ATS: Court Declines to Release 9-1-1 Tapes of Callers from World Trade Center Towers

A New York Appelate Court has decided against releasing tapes of calls made to 9-1-1 from the World Trade Center Towers. The court felt that, while the tapes could reveal new details of what occured in the towers on that morning, that hearing the last words of their loved ones could be too traumatic for the callers' families.



It is interesting that the calls that could have proven or disproven many conspiracy theories about pre-planted bombs on the inside of the two towers will never become public knowledge. I can agree with the court's decision, however, I feel that the public is entitled to some source of information about the occurances in those doomed towers on that fateful morning.

Related News Links:
www.guardian.co.uk
www.nydailynews.com


Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
[url=http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread23709/pg1] 1 WTC collapse
No Hijackers For 911


[edit on 3/24/2005 by UnMature]

[edit on 3/24/2005 by UnMature]

[edit on 3/24/2005 by UnMature]

I believe that these tapes contain a very important part of history and that all of us could benefit from the knowledge to be gained from them. I do believe that the only conspiracy relative to 9/11 was between a group of loathsome Arabs hell-bent on killing innocent Americans. At the very least, the transcripts should be made public.

I too think the tapes should be released... To me it would be more daunting NOT to be able to hear a loved one's last words...

Instead, it agreed only to the release of calls from any relatives of the eight families who joined a lawsuit, originally filed by The New York Times as part of a request under the freedom of information law.

*snip*

The court did order the release of 511 interviews with September 11 firefighters.

It ordered that the oral histories be disclosed except for "specifically identified portions that can be shown likely to cause serious pain or embarrassment to an interviewee."

The fire department also will be required to release some internal communications between dispatchers and other employees -- those with "factual statements or instructions affecting the public" but none disclosing "opinions and recommendations."

*snip*

Norm Siegel, an attorney for the eight families who sought full disclosure, said they will seek affidavits from other families authorizing the release of additional 9-1-1 calls. "We won a lot, but there are things we didn't get," Siegel said.

I guess I just see this differently but my take on this is that it was a big victory for the press and the eight families. The judges also seem to leave this ruling open in that they only censored releasing tapes in which family members had not agreed to their release. The plaintiffs are now seeking to get waivers from those families. Potentially all of the 911 tapes could be released. What am I missing?

B

The fact your missing is that these tapes were released only to the eight families and not the public.

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
I believe that these tapes contain a very important part of history and that all of us could benefit from the knowledge to be gained from them.

How could listening to someone screaming, crying, etc help with history?

Im glad they are not releasing them to everyone. I don't think these people need their last words all over TV, Internet, etc. I don't need to listen to some 40 year old accountant on the 109 floor crying to a 911 operator.



[edit on 24-3-2005 by andpau66]

I have heard calls from some of the doomed flights and I have to tell you it really wrenches at your heartstrings knowing that these people do not know their fates, but you, you know how the story ends. I cannot really come to a conclusion on wether these tapes would be of benefit to history or just another thing for the publlic to gawk at. I can tell you though that it makes you appreciate lilfe a lot more after hearing something as sad as those tapes.

We should never be shielded from the horror of 9/11. It is important for all of us to know what those people lived through and how they died. It should make us sick, frightened, angry, and, most of all, vigilent.

I agree that these recordings should only be made available to the families who request them.

If it was one of my friends or family killed in 9/11 it would be too much to bear, hearing their last phone call. For some it gives comfort, a kind of closure maybe.

The world knows those people died, traumatising ourselves listening to their last words won't help us.

Al Quada would use these recordings in it's own propoganda too. Websites with the banner "Come hear the weak infidel pigs sob and cry".

Lets not give them that.

Oh the tapes will be released, in a little. It's basically the organisations behind the attacks saying ok we need a bit more time to edit them and check that we've done it right this time because we can't afford anymore screw ups on this subject. The people are getting too suspicious about not being told the truth.

This is an opinion. I have right to an opinion. Those who disagree with that opinion that is your right too. If you really want to believe that the Official Truth is accurate then that again is your right. I have the right to believe in a certain thing, that thing being I believe the Official versions of events is not entirely accurate. There are alot of holes. In my opinion. Just like someones opinion that there is a God in Heaven. That's his right to believe that.

Originally posted by Bleys


*snip*

The court did order the release of 511 interviews with September 11 firefighters.

It ordered that the oral histories be disclosed except for "specifically identified portions that can be shown likely to cause serious pain or embarrassment to an interviewee."

The fire department also will be required to release some internal communications between dispatchers and other employees -- those with "factual statements or instructions affecting the public" but none disclosing "opinions and recommendations."

*snip*

two interesting things that i see here. there are two statements made that releast tapes would be cencered.

"portions that can be shown likely to cause serious pain or embaresment to an interviewee."
"but none discloseing oppinions and recomendations"
hmm possible embaresment to the government mabe? opinions? like mabe secondary explosions, caused by pre planted bombs?

i would feel sorry for those that would be hurt with bringing the pain back but any censoring even if stated for "good" reasons could be used to remove the very truths we are looking for.

we had a murder triel here several; years ago. the case was not alowed to be aired within canada and the videos shown in court were to be destroyed due to the welfare of the surviveing family. many here think it was wrong especialy when it seemed to become apparent that the police made a deal with possibly the one who actualy may have been the murderer. yes it would have been verry disturbing and most likely would have hurt the family that others knew what went on. but we were left to have to beleive what little was released about the case. we were not alowed to truely understand what had happened. now the time is near where the one defendant is getting out of prisen due to her deal. was she as led astary as we were told thus justifying her realease or was there facts that would see here as being an equil partner in the crimes in fact possibly the actual murderer? we don't know. all i know is that her fellow inmates have said that she feels apsolutely no remorse for what happened. this was told to a family member who was helping within the prison, by the inmates themselves who seemed shocked at the lack of remorse.

it would have been nice to have the facts to work with to decide what realy happened in this case. all we had was what we were told. and we all know that when left to government agencies info that looks bad on the government is generaly cencered or changed to avoid the government embarasement or implications of wrong doing.

I believe the case you are referring to was the Paul Bernardo/Karla Hamolka kidnap/rape/murder cases. The reason that those tapes were never released publicly was due to the unbelievably disgusting nature of the crimes. I for one am glad that those tapes never came to the public eye. It would have only dragged the surviving family through more horror and unnecessary pain. Sometimes we have to step back and realize that real people are involved in these situations and that they also have the right to move on in life if possible. I actually live about 10 minutes from where that insane Bitch is locked up. I believe she is due to be released this June and I really hope somebody kills her the moment she is released.

[edit on 25-3-2005 by Veebomb_Canada]

Originally posted by UnMature
The fact your missing is that these tapes were released only to the eight families and not the public.

As they should...if the families don't want these tapes realeased why is it that people insist that it is their right to hear them too?...

This is what really bothers me about some people...they bash and yell that their rights are being infringed but they have no remorse or trouble with infringing the rights of others....

I know this is an old thread, but I listened to 2 recordings of last phone calls last night, and I haven't slept at all.

The calls I listened to, were 911 calls made by Kevin Cosgrove and Melissa Doi.
I am not going to put a link up, I chose to listen to them, and I am glad that I did, because I feel very humble today, and very, very sad. My heart was in my mouth throughout each call, and they are both extremely traumatic to listen to~therefore I feel people will be more inclined to click the links if they are here, whereas if they really do want to listen a search will bring them up fast. (I know if a link is there, I will click it even if warned not to)

These calls shouldn't be hidden away, there were many comments on them saying they should be taken off, but I truly feel, that people need to realise what these people went through.

RIP Kevin and Melissa, RIP to all those killed 9/11, you will never be forgotten.

Once again, you've got a case of possibly guilty parties, using the relatives of those who died, as literal human shields. It is completely unconscionable.