FBI tracking pilots’ LV movements

Monday, Oct. 1, 2001 | 10:04 a.m.

FBI agents this morning were tracking down the movements in Las Vegas of a jailed Algerian pilot who British prosecutors alleged was the "lead instructor" of four of the hijackers in the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

"We're aware of the report that he was in town," Las Vegas FBI spokesman Daron Borst said this morning. "We're following up on anything we can get a hold of here."

Lofti Raissi -- who reportedly met in Las Vegas on June 23 with the hijackers who piloted the American jetliners that crashed into the World Trade Center and Pentagon -- is being held behind bars in London.

British prosecutors said in court Friday that the 27-year-old Raissi gave flying lessons to four of the 19 men involved in the Sept. 11 hijackings.

His attorney, Richard Egan, denied the accusations, but prosecutor Arvinda Sambir said evidence went far beyond showing "just an association with the pilots" who crashed four passenger jets. Sambir said there is "evidence of active conspiracy."

Sambir said authorities have video footage showing Raissi with Hani Hanjour, the hijacker agents believe was piloting the jet that crashed into the Pentagon.

FBI agents have confirmed that Hanjour and four other hijackers were in Las Vegas at various times from May to August.

One of the hijackers, Mohamed Atta, who stayed at the Econo Lodge, 1150 Las Vegas Blvd. South, had an 8 mm video camera with him that was rented in Florida by a fellow suspected terrorist, Marwan Al-Shehhi on June 27, the Palm Beach Post reported. Agents believe Atta and Al-Shehhi piloted the planes that crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center.

Raissi is being held on charges of falsifying information on his application for a commercial pilot's license in the USA, but Sambir said he could also face a charge of conspiracy to commit murder.

Prosecutors said Raissi had been to the United States several times in the past four years and was there from June 10 to July 11.

He and his 25-year-old wife, Sonia, met the three other hijacker pilots in Las Vegas on June 23, and Raissi later traveled to an aviation school in Arizona at the same time as Hanjour, prosecutors said. His wife and brother were arrested with him in London but released last week.

USA Today contributed to this story.