Washington, Aug 08: US investigators now believe that a hijacker in the cockpit aboard United Airlines Flight 93 instructed terrorist-pilot Ziad Jarrah to crash the jetliner into a field in Pennsylvania because of a passenger uprising in the cabin. This theory, based on the government's analysis of cockpit recordings, discounts the popular perception of insurgent passengers grappling with terrorists to seize the plane's controls.

The government's findings- laid out deep within the report on the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that was sent to Congress last month- aim to resolve one of the enduring mysteries of the deadliest terror attacks in US history: what happened in the final minutes aboard Flight 93?

The FBI strenuously maintains that its analysis does not diminish the heroism of passengers who- with the words ``let's roll'- apparently rushed down the airliner's narrow aisle to try to overtake the hijackers.

President George W Bush and Attorney General John Ashcroft have regularly praised the courage of those aboard Flight 93, some of whom told family members by telephone they were planning to storm the cockpit.

“While no one will ever know exactly what transpired in the final minutes of flight 93, every shred of evidence indicates this plane crashed because of the heroic actions of the passengers,'' FBI spokeswoman Susan Whitson said yesterday.

Thirty-three passengers, seven crew members and the four hijackers died.
Bureau Report