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Another report has come out about Sept. 11. The new report says the Federal Aviation Administration knew about Osama bin Laden and "planned" attacks. However, the FAA was not aware of the methods terrorists would employ or the targets they would choose.
In a Feb. 11 story in the Washington Post, FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said the agency received intelligence from other agencies that Al Queda hoped to attack airlines, and she said the airlines were warned. The clues did not specify how, where or when the attacks would take place.
There were 52 summaries stating terror threats dating from April 1 through Sept. 10, 2001.
"I think the FAA should have told us earlier about all this. I mean, couldn't we have stopped it? Then the thousands of innocent people didn't have to die," said Robert Gray, a chemical engineer major.
Even though there were threats of terrorism, the FAA issued no warnings to the public. During summer 2001, the FAA did make an attempt to inform the airlines of what to do. They sent out a presentation to all the airlines that included a CD-ROM. It had detailed statements about increased threats.
"Why didn't we know about any of this ahead of time?" asked Nicholle Terry, a general studies major. "I think our safety is in question here. We as Americans should be able to feel safe in our own homeland."
"I do think this could happen again. It could happen anywhere," said Jackie Brown, a general studies major, "It is scary, though, that we have these people protecting us, but in the end we really don't have them."
According to the report, airline pilots were "lulled into a false sense of security." The report also said the FAA didn't tighten security or use available air marshals.
"If the pilots didn't even know about it, then that is putting them into danger along with us," said Matt Ferguson, a music major. "I wouldn't want my boss to put my life in danger in any way."
The report also had a proposed rule for passengers' safety. The rule called for screening and other tactics to be used to ensure safety.
In 1996, a rule ordered by Congress was not put into place by the Office of Management and Budget. The rule made then was not placed in effect until after the 9/11 attacks.
"When the books came out about all of this, I had to go out and buy one. It was very interesting to see that our president was backing down off his high horse," said Jaime Farver, a business administration major.
The report has sparked Web sites like www.911truth.org. The organizers are a board of five people who read over the books, notes and reports of the attacks. They say their mission is to educate the public and expose the truth about what happened.
"I think if you feel passionately about this and what happened to these people, then you should be able to write whatever you want about it," Ferguson said.
"If they believe that it is a cover-up and we are all wrong, then that is their opinion."
The Web site has been online since November 2001.
"I personally have looked at this site," Farver said. "I think it offers an insight to something that I probably wouldn't have paid any mind to."
"I don't think the American people would believe some of the statements in that report."
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