2008 Woodie Awards
Federal Aviation Administration failed to share 9/11 intelligence with public
Stacy Conway
Issue date: 3/4/05 Section: Issues
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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.