December 5, 2009

	Andrew Alexander
	Ombudsman
	The Washington Post

	Dear Mr. Alexander:

	RE: On Flight 77: 'Our Plane Is Being Hijacked'
	By Marc Fisher and Don Phillips
	September 12, 2001; Page A01


	According to the Washington Post, Barbara K. Olson
	called her husband twice on September 11, 2001 in
	the final minutes of Flight 77. Her last words to
	him were, "What do I tell the pilot to do?"

	"She called from the plane while it was being
	hijacked," said Theodore Olson -- 42nd Solicitor
	General of the United States. "I wish it wasn't so,
	but it is."

	However, prosecution exhibit P200054 (attached) in
	United States v. Zacarias Moussaoui
	http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov/notablecases/
	moussaoui/exhibits/prosecution/flights/P200054.html
	 shows that Barbara Olson made only one phone call
	-- it did not connect, and it lasted for 0 seconds!

	Both accounts of Barbara Olson's phone calls -- the
	Solicitor General's and the prosecution's in United
	States v. Zacarias Moussaoui -- cannot be correct.

	This is not a trivial issue.

	The Solicitor General's account of this phone call
	was picked up by major news media around the world,
	it helped define the narrative of September 11,
	2001, was repeated in "The 9/11 Commission Report"
	(page 9), and it could impact the trial of the
	alleged 9/11 "mastermind" Khaled Sheikh Mohammed.

	The Post owes its readers a correction of the
	record of this historic, tragic day.


	Sincerely,
	Enver Masud

	Founder and CEO
	The Wisdom Fund
	www.twf.org

	xxxx Hayes Street
	Arlington, VA 22202

	Phone: 703-xxx-xxxx
	
	
	
	---
	December 6, 2009

	Mr. Masud,

	Thanks for writing. I will forward your e-mail to
	The Post's National desk, so they are aware of the
	issue you've raised.

	Best wishes,
	Andy Alexander
	Washington Post Ombudsman
	
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