This is a curious incident in the history of the September 11th attacks. The September 11th commission said it could find no explanation for Atta's trip to Portland. It is curious because Atta began his trip in Boston, driving 150 miles to Portland and taking a plane from there back to Boston the next morning. At Boston, according to the official narrative of events, Atta boarded American Airlines Flight 11 to Los Angeles, one of the planes that was flown into the World Trade Centre. Atta's connecting flight from Portland to Boston arrived only shortly before the Los Angeles-bound plane was due to take off. He thus ran a significant risk of missing the next flight.
In fact, although Atta apparently did make it on to Flight 11, his baggage did not. It was not transferred quickly enough and remained at Boston airport to be opened by investigators. It reportedly contained a copy of the Koran, flight instruction materials, an airline pilot's uniform and written instructions that were shared among all the hijackers.
In fact, although Atta apparently did make it on to Flight 11, his baggage did not. It was not transferred quickly enough and remained at Boston airport to be opened by investigators. It reportedly contained a copy of the Koran, flight instruction materials, an airline pilot's uniform and written instructions that were shared among all the hijackers.