that is of similiar nature. And of course, for obvious reasons, it would only be distributed among a very select crowd. I'd refrain for jumping to conclusions, in that possession and distribution of such a file in and of itself would not make one a terrorist per se. Furthermore, any of the executables that I have, could be named anything I want.
Of course since I don't know what the file in question does, this is all pure speculation; not much different from what you all are doing I might add.
So do you think they actually ran the program? I'd be pretty impressed if it worked....Maybe we could get them to code "smackbillclinton.exe" before they take the long dirt nap. I would never tire of running that thing.
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