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Sun-Sentinel (Fort
Lauderdale, FL) October 27, 2001 Saturday Broward Metro Edition :
The FBI has recovered
two cars belonging to suspected leaders of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a
law enforcement source said Friday.
Agents impounded the
cars Wednesday and Thursday and searched them, according to the law
enforcement source, speaking on condition of anonymity. The cars are a red
1989 Pontiac Grand Am belonging to Mohamed Atta and another car used by
Marwan al-Shehhi.
Atta is thought to be a
leader of the Sept. 11 plot and the hijacker who flew American Airlines
Flight 11 into the World Trade Center.
Al-Shehhi, 23, is
suspected of flying United Airlines Flight 175 into the Trade Center's
second tower. Atta and al Shehhi lived together in Coral Springs and
Hollywood and took flying lessons together.
Wynn Errico, owner of
Wynn Motor Co. in North Lauderdale, said three FBI agents came to his
dealership several days after Sept. 11 to question him.
Errico said Atta drove
into his used car lot around 2 p.m. on the Friday before the attacks, saying
he wanted to sell the Grand Am because he did not need it anymore. Three men
in a white minivan accompanied him and waited for about 45 minutes while
Errico and Atta went back and forth about a price, Errico said.
He said Atta rejected
his offer of $800 cash.
"He said, 'I'd rather
run it into a building than sell it for $800,'" Errico said.
The law enforcement
source said the cars were retrieved recently but wouldn't specify when. Al-Shehhi's
car had been cleaned, limiting its use to investigators, but Atta's car had
not been cleaned. Atta's car was sitting in a warehouse, awaiting sale out
of state, when the cars were confiscated. No further information was
available about the second car.
Sun Auto, 745 N.
Andrews Ave. in Fort Lauderdale, bought the Grand Am the week before the
attacks from Atta, two employees said Friday.
The employees, who did
not wish to be identified, said the car had been sold to an individual and
that an FBI agent had visited there often, inquiring about the car.
Atta had apparently
visited several car dealerships on State Road 7 in North Lauderdale trying
to sell the car.
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