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CNN Live At Daybreak

America's New War: Rules for Terrorists

Aired September 28, 2001 - 07:01   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Time now to get a very quick look at the latest developments at this hour. Two delegations of Pakistani politicians, as we mentioned, and Muslim clerics are in Kandahar, Afghanistan. It is an 11th hour effort to prevent a U.S. military strike.

A day after encouraging Americans to return to the skies, as John just mentioned, five of President Bush's cabinet members take that message to heart.

And being released by the FBI, pictures of the men the agency believes are the terrorists who attacked America September 11.

And now we are learning more about those documents found at Boston's airport in an abandoned car used by two of the suspected hijackers. Some of the instructions in the papers are absolutely chilling.

Our own Susan Candiotti has been following this part of the story. She joins us with more on those papers -- good morning, Susan.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

As we have already reported, there is new disturbing insight into the mind set of the hijackers. Investigators have found a document apparently left behind by the hijackers with instructions on how to carry out their mission and their death. The document, a photocopy, originally hand written in Arabic, was found in Boston among the possessions of Mohamed Atta, believed to be the pilot of the first plane to strike the World Trade Center.

Among the instructions, a source tells CNN these words, "Strike your enemy above his neck." Much of the document includes mundane rules for terrorism, how to dress, how to take a taxi and be sure to be on time.

The "Washington Post" in today's editions quoted additional excerpts. "Check all your items, your bag, your clothes, knives, your will, your IDs, your passport, all your papers." It continues, "Make sure that nobody is following you."

A source told us the document seems to contain rules of engagement and it ends with a common Muslim prayer. Under the words "the last night," the "Washington Post" said the document offers these instructions: "Continue to pray throughout this night. Continue to recite the Koran." It promises everlasting life and according to the "Post" ends with these words: "We are of god and to god we return."

Both the "Washington Post" and the "Dallas Morning News" report that a similar document was found among the ruins of the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania, also hijacked -- Paula, back to you.

ZAHN: Chilling stuff.

Thanks, Susan. We will be back to you a little bit later on this morning.

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