Thursday, July 22, 2004

Close WH coop on bin Laden flight

More info on the Plane that Carried 13 Bin Ladens: "Although much was already known about the 'bin Laden flight,' [senator] Lautenberg provided additional details, including the information that the plane, a 727 owned by DB Air and operated by Ryan International. . . . The aircraft, tail number N521DB, has been chartered frequently by the White House for the press corps traveling with President Bush.

A staff report by the Sept. 11 commission this spring said the flight was one of six chartered flights carrying 142 people, mostly Saudi nationals, from the United States between Sept. 14 and 24 after airspace was reopened. The U.S. government had allowed, before commercial airspace was reopened, at least one domestic flight for Saudis who had feared for their safety, Lautenberg's staff said."