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Investigation: Tapes reveal hijacking horror

Attorney General John Ashcroft speaking at a recent news conference.

SUMMARY:

Minutes before American Airlines Flight 11 slammed into the World Trade Center, a voice from the plane's cockpit said: "Nobody move, please; we are going back to the airport. Don't try to make any stupid moves." The unidentified voice, apparently one of the hijackers, was captured in transcripts of communications between airplanes and controllers published Tuesday by The New York Times.

U.S. officials, meanwhile, said they have found no link between the recent anthrax cases and organized terrorism.

Authorities also said they are still "on high alert" for additional attacks by Osama bin Laden's followers on U.S. soil.

UPDATE:

The transcripts, details which were published by the Times, offered new details about how controllers and other officials came to realize multiple hijackings were in progress on the morning of September 11. In the transcript from Flight 11, an air traffic controller called repeatedly for a response from the plane, which had gone silent. Then he heard the voice from the cockpit, telling people not to move and saying: "We have some planes. Just stay quiet, and you'll be OK. We are returning to the airport." (Full story)

The man was transmitting on the frequency monitored by pilots and air traffic controllers, apparently because he thought he was talking to the passengers or because one of the crew had activated the radio microphone. Even the crew of United Airlines Flight 175, the other plane that slammed into the trade center, had heard something amiss on Flight 11.

The United plane had left Boston, Massachusetts, for Los Angeles, California, at 8:14 a.m., 14 minutes after Flight 11 left the same airport. When Flight 11 went silent and an air traffic controller had asked other pilots to help find it, the Flight 175 pilot responded at 8:41 a.m.

Five minutes later, Flight 175 became the next victim: It took an errant turn off its scheduled course and ceased communication with the ground. "There's no transponder, no nothing, and no one's talking to him," a controller said.

On Tuesday, FBI Director Robert Mueller and Attorney General John Ashcroft said they could not find a link from the recent anthrax cases to terrorists. The two would not, however, rule out the possibility that the anthrax cases could be connected to the September 11 attacks. (Full story)

Mueller said there are similarities between the letter sent to sent to NBC and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's office. Both were mailed from Trenton, New Jersey, and the handwriting on both was similar, he said. Senate sources said both letters had a threatening tone.

The FBI, meanwhile, last week issued a warning that there were indications another attack by terrorists could come "over the next several days." That time period has now passed, but there "is unfortunately no reason to stand down," said a U.S. official. (Full story)

•  Summary   •  Update   •  Key questions   •  Who's who   •  Impact  CNN.COM SPECIAL REPORT  CNN NewsPass Video  Agencies reportedly got hijack tips in 1998  MORE STORIES Intelligence intercept led to Buffalo suspects Report cites warnings before 9/11  EXTRA INFORMATION Timeline: Who Knew What and When? Interactive: Terror Investigation Terror Warnings System Most wanted terrorists What looks suspicious? In-Depth: America Remembers In-Depth: Terror on Tape In-Depth: How prepared is your city?  RESOURCES On the Scene: Barbara Starr: Al Qaeda hunt expands? On the Scene: Peter Bergen: Getting al Qaeda to talk

KEY QUESTIONS:

What are investigators learning of the financial contributions collected by terrorist organizations?

How will the expansion of law-enforcement powers affect Americans' civil liberties? Click here for more.

How long can suspects be held, and on what charges are they being held? Click here for more.

How are people identified as suspected terrorists communicating with each other? Click here for more.

How are law-enforcement authorities using technology such as encryption tools to hunt terrorists? Click here for more.

What groups are U.S. investigators focusing on, and what are their aims? Click here for more.

How would law-enforcement authorities go after financial assets of people identified as terrorists? Click here for more.

WHO'S WHO:

George W. Bush: U.S. president

Colin Powell: U.S. secretary of state Click here for more

Condoleezza Rice: National security adviser Click here for more

John Ashcroft: U.S. attorney general

Robert Mueller: FBI director Click here for more

George Tenet: CIA director. Click here for more

Osama bin Laden: U.S. authorities have named bin Laden, a wealthy Saudi exile living in Afghanistan, as the prime suspect in masterminding the September 11 attacks. Click here for more

IMPACT:

Information gained from the investigation could lead to fundamental changes in U.S. security and intelligence systems, as well as surveillance laws.