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CNN Live Event/Special

Government Official Has New Evidence Regarding Hijacked Airlines

Aired September 11, 2001 - 23:52   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.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Our Washington bureau chief, Frank Sesno, has been checking his sources. He has some additional information. Frank, what have you learned?

FRANK SESNO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, I've been talking with someone this evening who was very much in the middle of all of this, a government official who was very carefully briefed throughout the day. What he makes clear with the additional information that he's providing, is that the confusion and the chaos and the speed of these events unfolding today revealed a situation that remains really, truly breathtaking and incomprehensible. But there are some leads. Let me tell you what this official said.

First of all, on one of the planes that was hijacked, Wolf, and we don't know which one, there was a keyed microphone open. So, there were sounds and some discussion, and some noise in the background, apparently, that was heard. This official, who has been carefully briefed on this, describes what was heard as duress. Of course investigators are going to be listening very closely to that.

Secondly, this officials says there is -- quote -- "[C]redible information and leads that are being developed and pursued that gives law enforcement a feeling of some degree of confidence that their investigation will move forward." He would not provide details. We've heard just a little while ago of some arrests in New Jersey. I can't tell you whether those pieces of information are related.

Beyond that, some more information again as to the speed with which things occurred. There were 4 hijacked jetliners today, as we know. This official says, there were no transponder codes indicating a hijacking activity punched in on any of those planes. There's a 4- digit code, Wolf, that pilots can punch in so it's almost a covert notification that a hijacking is underway. That did not happen in any of the cases today.

This official says that at one point government officials today feared there were as many as 7 hijacked jetliners, obviously there turned out to be just 4. But, 4 is way too many and has led to this terrible tragedy that we have witnessed here today.

So, Wolf, the investigation is continuing in rapid fire. This official says that judgment will be made in the morning, looking very carefully at the airports and airspace across the country as to when air traffic in the U.S. can resume.

BLITZER: Frank Sesno here in Washington, thank you very much.

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