US Aviation Officials Received Warnings About Hijackings Before 9/11

Report: US Aviation Officials Received Warnings About Hijackings Before 9/11

By  VOA News
10 February 2005


A published report says the U.S. agency that oversees aviation failed to respond to dozens of warnings about possible terrorist strikes on U.S. airliners before the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The New York Times Thursday reported that the information is contained in a previously undisclosed report from the September 11th Commission, which investigated the deadly attacks on Washington and New York.

The report says the Federal Aviation Administration received 52 intelligence reports between April and September of 2001 that warned of potential terrorist action by al-Qaida and its leader, Osama bin Laden.

Five of the security warnings mentioned al-Qaida training for airline hijacking and suicide attacks.

Quoting the report, the New York Times concludes that prior to the attacks, aviation officials were "lulled into a false sense of security," despite intelligence pointing to a growing terrorist threat.


Some information for this story provided by AP and Reuters.


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