The Hijackers Debated: Hit Only One WTC Tower, Target White House Instead?
Summary
Before the 9/11 attacks, the hijackers debated which U.S. landmarks to target. They initially planned to hit the White House, Pentagon, U.S. Capitol, and World Trade Center, but later focused on hitting both World Trade Center towers first and then the other targets.Key Facts
- In August 2001, Mohammed Atta and Ramzi bin al-Shibh discussed possible attack targets using coded language.
- Code names: "architecture" meant World Trade Center, "arts" meant Pentagon, "law" meant U.S. Capitol, and "politics" meant White House.
- Osama bin Laden wanted the U.S. Capitol to be attacked because he saw it as key to U.S. support for Israel.
- Atta found the White House difficult to hit because it was smaller and surrounded by other buildings.
- Atta and another hijacker, Marwan al-Shehhi, decided to hit both World Trade Center towers nearly at the same time.
- A plan existed for four hijacked planes to target all four locations: the two towers, the Pentagon, and the Capitol.
- Experts believe hitting both towers was necessary for their collapse; hitting only one might not have destroyed it.
- Attacking the White House was part of the original plan but did not happen, which would have symbolized a major blow to the U.S.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
