Security video of plane hitting Pentagon released, adds, S’bite from Judicial Watch

(17 May 2006) US Department of Defence FILE: Arlington, 11 September 2001 MUTE 1. Security camera view of plane smashing into Pentagon 2. Second security camera view of plane smashing into Pentagon AP Television FILE: Arlington, 11 September 2001 3. Plumes of smoke rising from Pentagon, AUDIO of sirens AP Television Washington, DC, 16 May 2006 4. Tom Fenton of Judicial Watch arriving for interview 5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tom Fitton, Judicial Watch: “Well, hopefully it will put to rest some of the conspiracy theories about September 11th. Also, it’s important that there be a complete record for history. Also, it’s a reminder about the terrible nature of the terrorist threat we face as a country.“ AP Television FILE: Arlington, 11 September 2001 6. Emergency vehicles arriving at Pentagon, thick, black smoke and fire at site AP Television Washington, DC, 16 May 2006 7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tom Fitton, Judicial Watch: “Well, it’s important for people to understand that Flight 77 was used as a weapon against the Pentagon and many, many people died. The suggestion has been that our government was involved in that and hopefully this video puts all that to rest.“ AP Television FILE: Arlington, 11 September 2001 8. Emergency vehicles rushing towards Pentagon, AUDIO of sirens 9. Black smoke rising from burning building, people evacuating STORYLINE: The US Defence Department on Tuesday released the first video images of American Airlines Flight 77 crashing into the Pentagon on 11 September 2001. The images, recorded by Pentagon security cameras outside the building, were made public in response to a December 2004 Freedom of Information Act request by Judicial Watch, a public interest group. Some still images from the video had previously been leaked and publicly circulated, but this was the first official release. The aeroplane is a thin white blur on the video as it hits the Pentagon at ground level. Almost instantly, a white flash and a huge orange fireball appear on the video, followed by a tower of grey-black smoke. Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch, says the organisation fought for the video to be released because they thought it was important to complete the public record of the attacks. “Also, it’s a reminder about the terrible nature of the terrorist threat we face as a country,“ he added. He also said he hoped the video would put an end to conspiracy theories that the US government was somehow involved in the attacks. Travelling at an estimated 350 miles per hour (560 kilometres per hour), the hijacked American Airlines plane ploughed into the southwest side of the Pentagon at mid-morning, shortly after two other hijacked airlines were flown into the Twin Towers at the World Trade Centre in New York. The attack set off fires in part of the Pentagon and killed 125 people inside, in addition to the 59 passengers and crew and the five men who hijacked the plane at Dulles International Airport. According to a Pentagon spokeswoman, families of the victims of the Pentagon attack were not consulted before the videos were released on the Pentagon’s web site. #Pentagon #plane Find out more about AP Archive: Twitter: Facebook: ​​ Instagram: You can license this story through AP Archive: