Berlin, Oct 26:Al-Qaeda planned as early as 1996 to attack US targets with airplanes, a German news magazine reports in its latest edition, citing admissions made by two top members of the extremist network. The report quoted statements made by two suspects in US custody, alleged September 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Ramzi Binalshibh, believed to be another of the top coordinators of the attacks that claimed the lives of about 3,000 people in the United States in 2001. Mohammed -- thought to be one of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's closes aides -- had originally proposed mounting attacks in the United States with light aircraft filled with explosives. The German magazine, whose report quoted US and German intelligence experts, said that bin Laden had replied, "Why use an axe when you can use a bulldozer?" and suggested using passenger jets fully tanked with fuel.
The three suicide hijackers who had been based in the northern German city of Hamburg -- ringleader Mohammed Atta, Marwan Al-Shehhi and Ziad Jarrah -- met bin Laden in Afghanistan at the end of 1999 or early 2000, the magazine said in its issue to be published tomorrow.
Bureau Report