Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

America's New War: Those Who Knew Atta Have Hard Time Believing He's a Terrorist

Aired September 24, 2001 - 08:35   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: One of the suspected hijackers from the terrorist attacks on the United States is Mohamed Atta.

And as CNN's James Martone reports, those who knew Atta say they have a hard time believing he is a terrorist.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMES MARTONE, CNN ANCHOR: Mohamed Atta, the man identified as a hijacker by FBI, grew up here, on Damelsa (ph) Street in the Abdin Quarter of Cairo. A former classmate says, while other young men hung out on street corners, Mohamed Atta was at home studying at the Atta family apartment in this modest building.

"He was on the right path, directed. He had the goal to be an engineer," says Mohammad Hasinatia (ph).

He studied in grade school and high school with Mohamed Atta until 1985, and says Atta was always at the top of the class, never in a quarrel, and the only one who said "please."

"If he could do something like that, says Mohammed, of attacks on New York, "then I could suspect anyone, even my brother, or my own hands," he says.

Mohammad Camel Hamis (ph) saw the Atta family almost every day starting in 1978. That is when Mr. Hamis (ph) opened this auto parts repair shop underneath the building in which the Atta family lived until 1992, around the time Mohammad left for Germany.

Mr. Hamis (ph) says, "Mohamed Atta was a perfect student, walked straight home from school, was very introverted, didn't talk, and was considered a good boy in the neighborhood."

Mr. Hamis (ph) bought the Atta family apartment in 1992. His son Hisam (ph) now occupies the room Mohamed Atta once did.

"I don't know if he is really guilty or not," says Hisam, "but I remember he was a good person."

Mohamed Atta's father, who now lives across town, showed reporters these pictures of his son as he looked when the family still lived Damelsa (ph) Street. They bear strong resemblance to now older Mohamed, suspected to be one of the pilots that flew into the World Trade Center an September 11. His father acknowledges the photo the FBI released as his son, but says he has been framed, though Mohamed hasn't been seen since the attacks.

Residents in neighborhood where Mohamed grew up say they are waiting for investigation results to determine whether someone who grew up here could have caused such destruction and death in the USA.

James Martone, CNN, Cairo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com