No evidence explains LV hijackers’ meeting

Thursday, July 22, 2004 | 9:38 a.m.

Federal investigators probing the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks have not uncovered any evidence that explains why five of the 19 hijackers met in Las Vegas before the attacks, according to a report released today.

"Beyond Las Vegas' reputation for welcoming tourists, we have seen no credible evidence explaining why, on this occasion and others, the operatives flew to or met in Las Vegas," the 9-11 commission report states.

Previous reports from the commission and comments from law enforcement officials detail when Mohamed Atta and four other hijackers were in Las Vegas.

Federal authorities have said that hijackers Nawaf al Hazmi, Atta, Hani Hanjour, Ziad Jarrah and Marwan Al-Shehhi met in Las Vegas on various occasions from May to August of 2001.

Atta, al Hazmi and Hanjour met for some final planning in Las Vegas on Aug. 13, 2001, according to the commission. The commission's report further states that Atta, Al-Shehhi and Jarrah made cross-country training and surveillance flights that ended in Las Vegas.

Al-Shehhi made one flight from New York to San Francisco to Las Vegas on May 24, and Jarrah flew from Baltimore to Los Angeles to Las Vegas on June 7. Atta made a surveillance flight from Boston to San Francisco to Las Vegas on June 28.

Las Vegas FBI spokesman Special Agent Todd Palmer said that the FBI is continuing to investigate the presence of the terrorists in Las Vegas, but the agency doesn't know the reason they were here.