Florida motel manager lets “clean” guests stay overnight

In this series, Newsweek describes the path of 9/11, as it happened 20 years ago, day after day.

August 26, Marwan al-Shehhi, the hijacker who will drive United Airlines Take flight 175 to the South Tower of the World Trade Center and check in to Panther Motel and Apartments located on South Ocean Drive (A1A) and 7th Street in Deerfield Beach, Florida. He paid $500 in cash for room 12. According to reports, he told the manager that he wanted to stay until September 2, but he extended his stay until September 9. He listed a mailbox and other locations as his permanent address. His registration form indicated that he was driving a blue Chevrolet.

Panther Motel Manager Richard Surma later told FBI He violated the rules and allowed al-Shehhi to have another man as an overnight guest. This person is probably Muhammad Atta, al-Shehhi’s best friend and partner. He reached feet. Lauderdale took off from Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) on August 28 and was picked up by al-Shehhi at the airport. According to the motel owner, in the next few days, other Middle Eastern men came and held meetings.Surma told South Florida Sun Sentinel After 9/11. In these days, Room 10 was also rented to the muscular man who later flew with al-Shehhi. The manager said that these people smoked on the balcony of the room and then met until late at night.

The FBI will then track the shops and banks of Atta and al-Shehhi to Deerfield Beach, Delray Beach, Pompano Beach, Hollywood and Lighthouse Point in the next week-Target, Circuit City, Payless Shoes, Lowe’s. On September 7, Atta sold his 1986 Grand Prix to Ford’s elite selection of used cars. Lauderdale is $650. Also during this period, the two wire transfer the extra money to the SunTrust account in Saudi Arabia, and Atta mails the Fedex package to the United Arab Emirates, which may also contain the extra money. On September 7, Atta left Ft. Lauderdale is on the flight back to BWI.

Sulma told the FBI that after checking out al-Shehhi, he found the following items in the trash: an aerial map of the eastern half of the United States, a German-English dictionary, an aerial map of Florida, a compass-like device, a Dry spice resembling mint, a huge syringe, Arabic handwritten notes in a binder, and technical books on subjects such as physics or aviation. He said the syringe contains a needle that is 10 inches long and 1/8 inch thick. The content also includes three illustrated folders depicting martial arts fighting skills.

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