9/11 Hijackers Used Mace And Knives, Panel Reports

[kskiska]

Wednesday, January 28, 2004; Page A01

The hijackers of Sept. 11, 2001, blasted Mace or pepper spray at flight crew members and passengers to keep them away from the cockpits and wielded knives in their orchestrated takeovers of the aircraft, according to a report issued yesterday by the commission investigating the attacks.

The report provides the most comprehensive picture yet of the what it called the "common strategy" the terrorists used to commandeer the four airliners that were flown into the World Trade Center towers, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field. At a hearing yesterday, the 9/11 commission played publicly for the first time dramatic portions of a taped phone call from American Airlines flight attendant Betty Ong, revealing the fear and confusion aboard Flight 11 after the hijackers stabbed at least two crew members before crashing the plane into the North Tower.

In a separate report yesterday, the 10-member bipartisan commission revealed that nine of the 19 hijackers had been flagged by the Federal Aviation Administration's computer passenger screening system before boarding their flights. The system alerts airport security screeners to more thoroughly check passengers who buy one-way tickets or pay with cash. FAA procedures at the time called the luggage of the "selectees" to be screened for explosives.

(snip)

The White House and House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) have said they would oppose any extension. But Kristen Breitweiser, widow of World Trade Center victim Ronald Breitweiser, said she hopes the appeal from the commission will changes their minds.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54385-2004Jan27.html?nav=hptop_tb

[RandomKoolzip]

1. Not boxcutters?

n/t

[girl gone mad]

2. Imagine the outrage..

if people had learned right away that the hijackers were able to get mace and knives onto the planes, not just boxcutters as we'd been told. Nice cover-up for the airline industry.

[Fovea]

3. In 2001 I flew all over the US

and even into Canada with a Gerber Multi Tool in my laptop case.
I was almost as well armed as the terrorists, and far better trained with hand weapons.

No questions asked, and it was in a tool kit with computer tools and a few other mysterious looking pieces of hardware from time to time. At least one baggage inspector opened the case and looked right at it, that was Chicago, if I remember right. I usually carried two laptops with me on-board, as well.

Let's see, I flew United, Southwest, Delta, Midwest Express, and a few puddle jumper airlines.

Airline security in the days of 9-11? No one even questioned having a seriated saw and knife in the mx tool. What a joke.

[AZCat]

4. Yep, Same here

I used to carry a 3 1/2" Buck in my backpack (to open letters, I swear!) and carry it into the cabin with me. The inspectors would maybe take it out (about 1/2 the time) but I never got hassled. Boxcutters, sheesh.