9/11 pager messages reveal how banks responded to attacks

By Sahil Kapur
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 -- 1:01 pm
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911twintowersterrorismairpl 9/11 pager messages reveal how banks responded to attacks

"An Aloha call is starting . This is for a fire at 2WT," paged a Morgan Stanley employee at 8:50 AM on September 11, 2001, four minutes after the first plane crashed into the World Trade Center. It was the first pager message about the horrific attacks, according to CBS News.

Over half a million intercepted pager texts from that day are being unveiled by Wikileaks. It's intended to be a virtual re-enactment of 9/11, as they're being posted to the organization's website and Twitter feed between 3 AM Eastern Time today and 3 AM tomorrow, at the same times the pages were sent.

Minutes after Morgan Stanley's page, banks were in red-alert, initiating evacuation plans.

"SITUATION LOCK DOWN ALL AT&T LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED," a pager text soon read. Bank of America commanded the evacuation of its "high rise buildings only," saying there's a "nation-wide run on cash." MBNA Corp closed down all offices except for its call centers. Mastercard ordered that its New York and Delaware offices evacuate.

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Another firm to evacuate was Fidelity, whose offices were just blocks away from Ground Zero. "Those in the area should meet at the Winter Garden. Our plan is to meet there and (have most employees) work from home," a message read.

"Literally within minutes of the first attack, we already had one of our security people...lining up space outside the New York area for some of our employees," said Anne Crowley, a Fidelity spokeswoman at the time.

Firms on the opposite end of the country took note, too. "JOHN, DO NOT GO INTO THE OFFICES IN CONCORD NOR SAN FRANCISCO. LIN HAS ASKED US TO WORK FROM HOME. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CONTACT ME OR LEAVE A VOICEMAIL... RHONDA," said one message sent around 11 AM.

A reoccurring message from an unknown source read: "No Surveys Today- Do not Go to the Banks today.  Stay safe!  We'll call you when we can get through. Thanks- Scott."

It is unclear how the messages were obtained, but CBS News speculates that it was probably "over-the-air interception."

While some have praised Wikileaks for unearthing potentially important information from a historic, tumultuous day, others say it's just wrong. One blogger by the title "Jon Doe" called it "indecent," saying "to release such information publicly in this fashion seems a little perverse and objectionable."

Twitter user valejosh said: "...ok, seriously, I don't think it's right to release 9/11 text messages. Show some respect. People died."

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Story comments are below...

  • marxymcliberalson
    Maybe we'll find out what really happened
  • Savantster
    .
    if these were, in fact, open air intercepts, you'll never see any military stuff in them; those would be encrypted and not likely broken and viewed.

    If someone hacked a database, there's a small chance we could see something, but in general, anyone involved with this covered their tracks pretty well (from this kind of standpoint).
    .
  • jetset516a
    Lemme guess? It was the government right? Wow this site is still teaming with complete idiots.
  • Don't you mean "teeming", Black Kettle?
  • howiebledsoe
    Damn are you stupid.
    You not only have a pathetic grasp on your own language, but also prove to be an absolute idiot. Weather or not it was OUR govt. or not, it was A govt.
    Damn some people are stupid.
    And it was an inside job, BTW.
  • jetset516a
    Then you are a complete idiot. It's been proven 9/11 was NOT an inside job. All the loose nickel idiots, tin-foil hat wearers, and conspiracy theorists have been debunked. There's absolutely no proof it was an "inside job". you're just a bunch of kids frightened of what you have absolutely no clue about. Meanwhile the real bad guys are out there laughing their asses off at your stupidity.
  • rollandmiller
    Please tell me how the explosives brought down the buildings.

    9/11 was an inside job;

    The World knows this why not the Americans?
  • overdoneputaforkinit
    Meanwhile The President went back to reading a story book to children (because he didn't want to upset them).
  • Gorgeous George Orwell
    ""An Aloha call is starting . This is for a fire at 2WT," paged a Morgan Stanley employee at 8:50 AM on September 11, 2001, four minutes after the first plane crashed into the World Trade Center."

    Several reports of explosions and fires at WTC2 around that time. Oh and by the way, the first (and only) plane hit was to the NORTH TOWER, also known as WTC1. Details, details...
  • Phil E. Drifter
    Twitter user valejosh said: "...ok, seriously, I don't think it's right to release 9/11 text messages. Show some respect. People died."

    So?
  • I can see his point here.... I mean.... When people died in the worst terrorist attack on American soil. Why we should we ever actually investigate it? Should we? How disrespectful to want their murderers, whoever they are, to be brought to justice! Jeesh! Next thing they will be wanting is equal rights and fair protection under the law!(dripping sarcasm) I don't buy into a lot of the conspiracy theories but I don't think we should stop investigating it either.
  • nader paul kucinich gravel
    Wall Street seems to be in the know.
    Don't they?

    Surprise
    Surprise
  • rollandmiller
    9/11 was a False Flag Operation; yes done by the Bush Administration, or at least allowed to happen.

    The buildings were brought down by explosives, not the airplanes.

    The World knows this but the media in the US seems to be brain dead.

    There was a Isreali camera crew there filming the whole of 9/11. This has been reported and filmed.
  • harlinredlands
    Some people will object to anything they can. It's WIKILEAKS, not the damn government. Wikileaks deserves our trust.
  • You can go to the bank on the fact that the end is very nigh for 911 liars, stalkers, slanderers.

    As for those who say that it's not appropriate to release personal messages that were texted on 911.... People deserve the truth... What is not right [much less appropriate] is the continual lies and slander that has gone on for years.

    Karma can be a b!tch. Justice is coming and those who deserve their "just desserts" will be finally getting them.
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