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E-mails show how suspected terrorist sought flight training

Zacharias Moussaoui

By CNN's Susan Candiotti
and Bill Mears

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The first person charged in connection with the September 11 terrorist attacks offered an optimistic tone and an ambitious agenda in seeking passenger jet flight training a few months before the hijackings, according to an e-mail obtained by CNN.

"I would like to fly in a 'professional' like manners [sic] one of the big airliners," wrote Zacharias Moussaoui to a Minnesota flight school. "I have to made my mind which of the followwing [sic]: Boeing 747, 757, 767, or 777 and or Airbus 300."

Moussaoui, 33, addressed his May 23, 2001 message to an employee of the Pan Am International Flight Academy in suburban Minneapolis: "I need to know if you can help to acheive my 'Goal' my dream."

Though he did not even have a private pilot's license, he wrote: "I am sure that you can do something

After all we are in AMERICA, and everything is possible

Have a nice day , waiting for a positive fly

Thanks you

Zac"

The French-born man of Moroccan descent was arrested in August, a month before the attacks, when Pan Am flight instructors grew suspicious about his motives and called the FBI.

Arrested on immigration violations, and later charged with being part of Osama bin Laden's terrorist conspiracy, he is in federal custody in Alexandria, Virginia, where he faces an October criminal trial. He has pleaded not guilty.

Some officials believe Moussaoui may be the 20th hijacker, planning to have been on the flight that crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back.

Prosecutors have linked Moussaoui with suspected skyjack ringleader Mohammad Atta. Both men trained, at different times, at a flight school in Norman, Oklahoma.