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 achieve 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

EXTRA INFORMATION Text of the Moussaoui e-mail

"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 might have been part of the September 11 operation, planning to have been on the flight that crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back against their hijackers. Three of the planes were hijacked by five men. The Pennsylvania plane was taken over by four hijackers.

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