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"Ask Allah to bless you with martyrdom'

 
Published Sept. 29, 2001|Updated Sept. 10, 2005

A hand-written document left behind by terrorists on Sept. 11 reveals a "shocking and disturbing view into the mindsets" of those who hijacked and crashed four airliners, Attorney General John Ashcroft said Friday. Ashcroft said the document was found in a bag belonging to Mohamed Atta, a suspected organizer of the attacks and a hijacker on the first of two flights that slammed into the World Trade Center. Another copy was found at the site of the crash of United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. A third copy was found in a car rented by Hawaf Alhazmi, one of the hijackers of the plane that smashed into the Pentagon. The document released by Ashcroft was in the original Arabic.

"The previous night, shave the extra hair from the body. Pray."

"Familiarize yourself with the plan in every aspect. Read the Al-Taubah chapter (of the Koran). Think of what Al-Taubah has prepared for you in paradise."

"Purify your head. Cleanse it from dross. . . . Be cheerful, for you have only moments between you and your eternity, after which a happy and satisfying life begins."

"Everybody hates death, fears death. But only those, the believers who know the life after death and the reward after death, would be the ones who will be seeking death."

"Remind yourself that in this night you will face many challenges. But you have to face them and understand it 100 percent. Obey God, his messenger, and don't fight among yourself where you become weak, and stand fast, God will stand with those who stood fast."

"Purify your heart and clean it from all earthly matters. The time of fun and waste has gone. The time of judgment has arrived. Hence we need to utilize those few hours to ask God for forgiveness. You have to be convinced that those few hours that are left you in your life are very few. From there you will begin to live the happy life, the infinite paradise. Be optimistic. The prophet was always optimistic."

"Check all of your items _ your bag, your clothes, knives, your will, your IDs, your passport, all your papers. Check your safety before you leave. Make sure that nobody is following you."

"The (illegible) with yourself. The suitcase, clothes, the knife, your tools, your card, (illegible), your passport and all your documents. Check out your weapon before departure. Put on tight clothes. This is the custom of the good predecessors. Allah blessed them, for they tightened their clothes before battle. Also tighten your shoes well and wear tight stocks so they will not come out of the shoes. Perform the morning prayer in a group."

"If you take a taxi to the A (illegible), when you arrive in the A and get off of the taxi, smile and rest assured for Allah is with the believers and the angels are protecting you."

"When you aboard the P or place your foot, before you enter it recite the prayers and remember: It is a raid for the sake of Allah. Recite the prayer. As you take the seat, recite the prayer. Mention Allah a lot."

"Pray that you and all your brothers to conquer, win without fear. . . . Ask Allah to bless you with martyrdom. Each one of you should be prepared to do his best in playing his part to Allah's satisfaction and grind his teeth as the apostle has done before engaging in battle."

"When the storming begins, strike the striking of heroes who determined not to go back into the world. When you strike, shout Allah is great because this shout strikes terrors in the hearts of the infidels. He said, "strike above their necks, strike all their (illegible)' The nymphs are calling out to you, come over here, companion of Allah."

"When the time of truth comes and zero hour arrives, then straighten out your clothes, open your chest and welcome death for the sake of Allah."

"Seconds before the target, your last words should be there is no God but Allah. Mohammed is his messenger."

The fifth and last page of the document found in Mohamed Atta's suitcase is on standard stenographer paper that apparently had been ripped from a pad and is headed, "When you enter the plane" It includes a series of prayers or exhortations.

"Oh, God, open all doors for me. Oh God who answers prayers and answers those who ask you, I am asking you for your help. I am asking you for forgiveness. I am asking you to lighten my way. I am asking you to lift the burden I feel.

"Oh God, you who open all doors, please open all doors for me, open all venues for me, open all avenues for me."

_ Dallas Morning News, Washington Post