In memory of the 2981 victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, among them three Albanians
[Disastrous September, by the Albanian-American author, Skifter Këlliçi, takes place on two different days: May 10 and September 11, 2001. The novel tells the story of a well-known CNN reporter named Steve Ferguson, engaged to Jacqueline Cramer, a flight attendant based at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts. In addition, the novel explores the lives of four Albanians. Besim Istrefi, Rrok Camaj, and Marko Muzaka worked as window washers in the Twin Towers. Sokol Kama, a journalist and writer, works in security at Logan International Airport. On September 11, 2001 just a few days before Steve and Jacqueline’s wedding, two planes, bound for Los Angeles, depart from Boston. Terrorists hijack them and crash them into the Twin Towers in New York. The author, who worked at Logan International Airport during the attacks, offers a gripping account of the tragedy and shows how it could have been avoided.]
By SKIFTER KELLICI
[Translated from the Albanian by Carrie Hooper]
Floyd knew these fundamentalist fanatics were not afraid to die since they believed they would enter Paradise. How could they have believed such nonsense? The “animals” referred to the poor passengers who had died on the planes. The terrorists probably called them other names as well. The words “hold on to your knives” proved they had used weapons other than firearms.
After reading the letter, Floyd left the American Airlines office, looked for Jay, and found him near the security checkpoint in Terminal B. He looked somber. Floyd showed him the letter. As he read it, he sighed, and his eyes darkened.
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“Obviously, the terrorists used knives to kill the crew members,” he said. “But how long were they?”
“They were pocket knives, smaller than your badge,” said Floyd.
Incredulous, Jay lifted his badge.
“But how could they have killed the pilots and flight attendants with only pocket knives?” he wondered.
He bit his lip, squinted, grabbed Floyd’s arm, and invited him to sit down. A few passengers, who thought their canceled flights would depart later, stood nearby.
“I’m convinced the terrorists didn’t just use pocket knives,” said Floyd. “I think they used other objects as well.”
“For God’s sake, what are you talking about?” Jay demanded, putting a hand on his reddish hair.
“They also used glass bottles and perfume bottles,” said Floyd.
Jay’s eyes widened. He knitted his twitching brow and clenched his fists.
“Let me explain. The terrorists had the type of pocket knives, allowed by the FAA. Since they were smaller than a badge, they made it through security without a problem.”
Jay recalled his conversation in May with the Albanian head of security, Sokol Kama.
“In addition,” continued Floyd, “they had large bottles with alcoholic beverages and perfume bottles with tear gas.”
Jay also recalled the letter Sokol had written, in which he had said neither small pocket knives nor bottles should be allowed on board. Not only Sokol, but also passengers and some of the airport workers had made the same recommendation, but he had done nothing.
“Spraying a robber two or three times in the eyes will blind him, at least for a few minutes.”
“That’s true,” said Jay. “The terrorists probably sprayed the two flight attendants in first class.”
“Exactly. The two terrorists in second class probably did the same. Then, they pulled out their knives, grabbed the flight attendants, held the blades to their throats, and threatened to kill them if the passengers moved from their seats.”
Floyd’s eyes bore into Jay.
“What were the poor passengers supposed to do? Attack the terrorists?” he said in a guttural voice.
“As I told you before, we heard the voice of Muhammad Ata, apparently, the leader of the terrorists. In an attempt to reassure the passengers, he told them they were returning to Boston, and he threatened to kill them and crash the plane if they moved.”
“Exactly. And as a result, the passengers thought the plane would land here, and the terrorists would negotiate with government officials, as often happened. The passengers on the other planes thought the same thing.”
“But how did they kill the pilots?”
Floyd knit his brow and shrugged his shoulders.
“I’m not sure. They may have feigned panic, knocked on the cockpit door, and requested help for a flight attendant who had fainted or suffered another crisis. What would the co-pilot have done?”
These fundamentalist fanatics were not afraid to die since they believed they would enter Paradise. How could they have believed such nonsense?
Without waiting for an answer, Floyd continued: “He would have come out of the cockpit. And that’s probably what he did. Then, one of the terrorists, hiding behind the door, probably struck the back of his head with a glass bottle. The co-pilot may have fallen to the floor, unconscious. Once he fell, the terrorist likely stabbed him and left his corpse there. The pilot, concerned, probably left the cockpit and suffered the same fate.”
Jay agreed with Floyd’s suppositions.
“The terrorists probably scared the passengers into submission by threatening to blow up the plane if they disobeyed their orders.”
In short, the passengers assumed the two planes were returning to Logan International Airport in Boston. They didn’t know the planes were flying into the Twin Towers. By the time they understood what was happening, it was too late to stop the terrorists.
“What about the plane that crashed near Pittsburgh?” Jay asked.
Wrinkling his brow, Floyd thought long and hard.
“You told me Steve informed you that his fiancé, who was on American Airlines Flight 11, called him and told him what was happening. Its possible relatives of the passengers called them and told them two planes had crashed into the Twin Towers and warned them their plane could crash into a building, too.”
“And as a result, many passengers, aware of their precarious situation, attacked the terrorists who had taken control of the plane. The terrorist, flying the plane, probably lost control, and the plane crashed before it had reached its destination.”
“They came to our country, studied to become pilots in our country, and killed us with our own planes,” he sighed.
“You’re probably right.”
“What was their target? The White House perhaps?”
Floyd rubbed his wrinkled face and shrugged his shoulders.
“That wouldn’t surprise me,” he said, his brow darkening.
“Just awful!” sighed Jay.
Meanwhile, Floyd’s assistant approached him.
“Here’s some information about Muhammad Ata,” he said, handing him several papers which he read with eagerness. Floyd summarized their content for Jay:
“He studied architecture in Cairo and Hamburg. He came to the US in 2000. He and some friends went to the Hufmann Aviation School in Venice, Florida to become pilots. Muhammad Ata paid 40,000 dollars for the courses. At that time, the CIA didn’t suspect anything. On August 4, 2001, he was in Orlando, Florida. That’s how he covered his tracks. Yesterday, he went from Boston to Portland with Abdul al Ramzi and this morning, as you know, he came back to join his cohorts.”
Floyd handed Jay the list with the names of the Arabs on the four planes, pulverized along with them.
Jay felt as if part of his heart had been ripped out of him.
“They came to our country, studied to become pilots in our country, and killed us with our own planes,” he sighed.
Floyd wanted to speak but kept silent. (Continues)
Click here for Part-1, Part-2, Part-3, Part-4, Part-5, Part-6, Part-7, Part-8, Part-9, Part-10, Part-11, Part-12, Part-13, Part-14, Part-15, Part-16, Part-17, Part-18, Part-19, Part-20, Part-21, Part-22,
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About the Author
Skifter Këllici was born in Tirana, Albania and received a diploma in history and literature from the University of Tirana. He worked as a journalist, scholar, and sportscaster on radio and television. He is the author of several novels and nonfiction books, including the children’s books, “Memories of the Old Neighborhood” and “In the Footsteps” as well as the historical novels, “Assassination in Paris”, “The Murderer with the White Hands”, and “September Disaster.” He wrote the screenplay for “In the Footsteps” which won a special prize at the International Children’s Film Festival in Giffoni, Italy in 1979. He has lived in Boston, Massachusetts since 1999.
About the Translator
Carrie Hooper was born and raised in Elmira, New York. She has been blind since birth. She received a B.A. in vocal performance from Mansfield University, Mansfield, Pennsylvania. She went on to receive an M.A. in German and an M.A. in vocal performance from the State University of New York at Buffalo. After completing her studies, she spent a year at the Royal University College of Music in Stockholm, Sweden as a Fulbright scholar. Carrie currently lives in Elmira, New York. She taught German, Italian, and Romanian at Elmira College. She has a passion for foreign languages and in addition to the languages mentioned above, she is also proficient in Swedish, Spanish, and Albanian. Music also plays an important role in Carrie’s life. She teaches voice and piano lessons, gives vocal concerts, plays the piano and organ at a church, and sings in a community chorus. Carrie not only loves music and languages, but also enjoys poetry. She has published three books: “Piktura në fjalë” (“Word Paintings”), a bilingual collection of poetry (Albanian-English), “My Life in My Words”, and “Away from Home.” She has also translated texts from Albanian and Romanian to English.
[The book ‘Disastrous September is being reproduced in episodes with the consent of the author]
