Crop-Dusters Thought to Interest Suspects
㰀倀㸀㰀䘀伀一吀 猀椀稀攀㴀ⴀ㸀䈀礀 䨀甀猀琀椀渀 䈀氀甀洀 愀渀搀 䐀愀渀 䔀最最攀渀㰀䈀刀㸀圀愀猀栀椀渀最琀漀渀 倀漀猀琀 匀琀愀昀昀 ഀ
Writers
Monday, September 24, 2001; Page A01 㰀倀㸀ഀ
How many gallons of fuel can the planes hold, the group's leader asked. How 洀愀渀礀 最愀氀氀漀渀猀 漀昀 挀栀攀洀椀挀愀氀猀㼀 䠀漀眀 昀愀猀琀 愀爀攀 琀栀攀礀㼀 䄀爀攀 琀栀攀礀 搀椀昀昀椀挀甀氀琀 琀漀 昀氀礀㼀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ
During the next seven months, the casually dressed man returned to Belle 䜀氀愀搀攀 愀琀 氀攀愀猀琀 漀渀挀攀Ⰰ 眀漀爀欀攀爀猀 猀愀椀搀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 漀琀栀攀爀 最爀漀甀瀀猀 漀昀 䴀椀搀搀氀攀 䔀愀猀琀攀爀渀 洀攀渀 ഀ visited many more times to quiz them about the intricacies of crop-dusters -- 眀椀琀栀 攀洀瀀栀愀猀椀猀 漀渀 栀漀眀 昀愀爀 琀栀攀礀 挀愀渀 昀氀礀 愀渀搀 栀漀眀 洀甀挀栀 瀀漀椀猀漀渀 琀栀攀礀 挀愀渀 挀愀爀爀礀⸀ 吀栀攀 ഀ men often had video or still cameras, taking pictures of the crop-dusters and 愀琀琀攀洀瀀琀椀渀最 琀漀 瀀栀漀琀漀最爀愀瀀栀 琀栀攀 椀渀琀攀爀椀漀爀猀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ
An airport employee has since identified the first group's leader as Egyptian 䴀漀栀愀洀攀搀 䄀琀琀愀Ⰰ ㌀㌀Ⰰ 眀栀漀 琀栀攀 䘀䈀䤀 戀攀氀椀攀瘀攀猀 眀愀猀 愀琀 琀栀攀 挀漀渀琀爀漀氀猀 眀栀攀渀 愀渀 䄀洀攀爀椀挀愀渀 ഀ Airlines flight from Boston slammed into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11.
㰀倀㸀䠀椀猀 瘀椀猀椀琀猀 琀漀 愀渀 漀戀猀挀甀爀攀 愀椀爀瀀漀爀琀 椀渀 爀甀爀愀氀 䘀氀漀爀椀搀愀Ⰰ 挀漀洀戀椀渀攀搀 眀椀琀栀 漀琀栀攀爀 ഀ evidence unearthed since the terrorist attacks, have prompted the FBI and other 昀攀搀攀爀愀氀 愀最攀渀挀椀攀猀 琀漀 椀猀猀甀攀 眀愀爀渀椀渀最猀 愀戀漀甀琀 瀀漀琀攀渀琀椀愀氀 挀栀攀洀椀挀愀氀 漀爀 戀椀漀氀漀最椀挀愀氀 ഀ weapons attacks from crop-dusters, which are a common sight over farmland 琀栀爀漀甀最栀漀甀琀 爀甀爀愀氀 䄀洀攀爀椀挀愀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀToday, as a result of what sources called a "serious, credible threat," the 䘀攀搀攀爀愀氀 䄀瘀椀愀琀椀漀渀 䄀搀洀椀渀椀猀琀爀愀琀椀漀渀 最爀漀甀渀搀攀搀 挀爀漀瀀ⴀ搀甀猀琀攀爀猀 昀漀爀 琀栀攀 猀攀挀漀渀搀 琀椀洀攀 猀椀渀挀攀 ഀ the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington that left more than 6,000 people 洀椀猀猀椀渀最 愀渀搀 瀀爀攀猀甀洀攀搀 搀攀愀搀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ
"The theory is that they were looking into this as a backup to their main 漀戀樀攀挀琀椀瘀攀Ⰰ 漀爀 攀氀猀攀 愀猀 愀 眀栀漀氀攀 漀琀栀攀爀 琀礀瀀攀 漀昀 漀瀀攀爀愀琀椀漀渀 琀栀愀琀 挀漀甀氀搀 猀琀椀氀氀 戀攀 愀 ഀ concern," one U.S. government official said today. "There are certainly enough 焀甀攀猀琀椀漀渀猀 琀漀 攀氀攀瘀愀琀攀 漀甀爀 挀漀渀挀攀爀渀猀⸀∀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ
In addition to the visits by Atta and others to the Belle Glade airport, 椀渀瘀攀猀琀椀最愀琀漀爀猀 搀椀猀挀漀瘀攀爀攀搀 愀 洀愀渀甀愀氀 漀渀 挀爀漀瀀ⴀ搀甀猀琀攀爀猀 椀渀 琀栀攀 瀀漀猀猀攀猀猀椀漀渀 漀昀 娀愀挀愀爀椀愀猀 ഀ Moussouai, a man with alleged links to Osama bin Laden. Moussouai was detained 椀渀 䄀甀最甀猀琀 椀渀 䴀椀渀渀攀猀漀琀愀 愀昀琀攀爀 栀攀 猀漀甀最栀琀 琀爀愀椀渀椀渀最 愀琀 愀 昀氀椀最栀琀 猀挀栀漀漀氀⸀ 㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ
"The intelligence community came to us and encouraged us to shut down the 挀爀漀瀀ⴀ搀甀猀琀攀爀猀Ⰰ∀ 䘀䄀䄀 猀瀀漀欀攀猀洀愀渀 匀挀漀琀琀 䈀爀攀渀渀攀爀 猀愀椀搀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ
Investigators have also issued warnings to the trucking industry to watch for 猀甀猀瀀椀挀椀漀甀猀 愀挀琀椀瘀椀琀礀 椀渀瘀漀氀瘀椀渀最 琀栀攀 栀愀甀氀椀渀最 漀昀 挀栀攀洀椀挀愀氀猀Ⰰ 爀愀搀椀漀愀挀琀椀瘀攀 眀愀猀琀攀Ⰰ ഀ biological agents and other hazardous materials.
㰀倀㸀吀栀攀 䘀䈀䤀 ∀栀愀猀 爀攀挀攀椀瘀攀搀 椀渀昀漀爀洀愀琀椀漀渀 漀渀 渀甀洀攀爀漀甀猀 琀攀爀爀漀爀椀猀琀 琀栀爀攀愀琀猀 爀攀最愀爀搀椀渀最 ഀ potential use of chemical, biological and/or radiological/nuclear WMD," or 眀攀愀瀀漀渀猀 漀昀 洀愀猀猀 搀攀猀琀爀甀挀琀椀漀渀Ⰰ 愀挀挀漀爀搀椀渀最 琀漀 愀渀 愀氀攀爀琀 椀猀猀甀攀搀 氀愀猀琀 吀栀甀爀猀搀愀礀 戀礀 ഀ American Trucking Associations.㰀倀㸀吀栀攀 䘀䈀䤀 氀愀猀琀 眀攀攀欀 愀爀爀攀猀琀攀搀 愀 昀漀爀洀攀爀 䈀漀猀琀漀渀 挀愀戀搀爀椀瘀攀爀Ⰰ 一愀戀椀氀 䄀氀洀愀爀愀戀栀Ⰰ 眀栀漀 栀愀搀 ഀ financial ties to some hijackers and had recently secured a Michigan license to 栀愀甀氀 栀愀稀愀爀搀漀甀猀 洀愀琀攀爀椀愀氀猀 猀甀挀栀 愀猀 搀礀渀愀洀椀琀攀Ⰰ 最愀猀攀猀 愀渀搀 琀漀砀椀挀 愀渀搀 爀愀搀椀漀愀挀琀椀瘀攀 ഀ waste. Two other men arrested in Almarabh's former Detroit home had licenses to 搀爀椀瘀攀 挀漀洀洀攀爀挀椀愀氀 琀爀甀挀欀猀Ⰰ 漀昀昀椀挀椀愀氀猀 猀愀椀搀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ"We're trying to exercise an abundance of caution," one FBI official said. ∀圀攀✀爀攀 渀漀琀 搀漀眀渀瀀氀愀礀椀渀最 愀渀礀琀栀椀渀最⸀ 䄀渀礀 琀椀洀攀 眀攀 最攀琀 愀 猀甀猀瀀椀挀椀漀甀猀 爀攀瀀漀爀琀 漀爀 ഀ circumstances, we are trying to ask people to be on the lookout."
㰀倀㸀䨀愀洀攀猀 䌀愀氀氀攀渀Ⰰ 攀砀攀挀甀琀椀瘀攀 搀椀爀攀挀琀漀爀 漀昀 琀栀攀 一愀琀椀漀渀愀氀 䄀最爀椀挀甀氀琀甀爀愀氀 䄀瘀椀愀琀椀漀渀 ഀ Association, said the nation's 4,000 crop-dusting planes, which are also used to 挀漀洀戀愀琀 昀椀爀攀猀 愀渀搀 洀漀猀焀甀椀琀漀攀猀Ⰰ 挀漀洀洀漀渀氀礀 栀漀氀搀 ㌀ 琀漀 㠀 最愀氀氀漀渀猀 漀昀 挀栀攀洀椀挀愀氀猀⸀ ഀ Crop-duster pilots must obtain small-plane commercial licenses and training for 愀最爀椀挀甀氀琀甀爀愀氀 愀瘀椀愀琀椀漀渀Ⰰ 䌀愀氀氀攀渀 猀愀椀搀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀCallen said the FBI and FAA have not informed the group of any specific 爀攀愀猀漀渀 昀漀爀 琀栀攀 最爀漀甀渀搀椀渀最 漀爀搀攀爀猀⸀ 䠀攀 猀愀椀搀 琀栀攀爀攀 栀愀瘀攀 戀攀攀渀 渀漀 挀漀渀昀椀爀洀攀搀 爀攀瀀漀爀琀猀 漀昀 ഀ stolen planes or chemicals in recent weeks.
㰀倀㸀吀栀攀 䈀攀氀氀攀 䜀氀愀搀攀 愀椀爀瀀漀爀琀Ⰰ 椀渀 愀 瀀愀爀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀 䔀瘀攀爀最氀愀搀攀猀 琀栀愀琀 眀愀猀 搀爀愀椀渀攀搀 琀漀 ഀ accommodate agriculture, is home to several crop-dusting businesses. The airport 椀猀 愀戀漀甀琀 愀渀 栀漀甀爀✀猀 搀爀椀瘀攀 昀爀漀洀 䐀攀氀爀愀礀 䈀攀愀挀栀Ⰰ 琀栀攀 挀漀愀猀琀愀氀 挀漀洀洀甀渀椀琀礀 眀栀攀爀攀 猀漀洀攀 漀昀 ഀ the alleged hijackers are believed to have lived.㰀倀㸀䨀愀洀攀猀 䰀攀猀琀攀爀Ⰰ 眀栀漀 氀漀愀搀猀 挀栀攀洀椀挀愀氀猀 漀渀 琀漀 琀栀攀 瀀氀愀渀攀猀 昀漀爀 愀 挀爀漀瀀ⴀ搀甀猀琀椀渀最 ഀ company, told FBI agents last week that he had seen Atta and two other Middle 䔀愀猀琀攀爀渀 洀攀渀 挀漀洀攀 戀礀 琀眀椀挀攀 猀椀渀挀攀 䘀攀戀爀甀愀爀礀Ⰰ 愀猀欀椀渀最 焀甀攀猀琀椀漀渀猀 愀戀漀甀琀 ഀ crop-dusters.㰀倀㸀䰀攀猀琀攀爀 猀愀椀搀 琀栀愀琀 椀渀 愀搀搀椀琀椀漀渀 琀漀 焀甀攀猀琀椀漀渀猀 愀戀漀甀琀 昀甀攀氀 愀渀搀 挀栀攀洀椀挀愀氀 挀愀瀀愀挀椀琀椀攀猀Ⰰ ഀ Atta repeatedly asked to look at the interior of the cockpit and inquired about 栀漀眀 琀漀 猀琀愀爀琀 琀栀攀 瀀氀愀渀攀猀⸀ 吀栀攀 洀攀渀 猀愀椀搀 琀栀攀礀 眀攀爀攀 昀氀椀最栀琀 猀琀甀搀攀渀琀猀 愀渀搀 眀愀渀琀攀搀 琀漀 ഀ get in the cockpit, but Lester would not let them.㰀倀㸀∀䤀 樀甀猀琀 琀漀氀搀 琀栀攀 最甀礀猀Ⰰ ✀夀漀甀 挀愀渀✀琀 最攀琀 椀渀 琀栀攀 愀椀爀瀀氀愀渀攀Ⰰ✀ ∀ 䰀攀猀琀攀爀 猀愀椀搀⸀ ∀吀栀攀礀 ഀ just kept standing around."㰀倀㸀圀椀氀氀椀攀 䰀攀攀Ⰰ 最攀渀攀爀愀氀 洀愀渀愀最攀爀 漀昀 匀漀甀琀栀 䘀氀漀爀椀搀愀 䌀爀漀瀀 䌀愀爀攀Ⰰ 愀 猀椀渀最氀攀ⴀ瀀氀愀渀攀 ഀ crop-dusting business at the airport, said groups of two or three Middle Eastern 洀攀渀 挀愀洀攀 戀礀 渀攀愀爀氀礀 攀瘀攀爀礀 眀攀攀欀攀渀搀 昀漀爀 猀椀砀 漀爀 攀椀最栀琀 眀攀攀欀猀 瀀爀椀漀爀 琀漀 琀栀攀 匀攀瀀琀⸀ ഀ terrorist attacks -- including the weekend just prior to the assaults. He said 栀攀 搀椀搀 渀漀琀 瀀愀礀 洀甀挀栀 愀琀琀攀渀琀椀漀渀 琀漀 琀栀攀洀 愀渀搀 挀漀甀氀搀 渀漀琀 椀搀攀渀琀椀昀礀 愀渀礀 漀昀 琀栀攀 洀攀渀 昀爀漀洀 ഀ photos of the hijackers shown to him by the FBI.㰀倀㸀䠀攀 猀愀椀搀 琀栀攀礀 搀攀猀挀爀椀戀攀搀 琀栀攀洀猀攀氀瘀攀猀 愀猀 昀氀椀最栀琀 猀琀甀搀攀渀琀猀Ⰰ 眀椀琀栀 猀攀瘀攀爀愀氀 洀攀渀琀椀漀渀椀渀最 ഀ a South Florida flight school where investigators initially believed some of the 栀椀樀愀挀欀攀爀猀 洀椀最栀琀 栀愀瘀攀 琀爀愀椀渀攀搀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ"They pull in the gate there and get out and ask you all about the airplane," 䰀攀攀 猀愀椀搀⸀ ∀䠀漀眀 洀甀挀栀 搀漀攀猀 椀琀 栀愀甀氀㼀 䠀漀眀 栀愀爀搀 椀猀 椀琀 琀漀 昀氀礀㼀 ⸀ ⸀ ⸀ 吀栀攀礀 眀漀甀氀搀 眀愀渀琀 ഀ to get up on the wing and look at it."
㰀倀㸀䰀攀攀 猀愀椀搀 愀 猀洀愀氀氀 瀀漀瀀甀氀愀琀椀漀渀 漀昀 瀀攀漀瀀氀攀 昀爀漀洀 琀栀攀 䴀椀搀搀氀攀 䔀愀猀琀 氀椀瘀攀猀 椀渀 䈀攀氀氀攀 ഀ Glade, and the men's presence did not arouse his suspicion. He also said he 琀栀椀渀欀猀 琀栀攀 瘀椀猀椀琀猀 椀渀瘀漀氀瘀攀搀 愀猀 洀愀渀礀 愀猀 ㈀ 琀漀 㔀 瀀攀漀瀀氀攀Ⰰ 眀栀漀 挀愀洀攀 椀渀 最爀漀甀瀀猀 漀昀 琀眀漀 ഀ or three at a time. He said they stayed for 45 minutes to an hour per visit.㰀倀㸀䄀昀琀攀爀 琀栀攀 愀琀琀愀挀欀猀Ⰰ 䘀䈀䤀 愀最攀渀琀猀 瘀椀猀椀琀攀搀 琀栀攀 愀椀爀瀀漀爀琀 愀渀搀 昀漀氀氀漀眀攀搀 甀瀀 眀椀琀栀 愀 ഀ number of phone calls to ask if any of the Middle Eastern men had returned or if 愀渀礀漀渀攀 栀愀搀 猀攀攀渀 愀渀礀琀栀椀渀最 猀甀猀瀀椀挀椀漀甀猀Ⰰ 䰀攀攀 猀愀椀搀⸀ 䈀攀最椀渀渀椀渀最 氀愀猀琀 䘀爀椀搀愀礀 攀瘀攀渀椀渀最Ⰰ ഀ the airport was placed under 24-hour police watch, he said.㰀倀㸀䰀攀攀✀猀 瀀氀愀渀攀 ⴀⴀ 愀渀 䄀椀爀 吀爀愀挀琀漀爀 㔀 ㈀ ⴀⴀ 栀漀氀搀猀 㔀 最愀氀氀漀渀猀 漀昀 挀栀攀洀椀挀愀氀猀 愀渀搀 ㈀ ഀ gallons of fuel. "That's a bomb itself right there," Lester said, pointing to 琀栀攀 瀀氀愀渀攀⸀ ∀䄀 戀漀洀戀 椀琀猀攀氀昀 爀椀最栀琀 琀栀攀爀攀 爀攀愀搀礀 琀漀 攀砀瀀氀漀搀攀⸀∀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀLester now questions whether he should have been more suspicious of the 洀攀渀⸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ
"Maybe if we'd have thought about it," Lester said, "and put two and two 琀漀最攀琀栀攀爀Ⰰ 洀愀礀戀攀 眀攀 挀漀甀氀搀 栀愀瘀攀 猀琀漀瀀瀀攀搀 猀漀洀攀琀栀椀渀最 昀爀漀洀 栀愀瀀瀀攀渀椀渀最⸀∀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ
Blum reported from Belle Glade and Eggen reported from Washington. Staff 眀爀椀琀攀爀 䐀漀渀 倀栀椀氀氀椀瀀猀 挀漀渀琀爀椀戀甀琀攀搀 琀漀 琀栀椀猀 爀攀瀀漀爀琀⸀㰀⼀䔀䴀㸀㰀⼀倀㸀ഀ
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