TIME Exclusive: Cropduster Manual Discovered in Suspected Terrorist Hideout

Time.com ^ | September.22,2001 | MASSIMO CALABRESI AND SALLY DONNELLY

[Reagan Man]

Sources tell TIME that U.S. officials suspect that bin Laden conspirators may have been planning to disperse biological or chemical agents from cropdusting planes

Saturday, Sep. 22, 2001

New York -- U.S. law enforcement officials have found a manual on the operation of cropdusting equipment while searching suspected terrorist hideouts, government sources tell TIME magazine in an issue out on Monday, Sept. 24th.

The discovery has added to concerns among government counterterrorism experts that the bin Laden conspirators may have been planning — or may still be planning —to disperse biological or chemical agents from a cropdusting plane normally used for agricultural purposes.

Among the belongings of suspected terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui, sources tell TIME, were manuals showing how to operate cropdusting equipment that could be used to spray fast-killing toxins into the air.

The discovery resulted in the grounding of all cropdusters nationwide on Sunday Sept. 16th. The dusters have been allowed back up, but are not allowed to take off or land from what traffic controllers refer to as Class B airspace, or the skies around major cities.

One senior official cautions that because corroborative evidence is lacking the FBI does not place "high credibility" in the notion that the hijackers were in fact exploring the idea of stealing or renting cropdusters. However, the FBI is advising members of a crop-dusters' group to report any suspicious buys of dangerous chemicals in the wake of last week's terrorist attacks.

Last week, the National Agricultural Aviation Association, a crop dusters trade group, posted a message from the FBI to its membership: "Members should be vigilant to any suspicious activity relative to the use, training in or acquisition of dangerous chemicals or airborne application of same including threats, unusual purchases, suspicious behavior by employees or customers, and unusual contacts with the public. Members should report any suspicious circumstances or information to local FBI offices."

[Brian Mosely]

I had a sick feeling when I saw this post that this was possible...Brrrr...

[Movemout]

When they grounded crop dusters I figured they must have found something to zero in on them. So this was it.

[Dog]

Stunning is right!

Another thing to worry about..

[Peach]

Just one more fear. And if they have something to spray, they will find a way to use it. Somewhere, someplace.

[Travis McGee]

Crop dusters are so hard to track flying at tree and weed top level that in communist countries they had to be kept in high security fenced in compounds. The pilots were able to easily fly right over the iron curtain boundaries undetected.

My point is, if a terrorist who is a good pilot gets hold of a crop duster, he can fly low and slow right into any city, then pop up to the correct altitude to spray his deadly load and FAA regs be damned.

And there are those freepers who call us "hysterics and bigots" for being a bit suspicious of the arab moslem covert jihadists living freely among us planning mega murder.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Security measures will now be needed for cropdusting planes. All the more reason we need to root out the terrorists among us and revoke their breathing privileges.

Say, where are the GUN CONTROL freaks like Rosie O'Donnell and Chuck Schumer NOW???

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I think you're on to something.

[Dog Gone]

It has been known for some time that cropdusters would be the most effective means of dispersal of biological weapons. I think the emphasis in this story on dangerous chemicals completely misses the mark.

The bad news is that we now know the terrorists were also thinking of it. One can only hope that this was for another attack sometime in the next few years, and not imminent.

[Travis McGee]

Bio Attack Bump.

[Dog]

This is sounding more and more like a Clancy novel everyday..

[vmatt]

Ho-hum...we'll just nuke 'em.

[MistrX]

One senior official cautions that because corroborative evidence is lacking the FBI does not place "high credibility" in the notion that the hijackers were in fact exploring the idea of stealing or renting cropdusters. Another "senior official" with his head up his ass. What more evidence does one need to decide that the terrorists are contemplating such a plan.

[Dog]

You all need to see this one..

[L`enn]

Not shocking if we have been paying attention. The PC will not like it, but the people that use cropdusting planes must be a select few, and verify why they need to.

[L`enn]

Precisely why at times of War, Martial Law is proclaimed. This is not a nice or popular concept, but death at the hands of these freaks is not either.

[Travis McGee]

That is a slim hope to hang onto. A tiny vial of anthrax can be grown by a microbiology grad student in a "glove box" to enough to kill tens of thousands with just Home Depot supplies.

They may already have a privately purchased crop duster sitting in a hidden hanger waiting for the order.

Or they may have twenty of them.

[1234]

And there are those freepers who call us "hysterics and bigots" for being a bit suspicious of the arab moslem covert jihadists DIAPERHEADS living freely among us planning mega murder.

i thought DIAPERHEADS is the up and coming catchword

[ValerieUSA]

A couple of the Arabic men who were traveling on a plane and were stopped by fellow passengers who refused to fly with them were pilots. Were they perhaps on their way to readied cropdusters to wage their special warfare? Their destination was Salt Lake City.... Also, there were some men stopped on their way to San Antonio....