Bin Laden supporters drew skyscraper plan

The Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | 11/16/2001 | Alan Philps

[Pokey78]

ARAB supporters of Osama bin Laden drew diagrams of an attack on a skyscraper in advance of the September 11 attack on New York, according to a neighbour in Kabul.

Several families from the Arab world, as well as from Turkey and Bosnia, lived in a three-storey complex in the Shahr-e Now district of the Afghan capital.

According to papers found in the homes, which were abandoned on Monday, the Arabs studied how to make explosives and bombs and other sabotage techniques as well as computing and foreign languages.

Bashir Soshal, an English teacher, said: "One of the Arabs was called Abu Tayyeb. He was very well connected. One day I asked to use his satellite phone to call abroad. I saw a diagram of a skyscraper with lines and angles marked a, b and c. It was clearly some kind of plan of attack."

The skyscraper had a pyramid on top, looking more like the Empire State Building than the World Trade Centre. Mr Soshal said: "After the attack happened I was afraid to speak about it."

Bin Laden has never formally acknowledged ordering the bombings in New York and Washington, but the testimony shows that the idea of an attack on a skyscraper was discussed among his supporters in Kabul. The block was clearly a nerve centre of bin Laden's disparate supporters.

According to Mr Soshal, there was a Canadian of Sudanese origin known as Abdul Rahman. "I told him I would love to go to England, but he replied with scorn. He said, 'That's not a good country. I want to live here and fight the jihad. That is the only life.' "

One apartment was marked in Arabic as the home of "Abu Osama the Bosnian" - a name that means he called his first-born son after bin Laden. Left inside were extensive notes on the making of explosives, detonators and timers.

In a neighbouring apartment, Abu Muslim - an assumed name - left a whole book of notes on weapons, as well as instructions on how to take directions from the stars. The families left hurriedly, leaving local debts of £1,000.

[Diogenesis]

[John Jamieson]

Did you get a copy of that skyscaper plan?

bin Laden is a genius you know....he once built a road.

[Cultural Jihad]

Bin Laden has never formally acknowledged ordering the bombings in New York and Washington, but the testimony shows that the idea of an attack on a skyscraper was discussed among his supporters in Kabul.

BTTT.

[Kermit]

There are three buildings next to the WTC, one has a pyramid on the top, while the Empire State Building has a much steeper point.

[DTA]

>>>>>>One apartment was marked in Arabic as the home of "Abu Osama the Bosnian" - a name that means he called his first-born son after bin Laden. Left inside were extensive notes on the making of explosives, detonators and timers<<<<<<<

bump

[blam]

Transco tower in SF?

[Fiddlstix]

Transco tower in SF?

Good Point.