From Japan Today:
Berg's father says son had contact with 9-11 defendant
Friday, May 14, 2004 at 15:00 JST
WASHINGTON — The father of a U.S. hostage beheaded by Islamic radicals in Iraq said Thursday his son crossed paths with the only person charged in the United States in the Sept 11 attacks.
Michael Berg, father of 26-year-old Nicholas Berg, told CNN at his home in West Chester, Pennsylvania, that his son went to Oklahoma University several years ago and allowed people later identified by U.S. authorities as terrorists to use his computer.
"Nick was taking a course at a remote campus that was near the airport and he was on a bus and some terrorist people — no one knew they were terrorists at the time, they were just fellow students — were also taking the bus," said Berg.
"Someone asked him basically to let him use his computer, and he did. It turned out that this guy was a terrorist and that he used my son's email, among many other people's email."
U.S. officials, according to CNN, say Berg shared his computer — and his password — with one individual, and that password somehow ended up in the possession of Moussaoui, a French citizen arrested one month before the Sept 11 attacks.
Moussaoui has denied any role in the attacks, insisting he was part of a separate plot.
Michael Berg told CNN the Federal Bureau of Investigation tracked his son down and questioned him, and that his son "cooperated fully."
Nicholas Berg's contacts on the bus near the Oklahoma airport, according to CNN, may have been the reason "the FBI felt compelled to interview Berg three times in Iraq before clearing him for release."
Michael Berg said that at one time Moussaoui took flying lessons at the airport near where the bus contact took place.
He also alluded to reports that al-Qaida, whose operatives are believed to have executed Berg in Iraq, had offered to trade his son for another hostage.
"I would like to ask George Bush if it's true that al-Qaida offered to trade my son's life for the life of another person. If that's the truth, I need that information." (Wire reports)
http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&id=298489
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No dates are mentioned, but according to KJRH Channel 2, Tulsa, "Berg attended the University of Oklahoma during the 1999-2000 school year, but did not graduate... During his time in Norman, Berg was employed as a temporary employee at the Lloyd Noble Center. His job was to help setup and tear down events. Those who knew him say Berg loved to debate political and social issues. They also say he was always looking for ways to better himself."
According to the Moussaoui indictment, Moussaoui arrived in Oklahoma City On February 23, 2001, then attended flight school in Norman from February 26 to May 29, when he suddenly quit the school. On August 10 or 11, an acquaintance drove Moussaoui from Oklahoma to Minnesota for enrollment in a new flight school.
9/11 hijackers Atta and Marwan al-Shehhi visited the Airman Flight School in Norman in July 2000, according to the indictment, and on April 1, 2001, Nawaf al-Hazmi, who helped hijack American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon, was stopped for speeding in Oklahoma and given two tickets.
WOW! that is a twist.
Wish we could get more details on the dates. Nick quit Cornell Dec. 98 so spring semester 99 at OU makes sense but apparently he stayed out of school until fall semester 99. Why would he still be in Norman, OK over a year (Feb/Mar 01)later to ride on the same bus with Moussaoui? Atta and al Shehhi were in Norman in July 2000 which is closer for a timeline. Could Nick have met up with Atta first?
Someone on another thread mentioned he was getting more involved in religion - isn't that the same story we hear about converts to the religion of peace?