Bush briefed on hijacking threat before September

by ashitaka 17 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  ashitaka

  WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush's daily intelligence briefing in the weeks leading up to the September 11 terror attacks included a warning of the possibility that Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network would attempt to hijack a U.S.-based airliner, senior administration officials said Wednesday.

  But, the officials said, there was no speculation about the use of an airplane itself as a bomb or a weapon, and no specific, credible information about the possibility of a hijacking of any sort.

  Hijackers took over the controls of four planes on September 11, 2001. Two of those planes plowed into New York's World Trade Center, another jetliner nose dived into the Pentagon and the fourth aircraft crashed into Pennsylvania woodlands after passengers tried in vain to overcome the terrorists. More than 3,000 people died in the terrorist attacks.

  Only one person, Zacarias Moussaoui, has been charged in connection with the attacks. He was arrested after coming under suspicious while taking flying lessons in Minnesota.
• 

  cellomould

  Hey ashi,

  do you also know about the weirdness at the school George Bush was visiting?

  Apparently, when the secret service agent or one of his travelling associates whispered in his ear that the WTC had been hit (plane #1)...he nodded and went back to reading the class a story!

  I'd like to see a video clip of that.

  I bet he didn't even flinch.

  cellomould

  "You're crying 'why am I the victim?' when the culprit is YOU" Stevie Wonder
• 

  LDH

  while taking flying lessons in Minnesota.

  It's that DAMN PLH and her Minnesota mall, I tell ya!

  Lisa
• 

  William Penwell

  Apparently, when the secret service agent or one of his travelling associates whispered in his ear that the WTC had been hit (plane #1)...he nodded and went back to reading the class a story!

  I am not a big George Bush fan but in his defense he may not being fully told of the full disaster. My understanding was that as the early news reports were coming in, they thought the first plane was a small commercial jet. The secret service probably thought it was not important enough for the president to drop everything at that moment.

  Will

  "I am quite sure now that often, very often, in matters concerning religion and politics a man's reasoning powers are not above the monkey's."
  Mark Twain
• 

  cellomould

  A commercial jet hitting a building anywhere in the U.S. is pretty serious...if that building is part of the WTC...you see why this doesn't compute?

  It seems that he just heard it, nodded, and continued what he was doing. At least he would take 5 minutes to get a briefing, don't you think?

  But again I'd have to see a video or official transcipt, because I don't recall where I read this.

  cellomould

  "You're crying 'why am I the victim?' when the culprit is YOU" Stevie Wonder
• 

  ashitaka

  I just posted the article here because there was so much discussion about it with Syn's posts, etc. Thought it was VERY interesting.

  ashi
• 

  Amazing

  Before 9-11, the reports of Bin Laden doing something were somewhat routine. The Clinton administration often dismissed reports they received. It is common for governments anywhere to learn of something that might happen. Sometimes the FBI or other agencies foiled these attacks, and most often the attacks never materialized.

  The news about what President Bush was told is nothing more than one among many vague possibilities that a hi-jacking might happen. I doubt that any President or other government official would deliberately ignore information that was credible, specific, and immediate ... for when this happens, the authorities are good about prevention. The problem is the threats, even if learned in advance, are too vague to know where to begin taking pre-emptive steps.

  Since 9-11, look at the many vague warnings given to the public, and how these proved to not take place. The public gets irritated at vague reports because we have no idea when, what, where, or how something will happen. Gray Davis, Governor of California took seriously a vague FBI warning about an attack on the Golden Gate Bridge, and made a big public issue, only to later be embarassed that the early reports he got were not confirmed.

  The bottom line is that politicians are damned if they do and damned if they don't.
• 

  William Penwell

  Another possible reason why the President might not have responded after the first plane hit the WTC, was that they thought the first plane that hit was an accident. I also don't think they thought it was as serious as it eventually turned out.

  I am just watching on CNN and yes they are now saying there was evidence that Bin Laden was trying to hijack a 757 and use it as a weapon. I guess there is more to come in the next few days.

  Will

  "I am quite sure now that often, very often, in matters concerning religion and politics a man's reasoning powers are not above the monkey's."
  Mark Twain
• 

  cellomould

  Given the magnitude of such an 'accident', I don't think under ordinary circumstances the President would downplay it.

  He downplayed it because advisors or supporters of the White House KNEW it was a blatant attack.

  If it was a surprise entirely, the 1st thing the White House would do would be to consider whether this was some sort intention behind this 'accident'.

  The WTC may be big, but it is still incredibly unlikely that a plane going down would hit there. The New York skyline has many, many other buildings.

  The pilot of a distressed plane would have rather crashed into the water than hit those buildings. And he could have easily done so.

  This situation reeks of the administration 'trying to act surprised'.

  Not that the President himself necessarily had to know. Just that he got information and acted as someone wanted him to act.

  cellomould

  "You're crying 'why am I the victim?' when the culprit is YOU" Stevie Wonder
• 

  Double Edge

  Anyone that has watched the tapes of the President's reaction to the planes will go along with what the Press said that day... that you could see surprise in his eyes, but that he remained calm for the sake all the children around him.

  Monday morning quarterbacking remains one of America's most played sports.