| Non arabic { September 19 2002 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36734-2002Sep18.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36734-2002Sep18.html
Al Qaeda Weighed Use Of Non-Arabic Hijackers
Thursday, September 19, 2002; Page A12
The FBI warned law enforcement agencies yesterday that members of the al Qaeda terrorist network have discussed using hijackers on commercial aircraft who do not appear to be Arabic as a way to dodge security measures, officials said.
But an FBI spokeswoman said last night that the warning, included as part of the FBI's weekly bulletin to police departments around the country, was based on intelligence gathered prior to the Sept. 11 attacks and was not a sign of any new threat.
The bulletin, first reported by ABC News, said the plans detected by U.S. officials called for drafting Muslim veterans of the civil war in Russia's Chechnya region to act as hijackers.
-- Dan Eggen
© 2002 The Washington Post Company
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