Terror in the Skies: Why 9/11 Could Happen Again

by Annie Jacobsen

Book Overview

Annie Jacobsen’s harrowing first-hand account of her flight with a group of suspected terrorists forces us to ask: Could 9/11 happen again? On June 29, 2004, Jacobsen, traveling with her family on... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1890626627
• ISBN13: 9781890626624
• Release Date: December 2008
• Publisher: Spence Publishing Company
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

A MUST READ!!!

Every American should read this book. Seven years after 9/11 not enough has been done to protect our airlines. Annie Jacoben's book should be a wake up call. It is quite amazing that anyone would doubt the facts stated in her accounting of flight 327 - which have been corroborated by other passengers and air marshals - especially in light of the fact that 2 airplanes werre capable of bringing down the World Trade Towers. Why would anyone doubt that terrorists will try it again? It is not a matter of "if" but "when." Why has the United States been reluctant to implement security equal to that of Israel's? Why isn't the United States government doing enough to protect its citizens? Reading how lax security actually is at airports is frightening - a disaster waiting to happen AGAIN. It took strength and courage to write this book. Many thanks to Annie Jecobsen.

Take a stand of your own

An eye-opener and in view of recent events in the UK, what Annie Jacobsen has to say is fair warning to all air travellers, despite the dismissive accounts of some readers (who, I feel, could well be trying to defend their own lack of common sense). It may be politically incorrect to stigmatise a cast or creed, but in view of the radical Islamic jehadists stance against the west and what they have already done, it seems only common sense to avoid any flights that might carry such personages. Personally, I won't take the risk in future and will be eyeing my fellow passengers very carefully. If I suspect anything might be wrong, I'll ask to be put on another flight. Maybe, if others do the same, the Airlines might begin to do something to protect their passengers, such as recommending "some" people fly Arab Airways instead. Thank you for your courage and writing this book Annie. It's a book that everyone should read.

Good Riverboat Reading

I was informed of this book by a recent article in the Washington Times. Fascinating read! I remember the bizarre story of Northwest flight 327 and the 14 Syrian suspects and I was surprised to learn that for nearly two years now (from the Washington Times) the Department of Homeland Security has been "secretly" working on a report on the controversial flight. I do remember something way back when from the government to the affect of "nothing happened" on the flight. Something about the Syrians being part of a band. Well, well, surprise surprise. Now the DHS report has come out and it's been classified. Fortunately, Ms. Jacobsen's investigative work has not been classified. In this book, she shows us what Homeland Security doesn't want us to know: that 14 Syrian men can fly around the country on expired visas, terrorizing passengers and conducting test runs for hijacking and no one says boo. Buy a ticket to United 93, read this book and say a prayer. When you're done praying, get real and call your Congressman. If not, the news of your death will not be an exaggeration.

It's not being paranoid if someone really is out to get you

Everyone who flies often, or has loved ones who fly often, should read this book. It's one way to become a better informed consumer of airline travel. You'll learn that the government, which is supposed to protect you, is much more interested in covering up their mistakes, pointing fingers, using diversionary tactics and expending effort in obfuscating the truth. While, this book reads like a fiction political thriller, it's real life. It was too much to hope for that the government would be proactive in protecting us from terrorists who would turn our airliners into weapons against us. Instead they wait until something happens - Richard Reid tries to blow up a plane with a bomb in his shoe, and now 86-year old grandmothers have to take off their shoes. One hand doesn't know what the other hand is doing: The CIA knew the 9/11 bombers were in the country, but didn't bother to tell the FBI. Once the FBI knew, they couldn't find them - even though some of them were actually listed in the phone book. It's hard to read this book and keep on flying on commercial aircraft. But if anything, I have a whole lot more respect for the airline crews. I would say I have less confidence in our government, but I'm not sure confidence can be measured in the negative.

The Professor

Annie Jacobsen's book is a harrowing, fascinating and informed perspective on two timely topics: terrorism and the administration's inability to face the facts and keep the public out of harm's way. The author recounts in great detail the airline trip she took in June 2004, one where 14 Syrian men -- flying on expired visas (we discover later) acted in a threatening and suspicious manner that led her and others on the flight to believe the 757 might be hijacked. It wasn't hijacked, but anyone who believes nothing happened on flight 327 should read this book before they offer up an opinion. It's been fourteen months since the flight landed. Department of Homeland Security has been investigating the flight, Congress has been investigating the investigators and Ms. Jacobsen has been investigating what government leaves out. What she's discovered paints an alarming and disturbing portrait: bureacrats behaving like bureaucrats and terrorists behaving like terrorists. Jacobsen's personal account is riviting and her journalistic talents provide a compelling narrative. In is no accident that excerpts of "Terror in The Skies, Why 9/11 Could Happen Again" appear in Houghton Mifflin's colege primer, "Many Americas: Reading and Writing Across The Cultural Divide." This is a book that will challenge great minds to think critically. Our future depends on it.