9/11 morning

For the vast majority of Americans, September 11, 2001, started like any other peaceful Tuesday morning. There were no sure signs of a terrorist attack. Neither the military nor public authorities were aware that an attack would come at that time or that it would be so extensive.

Below we investigate various conspiracy theory claims related to the morning of September 11, 2001.

Dick Cheney was in control of NORAD

9/11 morning, Flight 11 hijacked, Flight 175 hijacked, Flight 77 hijacked, Flight 93 hijacked

Vice President Dick Cheney was in control of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) on September 11, 2001. He had the power – and used it – to prevent NORAD from stopping the hijacked planes.

The hijacked planes could have been intercepted by military planes

9/11 morning, Flight 11 hijacked, Flight 175 hijacked, Flight 77 hijacked, Flight 93 hijacked, Prelude

In 1999, Air Traffic Control lost contact with a Learjet 35 on its way from Orlando, Florida, to Dallas, Texas. On board were two pilots and four passengers, one being the famous golf player Payne Stewart. An F-16 from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, which happened to be in the area, was dispatched to localize the plane but was unable to make contact. Two more planes were dispatched, also to make contact, but this was also in vain. The Learjet continued its course until it ran out of fuel, after which it crashed. This incident is used to argue that the hijacked planes on September 11, 2001 were intentionally not intercepted by military planes.

4,000 Israelis did not show up for work

9/11 morning, Prelude

This claim is rooted in the myth that Jews are, and have been, behind the largest conspiracies throughout time. When that many Jews don’t show up for work, it must be because they were warned beforehand, as opposed to non-Jews, who then became victims of the terror attack.