A M E R I C A - U N D E R - A T T A C K

MosJan · September 11, 2001

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2 Suicide Planes Hit World Trade Center; 3rd Attacks Pentagon

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[ September 13, 2001: Message edited by: MosJan ]

[ October 04, 2001: Message edited by: MosJan ]

MosJan · September 11, 2001

NEW YORK -- In a horrific sequence of destruction, terrorists hijacked two airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center in a coordinated series of attacks this morning that brought down the twin 110-story towers. A plane also slammed into the Pentagon, raising fears that the seat of government itself was under attack.

"I have a sense it's a horrendous number of lives lost," Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said. "Right now we have to focus on saving as many lives as possible."

A high-ranking city police official said the number of people killed or injured could be in the thousands.

Authorities had been trying to evacuate those who work in the twin towers, but many were thought to have been trapped. About 50,000 people work at the Trade Center. American Airlines said its two aircraft were carrying a total of 156 people.

Friends or family members of American Airlines passengers may call 1-800-245-0999.

"This is perhaps the most audacious terrorist attack that's ever taken place in the world," said Chris Yates, an aviation expert at Jane's Transport in London. "It takes a logistics operation from the terror group involved that is second to none. Only a very small handful of terror groups is on that list. ... I would name at the top of the list Osama bin Laden."

President Bush ordered a full-scale investigation to "hunt down the folks who committed this act."

Within the hour, the Pentagon took a direct, devastating hit from an aircraft. The fiery crash collapsed one side of the five-sided structure.

The White House, the Pentagon and the Capitol were evacuated along with other federal buildings in Washington and New York.

Authorities in Washington immediately began deploying troops, including an infantry regiment. The Situation Room at the White House was in full operation. And authorities went on alert from coast to coast, halting all air traffic and tightening security at strategic installations.

"This is the second Pearl Harbor. I don't think that I overstate it," said Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb.

American Airlines identified the planes that crashed into the Trade Center as Flight 11, a Los Angeles-bound jet hijacked after takeoff from Boston with 92 people aboard, and Flight 77, which was seized while carrying 64 people from Washington to Los Angeles.

In Pennsylvania, United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757 en route from Newark, N.J., to San Francisco, crashed about 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh with 45 people aboard. The fate of those aboard was not immediately known and it was not clear if the crash was related to the disasters elsewhere. In a statement, United said another of its planes, Flight 175, a Boeing 767 bound from Boston to Los Angeles with 65 people on board, also crashed, but it did not say where.

United Airlines said friends or family members seeking information on flights may call 1-800-932-8555. United also said it would post any information it has on its Web site, www.united.com.

Evacuations were ordered at the United Nations in New York and at the Sears Tower in Chicago. Los Angeles mobilized its anti-terrorism division, and security was intensified around the naval installations in Hampton Roads, Va. Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., was evacuated.

At the World Trade Center, "everyone was screaming, crying, running, cops, people, firefighters, everyone," said Mike Smith, a fire marshal. "It's like a war zone."

"I just saw the building I work in come down," said businessman Gabriel Ioan, shaking in shock outside City Hall, a cloud of smoke and ash from the World Trade Center behind him.

Nearby a crowd mobbed a man on a pay phone, screaming at him to get off the phone so that they could call relatives. Dust and dirt flew everywhere. Ash was 2 to 3 inches deep in places. People wandered dazed and terrified.

The planes blasted fiery, gaping holes in the upper floors of the twin towers. A witness said he saw bodies falling and people jumping out. About an hour later, the southern tower collapsed with a roar and a huge cloud of smoke; the other tower fell about a half-hour after that, covering lower Manhattan in heaps of gray rubble and broken glass. Firefighters trapped in the rubble radioed for help.

"Today we've had a national tragedy," Bush said in Sarasota, Fla. "Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack on our country." He said he would be returning immediately to Washington.

The crashes at the World Trade Center happened minutes apart, beginning just before 9 a.m.

Heavy black smoke billowed into the sky above one of New York City's most famous landmarks, and debris rained down on the street, one of the city's busiest work areas. When the second plane hit, a fireball of flame and smoke erupted, leaving a huge hole in the glass and steel tower.

John Axisa, who was getting off a commuter train to the World Trade Center, said he saw "bodies falling out" of the building. He said he ran outside, and watched people jump out of the first building. Then there was a second explosion, and he felt heat on the back of neck.

WCBS-TV, citing an FBI agent, said five or six people jumped out of the windows. Witnesses on the street screamed every time another person leaped.

People ran down the stairs in panic and fled the building. Thousands of pieces of what appeared to be office paper drifted over Brooklyn, about three miles away.

Several subway lines were immediately shut down. Trading on Wall Street was suspended. New York's mayoral primary election Tuesday was postponed. All bridges and tunnels into Manhattan were closed.

David Reck was handing out literature for a candidate for public advocate a few blocks away when he saw a jet come in "very low, and then it made a slight twist and dove into the building."

Terrorist bombers struck the World Trade Center in February 1993, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000 others.

"It's just sick. It just shows how vulnerable we really are," Keith Meyers, 39, said in Columbus, Ohio. "It kind of makes you want to go home and spend time with your family. It puts everything in perspective," Meyers said. He said he called to check in with his wife. They have two young children.

In New York, "we heard a large boom and then we saw all this debris just falling," said Harriet Grimm, who was inside a bookstore on the World Trade Center's first floor when the first explosion rocked the building.

"The plane was coming in low and ... it looked like it hit at a slight angle," said Sean Murtagh, a CNN vice president, the network reported.

In 1945, an Army Air Corps B-25, a twin-engine bomber, crashed into the 79th floor of the Empire State Building in dense fog.

In Florida, Bush was reading to children in a classroom at 9:05 a.m. when his chief of staff, Andrew Card, whispered into his ear. The president briefly turned somber before he resumed reading. He addressed the tragedy about a half-hour later.

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MosJan · September 11, 2001

Terror attacks hit U.S.

Posted: September 11, 2001

People walk away from the World Trade Center as ash rains down.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Terrorists struck the United States Tuesday morning in harrowing, widespread attacks that included at least three commercial jet crashes into significant buildings.

• In the first attack, a plane hit the north tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan shortly before 9 a.m., followed by another plane into the second tower about 20 minutes later. Both towers later collapsed.

• About an hour later, a plane crashed into the Pentagon, part of which later collapsed.

• Building hit by debris near the World Trade Center is on verge of collapse.

• American Airlines told CNN that it lost two planes, both en route to Los Angeles: American Flight 11 from Boston with 81 passengers and 11 crew aboard was lost. This is believed, but not confirmed, to have been one of the planes that crashed into the trade center. ... American Flight 77, a Boeing 757 from Washington Dulles airport with 58 passengers and six crew is unaccounted for. The jet that crahed into the Pentago may have been this one, but that is still unknown.

• United Airlines lost two planes: United Airlines Flight 93 airliner headed from Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco, crashed near Somerset, Pennsylvania -- police said initial reports indicated no survivors. ... United confirmed the crash of Flight 175 from Boston to Los Angeles with 56 passengers and seven crew aboard. It's possible, but not cofirmed, that this is the second plane that hit the World Trade Center.

• The Pentagon, the White House, the State Department, the Justice Department, the Capitol, the CIA and all other government buildings in Washington are evacuated.

• President Bush calls the crashes "apparent terrorist attacks" and "a national tragedy." Bush is to issue a statement from Barksdale AFB in Shreveport, Louisiana.

• In the first-ever national ground stop of aircraft, all flights nationwide have been stopped at their departure airports.

• International flights had been diverted to Canada; FAA says later, however, that 22 U.S.-bound international flights would be allowed to land.

• Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, the Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, said in reaction to the news of the terror attacks that "we want to tell the American children that Afghanistan feels your pain and we hope that the courts find justice."

• In New York, more than 10,000 rescue personnel rushed to the scene. Lower Manhattan is being completely evacuated.

• Israel has evacuated all its missions around the world.

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta was evacuated. CDC was preparing bioterrorism teams in case they become necessary.

• Philadelphia landmarks were also evacuated.

• In Chicago, the Sears Tower was evacuated; United Nations in New York evacuated.

• The New York Port Authority said it had closed all bridges and tunnels into the city.

• U.S. stock markets were closed after the New York attacks.

• NATO sent home all non-essential personnel from its Brussels, Belgium, headquarters.

• The Immigration and Naturalization Service has put the U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada on highest state of alert.

• Los Angeles International Airport has been evacuated.

• All Disney parks in Orlando, Florida, and Disneyland in Anaheim, California have been closed.

ThornyRose · September 11, 2001

Guys, it said in the news on one channel here a while ago that it was some Japanese Red Army that claimed responsibility. Anybody heard anything like that?

MJ · September 11, 2001

No. So far, no one has claimed responsibility. Osama Bi-Ladin is believed to be behind it, but it is only a speculation at this time.

[ September 11, 2001: Message edited by: MJ ]

MosJan · September 11, 2001

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MosJan · September 11, 2001

PLANE CRASHES

• American Airlines Flight 11 en route from Boston to Los Angeles

• American Airlines Flight 77 en route from Dulles Airport near Washington to Los Angeles

• United Airlines Flight 93 en route from Newark, New Jersey to San Francisco

• United Airlines 175 en route from Boston to Los Angeles

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CONTACT NUMBERS

Friends or family members who want more information on the crashes should contact:

• American Airlines - 1-800-245-0999

• United Airlines - 1-800-932-8555

MosJan · September 11, 2001

September 11, 2001

Arafat Horrified by Attacks

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 11:49 a.m. ET

NABLUS, West Bank (AP) -- Thousands of Palestinians celebrated Tuesday's terror attacks in the United States, chanting ``God is Great'' and distributing candy to passers-by, even as their leader, Yasser Arafat, said he was horrified.

The U.S. government has become increasingly unpopular in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the past year of Israeli-Palestinian fighting, with many Palestinians accusing Washington of siding with Israel.

In the West Bank town of Nablus, about 3,000 people poured into the street shortly after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and government targets in Washington.

Demonstrators distributed candy in a traditional gesture of celebration. Several Palestinian gunmen shot in the air, while other marchers carried Palestinian flags. Nawal Abdel Fatah, 48, wearing a long, black dress, threw sweets in the air, saying she was happy because ``America is the head of the snake, America always stands by Israel in its war against us.''

Her daughter Maysoon, 22, said she hoped the next attack would be launched against Tel Aviv.

In traditionally Arab east Jerusalem, there was a smaller gathering of about two dozen people, many of them young children led in chants by adults. Some drivers passing the scene honked their horns and flashed victory signs from their windows.

Arafat and his top advisers huddled at his seaside office in Gaza City, watching the events unfold on television. Arafat later emerged to speak to reporters.

``We are completely shocked. It's unbelievable,'' he said. ``We completely condemn this very dangerous attack, and I convey my condolences to the American people, to the American president and to the American administration, not only in my name but on behalf of the Palestinian people.''

In the West Bank, meanwhile, the leader the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine denied his group was involved in the attacks.

Qais Abdel Rahim was reacting to reports that two Arab satellite stations in the Gulf had received anonymous claims of responsibility on behalf of the DFLP, a radical PLO faction. Abdel Rahim said his group condemned the attacks.

ThornyRose · September 11, 2001

Here's something (do I dare call it an article?) posted elsewhere:

A television station in Abu Dhabi reported that the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine claimed responsibility for the attacks on the World Trade Center. The DFLP has denied the claim.

The attacks differ significantly from the DFLP's previous methods of operation. Likewise, the resources and infrastructure necessary for such attacks appear far beyond the group's traditional means.

The DFLP was formed in 1969 with an estimated membership of 500. It was originally based in Syria, but the location of its current headquarters are unknown. The DFLP receives financial and military aid from Syria and Libya. It operates in Syria, Lebanon, Israel and the occupied territories. Its leader is Naif Hawatmeh, according to Israeli-based Institute for Counterterrorism (ICT).

The group was largely dormant from 1988 until this summer, when it claimed responsibility for an Aug. 25 attack against an Israeli military post in the Gaza Strip that left three Israeli soldiers dead. This attack was the first instance of Palestinians successfully using conventional military-style tactics.

Before 2001, DFLP operations have always taken place either inside Israel or in the West Bank and Gaza. Typical acts include minor bombings and grenade attacks, as well as hostage-taking and attempts to negotiate the return of Palestinian prisoners held by Israelis.

The group split from the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) in 1969 but reconciled with the PFLP - and with Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat - in August 1999.

http://network54.com/Hide/Forum/thread?for...geid=1000229411

If I am lying, they are.

MJ · September 11, 2001

In the opinion of some formerly high level officials of the US, an action of this scale could've not been prepared and carried on without a state level support of some country.

MosJan · September 11, 2001

A plane heads for the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11

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An explosion erupts after a plane crashes into one of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11.

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Smoke and fire surround the upper floors of the World Trade Center in New York City on Tuesday in this image from television, after a second plane crashed into the building.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS/NBC)

Sep. 11, 2001

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Plumes of smoke pour from the World Trade Center buildings in New York on Tuesday in this photo taken from the Brooklyn borough. Two planes crashed into the upper floors of both World Trade Center towers minutes apart in what President Bush said was an apparent terrorist attack, blasting fiery, gaping holes in the 110-story buildings.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS )

Sep. 11, 2001

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Flames erupt from the upper floors of the World Trade Center in New York City on Tuesday in this image from television, after a second plane crashed into the buildings. Planes crashed into the upper floors of both World Trade Center towers minutes apart Tuesday in a horrific scene of explosions and fires that left gaping holes in the 110-story buildings.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS/NBC)

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Rescue personnel respond along Liberty Street following the first explosion at New York's World Trade Center following the first explosion Tuesday. Planes crashed into the upper floors of both World Trade Center towers minutes apart in a horrific scene of explosions and fires that left gaping holes in the 110-story buildings.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS/ROBIN L. MARIN)

Sep. 11, 2001

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MosJan · September 11, 2001

Plumes of smoke pour from the World Trade Center buildings in New York on Tuesday. Planes crashed into the upper floors of both World Trade Center towers minutes apart Tuesday in a horrific scene of explosions and fires that left gaping holes in the 110-story buildings. The Empire State building is seen in the foreground.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS/PATRIK SISON)

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A uniformed Secret Service agent carries an automatic weapon outside the White House Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001 as the White House and other Washington buildings were evacuated. The Capitol, White House, Pentagon, State Department and other buildings were evacuated as an apparent coordinated terrorist attack spread fear and chaos in the nation's Capitol.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS/KAMENKO PAJIC)

Sep. 11, 2001

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Smoke rises from the Pentagon in Washington in this image taken from television, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. The Pentagon was struck by an aircraft in an apparent terrorist attack in the nation's capital.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS/ABC)

Sep. 11, 2001

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People run from the collapse of World Trade Center Tower Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001 in New York.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS/SUZANNE PLUNKETT)

Sep. 11, 2001

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[ September 11, 2001: Message edited by: MosJan ]

MosJan · September 11, 2001

Taliban Rules Out Bin Laden in U.S. Attacks

KABUL -- Afghanistan's ruling Taliban movement today said Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, taking shelter in Afghanistan, was not responsible for the attacks on the United States.

"What happened in the United States was not a job of ordinary people. It could have been the work of governments. Osama bin Laden cannot do this work, neither us," a Taliban spokesman, Abdul Hai Mutmaen, told Reuters from the southern city of Kandahar.

"We are not supporting terrorism. Osama does not have the capability. We condemn this.

"This could have been the act of either internal enemies of the United States or its major rivals. Osama cannot do this work...," he added.

Two hijacked planes crashed into the giant towers of the World Trade Center in New York and a third plane struck the Pentagon outside Washington, plunging the United States into unprecedented chaos and panic.

U.S. authorities have not accused anyone of orchestrating the attacks, but bin Laden has been accused by Washington of masterminding the almost simultaneous destruction of two U.S. embassies in Africa in 1998 that killed more than 200 people.

The Taliban ambassador in neighbouring Pakistan, Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, also condemned the multiple attacks as "terrorist acts" and said those found responsible after a thorough investigation "should be brought to justice."

He told a news conference that bin Laden, now living in Afghanistan as the Taliban "guest," had no link with the outside world after the Taliban withdrew communication facilities from him about three years ago.

"We do not allow Osama bin Laden to use the soil of Afghanistan against any other country," he said.

"He has no facility to carry out such activity," Zaeef said.

Asked if the Taliban feared a U.S. attack on Afghanistan after today's attacks, he said: "We do not expect it from America to take such a speedy and tragic action without completing the investigation."

The United States hit suspected bin Laden bases in eastern Afghanistan with cruise missiles soon after the embassy bombings.

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MosJan · September 11, 2001

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Bush Says Has Taken Steps to Protect Americans

By Arshad Mohammed

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, Louisiana (Reuters) - President Bush said on Tuesday the United States had taken all appropriate steps to protect the American people and would hunt down and punish those responsible for the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

"We have taken all appropriate security precautions to protect the American people," Bush, facing the first big test of his eight-month presidency, told reporters at a hastily arranged appearance at Barksdale Air Force Base.

"Make no mistake, the United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts."

Bush said the U.S. military had been put on "high alert status" and said he had taken security precautions to ensure the proper functioning of the U.S. government.

"Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faithless coward," Bush said. "Freedom will be defended."

Offering his prayers for the victims, the president added: "I want to reassure the American people that the full resources of the federal government are working to assist local authorities to save lives and to help the victims of these attacks."

"Our military at home and around the world is on high alert status and we have taken the necessary security precautions to continue the functioning of your government," Bush said.

"We have been in touch with the leaders of Congress and with world leaders to assure them that we will do whatever is necessary to protect America and Americans."

Bush said that he had been in contact with the vice president, the secretary of defense, his national security team and members of his Cabinet.

He spoke after departing Florida upon word that three hijacked planes crashed into major U.S. landmarks, destroying both of New York's mighty twin towers and plunging the Pentagon outside Washington into flames -- an unprecedented assault on key symbols of U.S. military and financial power.

Loss of life was expected to be catastrophic from the destruction of the giant towers of the World Trade Center where some 50,000 people work. The two 110-story towers collapsed one at a time in a huge cloud of smoke and fire two hours after the initial impacts. Desperate people were seen jumping out of the burning towers before they collapsed.

Bush cut short his trip to Florida and flew at high altitude to the Air Force base in Louisiana for a brief stop before taking off again for an undisclosed destination.

The attacks, the worst on the U.S. mainland in modern history, plunged the country into chaos and panic, paralyzing communications, forcing the evacuation of key buildings, closing markets, schools and even theme parks.

American Airlines said two of its jets carrying a total of 156 people were lost. United Airlines said two of its planes had crashed, one in Pennsylvania, with unknown loss of life.

MosJan · September 12, 2001

Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses representatives of the Russian media during an awarding ceremony in Moscow's Kremlin, September 11, 2001. Putin expressed deep sympathy to the people of the United States 'in connection with this terrorist act, this terrible tragedy,' the Kremlin quoted spokesman Alexei Gromov as saying. Photo by Pool

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MosJan · September 12, 2001

THE ORDER FOR THE EXPLOSION IN KENIA WAS GIVEN FROM BAKU

Azerbaijani special services admit that Baku is an outpost of the international terrorist Usama Bin Laden.

Last updated:

September 05, 2001

Last week all the Azerbaijani media focused on the revealed facts confirming the relationship between Baku and international terrorist Usama Bin Laden. It is noteworthy that this sensational information has become known right the time when Azerbaijan unsuccessfully tries to accuse Armenia and Artsax of participation in the international terrorism.

Joining of Armenia and Azerbaijan the European council has not affected the Artsax settlement process yet. Every conflict side continues to find out how the membership in such a solid international organization can help it to attain more advantageous positions in the confrontation for Artsax. While Armenia and Artsax consider the fact that the European Council promises to impose sanctions against the country violating the cease fire, Azerbaijan appreciates the EC membership primarily for its opportunity to have an access to the tribune and for using of the tribune for propaganda and dissemination of lies. Since the very first days of the work of the European Council Parliamentary Assembly, the Azerbaijani delegation members have done this. Though these efforts have not given appreciable results yet it is obvious that the number of signatures of ECPA deputies for the propagandistic documents fabricated by Azerbaijan increases.

Baku ideologists have studied the specific character of European mentality and found out the right chord, touching of which is very productive. Azerbaijani people accuse Armenians of exactly the things that people in West dislike: destroying monuments, ecology damage, drug business and to support terrorism. The logic of al this is clear: Europe will not protect a country having such sins. The only thing to do is to find facts proving that all this accusations have a base.

This is of course more complicated. How to explain to the world that national liberation movement is nothing else but display of terrorism. Even Azerbaijan Minister of internal affairs had to say, "Artsax is not a den of terrorism". At the Yerevan summit of the CIS Ministers of internal affairs held in June he stated he did not have to comment someone's private opinion. But judging from all the facts many things have changed since this. Right the other day an information appeared in Baku press that a plan " to conduct an antiterrorist operation against Artsax separatists by internal forces and Azerbaijan's MIA subdivisions" has been developed. Deputy of Milli Mejlis, leader of the Civil unity party Igbal Agazade has stated, " The plan of purge is prepared and has already been introduced to state bodies". In his interview to "Zerkalo" newspaper he has explained the point of his "know-how".

Agazade suggests arming with the slogan "Terrorist groups are being trained in Artsax's territory". According to him, if the world believes in this, then in the case of armed operation conducting in Artsax " no one will be able to accuse Azerbaijan of war adherence" and " all countries admitting the international right will have to treat Azerbaijan with understanding'. "This action will not be condemned by any international organization", claims the politician. One thing is not clear- how will Azerbaijan prove Artsax's participation in international terrorism. Being not able to find anything better, Baku propagandists instructed the journalists in their service to speak and write about the relations between Yerevan and radical Islamic groups, acting in Middle East. It is interesting what can be common between Christian Armenians and the followers of Islamic jihad, struggling against "crusaders". Here is it.

Baku media have noticed that Armenian Defense Minister often visits Damascus and Beirut, the capitals of the countries supposedly supporting radical Islamic movements. Even more, during the last Middle East tour he reached an agreement on military partnership with Lebanon and Syria. Why is not this a reason to accuse Armenia to international terrorism?

The ideologists of Azerbaijani propaganda have not realized that by agitating the West to punish terrorists they may dig a grave for themselves. It is not excluded, if the story about Azerbaijan's relations with "the top terrorist of the Earth" Bin Laden develops. Though, even the facts that are already proved are enough for conclusions about the direct participation of Azerbaijan in international terrorism.

"East Africa", a newspaper issued in Egypt, has recently published an article, where, with reference to the court information it is claimed that for last decade the organization 'al-Qaida', leaded by Bin Laden had its ' main operational presence' in Chechnya and Azerbaijan. (In 1998, February, Al-Qaida" appealed to all Muslims to annihilate Americans and their allies wherever it was possible. The explosions in the buildings of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania resulted in 300 dead and over 5000 injured people are on the conscience of its leaders. This organization held three terrorist acts against Americans in Yemen, prepared the attempts to explode American and Israeli embassies in Philippines, made attempts on Pope, Bill Clinton, the leaders of some countries.) It became known that the fax to London stating the organization's responsibility for explosions was sent from Baku. The same Baku phone number was used to phone to Nairobi to hotel room, where immediately before the terrorist act, one of its participants Mohammad Rushed Daud el-Owkhali was stayed. The "terrorist number one" himself only 1996 to 1998 called Baku by his satellite " mobile phone" 60(!) times. The material of the investigation of the case regarding the terrorist act towards American embassies in a number of Asian and African countries gives evidence of that, and Phil Khirshkorn, CNN correspondent conducting journalist investigation refers to this material. According to Khashkorn's information, one of the accused, el Hegg stated at the court that he had sent a package to Baku, to the leaders of the local department of "al-Qaida" through the DHL company agent. "Al-Qaida", as it was found out, is not the only terrorist organization that acted (or maybe acts) in Baku.

Accused for to the same case, Ibragim Eydarus confessed that in 1997 he had headed 'Egypt Islamic jihad'. "Echo", a newspaper that is published in Baku writes, "One more thing proves that the Azerbaijan's capital was one of the centers of terrorist net…", further the circumstances of the arrest of the leader of military operations of 'Jihad" organization Akhmad Salam Mabruk in Baku by American Special services are stated. Again in Baku, other two members of "Jihad" Isam Khaphis Mabruk and Yasir el-Cirri arrested by the CIA agents.

It is noteworthy that Baku does not undertake any attempts to disprove the fact that it was and is one of the international terrorist outposts. Particularly Baku media does not exclude that the terrorist number one Bin Laden, recently disappeared from sight of Pakistani special services can appear in the capital of Azerbaijan, "that is in the sphere of his interests". This, it should be understood, means that he still has a trustworthy base in Baku. As "Echo" informs, a source in National defense ministry of Azerbaijan confirmed that "till last months, ben Ladan's people used Azerbaijan as a transit point on their way to Checnhya". According to the same source, Azerbaijani special services are informed about numerous cases when mojakheds crossed north and northwest boarders of Azerbaijan to go to Chechnya to commander Khattab. An interesting fact is that the terrorists arrested while getting to Chechnya were not given up to special services of the countries towards which they conducted violations but were sent to the countries where they had come from. This, as the source informs, was done with the aim " not to incite Islamic fundamentalists against Azerbaijan". And such a confession is made by an official representative of the special services of a country that has joined the international conventions for the struggle against terrorism. Does not this mean that thus way Azerbaijan indirectly supports terrorists engaged in demolition works in the neighbor country, with which, by the way, Azerbaijan has allied duties according to the CIS? Azerbaijan's competent bodies did not undertake anything to prevent the successful attempts of Bin Laden's messengers to turn Baku into one of their bases. And this also suggests definite ideas. But was not the official Azerbaijan's leadership interested in it? It is obvious that Jordanians and Egyptians could not act in Baku without cooperation with local partners. Can one believe in that no one consults them? There had to be someone that met them, saw them off, translated from Azerbaijani to Arabic, and secured their cover from competent bodies.

(If, of course, these bodies themselves did not sanction their activities.) But how it turns out then that Azerbaijan's special services got the information about the presence of terrorists' base in Baku from Americans, not due to their channels. (It is not our supposition. "Echo" correspondent was informed about that by National Defense colonel Ilkham Ismailov). A conclusion that some rather influential powerful people that are very close to the authorities cooperated with terrorists and supported them suggests itself. Even more, there are no guarantees that they have not used their abilities in order to direct terrorists' activity into concrete way. In any case, it is obvious that Baku track of Usama Bin Laden is a real fact that has to become a base for serious study of Azerbaijan's role and place in international terrorism development.

PanARMENIAN Network analytic department

MosJan · September 12, 2001

ACCORDING TO PROVISIONAL DATA, THERE ARE NOT CITIZENS OF ARMENIA AMONG VICTIMS OF THE TERRORIST ACTS IN THE US

12.09.2001

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The administration of public relations of the Armenia's ministry of foreign affairs has spread the information stating: "Armenia's embassy in the USA continues to work in state of emergency and tries to find out whether Armenia's citizens were among the victims of terrorist acts in New York and Washington D.C. At the moment it is impossible to have any information about people died in the world trade center and around it. At the same time we inform that the embassy phoned the "American Airlines" and "United Airlines" companies. The "United Airlines" representative has informed that according to the provisional data Armenia's citizens are not in the list of victims. We suggest to inform about the Armenia's citizens that might be on the airplanes of "American Airlines" flying Boston-Los Angeles, Washington-Los Angeles, New York-San Francisco, Boston-Los-Angeles."