Translation of Sept. 11 Hijacker Mohamed Atta's Suicide Note: Part One
Sept. 28, 2001 -- U.S. authorities say they have found a handwritten letter in Arabic in a suitcase that belonged to Mohamed Atta, one of the hijackers involved in the deadly Sept. 11 suicide attacks.
The letter allegedly links hijackers on three of the four planes used in the attacks, officials said. The following is a translation by ABC:
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The last night: One of the companions of the Prophet said: The Messenger of God had ordered us to recite it [Qur'anic verse] before the battle, we did, we won the battle and we were not harmed.
1- Pledge allegiance to die, and the renewal of steps to be alert. * shaving of extra body hair, wearing fragrance. * wash up.
2- To know the plan very well -- know all its aspects and notes regarding reaction by or resistance from the enemy.
3- Read Surat al-Tawba, and Surat al-Anfal -- understand their meanings and understand what God had prepared for the faithful -- He prepared an everlasting paradise for the martyrs.
4- Remind yourself of obedience -- In this night you will face decisive moments. These moments require obedience (100%). Calm your soul, make it understand, and convince and push her to do that [the mission]. God said "Obey God and his Prophet, if you don't, you will fail and lose your winds, be patient, God is with those who are patient."
5- Stay up at night, persist in your invocations of victory, control and conquest. [your invocation for] Thing to go well and for God to provides a cover for us.
6- Increase your mention of God's name. The best mention is reading the Qur'an. All scholars agreed to this. It is enough for us, that [the Qur'an] is the word of the Creator of Heaven and Earth, Who we are about to meet.
7- cleanse your heart of sins, forget and try to forget something called life. The time of play is over, now is the time of the true promise [of God]. How many [years] we have wasted [!] shouldn't we use these hours to present [to God, our] sacrifices and obedience.
8- let your heart be happy [crossed out word] only few easy seconds separate you from the beginning of a happy life, peaceful life, and the everlasting tranquility with Prophets and the faithful and martyrs, they are the kindest [creatures]. We ask God to [help us be] optimistic, the Prophet, peace be upon him (He loved to be optimistic in all his doings).
9- Then, put that in front of your eyes, if you are facing a challenge -- how would you act [?] how to steadfast [?] and remember and learn [illegible] it wouldn't happen to you. It is a challenge from God [illegible] then it will be clear, God willing, God had said "did you think that you will enter paradise and that God knows those who performed Jihad and knows those who are patient"
10- Remember what God said "You wished death before you see it and?." "A small band have won over a large band", "if god make you victorious no one will defeat you, God willing?".
11- Remind yourself of the invocations [for the sake of] your brothers and understand what they mean (invocations of morning and night -- invocations of country - invocations of the place - invocations about meeting the enemy).
12- [illegible] [Check ] yourself, the bag, cloth, the knife, your tools, your ID ([illegible]) - your passport- all your papers).
13- Check your weapon [crossed out word or words] before leaving and before before leaving [word repeated is in original] and (one of you must sharpen his blade [crossed out word] to inflict wound on his prey [to slaughter] ).
14- Wear your cloth appropriately -- tied, the way our good ancestors did it, may God bless them, they used to wear their cloth in a tied fashion -- before the battle, then tie your shoe very well, wear [tied] socks so you don't lose your shoes. We are ordered to follow these items, God is our Sustainer praise be to Him.
15- Pray the morning prayers with a group of people, understand its worth, then, begin the invocations, don't leave home unless you perform the ablution. Recite God's words " We created you.." the Saying [of the Prophet in the book of [illegible].
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After that, the second phase:
If a taxi transported you to (M) recite the invocation [illegible] the car -- a lot and the invocations of riding - the invocations of the country - the invocations of the place - and other invocations).
If you reached your destination and you saw (m). Get off the taxi, recite the invocations of the place, and do that in every place you go to, and smile and be assured, God is with his faithful, and angels will be guarding you without you noticing them.
Then recite the invocation that "God is dearest of all his creation" and recite " Oh God [illegible] and save you from their evil" and recite 'Oh God construct a dam in front of their hands and behind their hands, and blind them, so they can't see [us]. " And recite "God is our Sustainer, Blessed be He" and recite "[illegible] increase their faith, ..".
After you recite you will see things get easier without your intervention because God had promised his servants who recite this invocations with the following:1- [Victory] with the grace of His blessings.2- They were not harmed.3- Follow God's [illegible]. God said " ?..".
The believer's shouldn't be scared of it, but those who obey Satan should, [illegible] God said " Satan scares his followers."
Those who admire the Western civilization, those who drank their love (the love of the West) [illegible] destruction, and they were scared of their week tools ("Do not fear them [illegible] and fear if you are believers") Fear is [illegible]. The believers are victorious because of God there is no god but God [illegible]. Be sure that God will stop the conspiracy of the infidels. God said " God will weakened their conspiracy."
Then you have to recite, and the greatest of recitation is, no one should notice that you recite "There is no god but God" because if you recite it a thousand time no one will be able to differentiate between your silence and your recitation [illegible] peace be upon him. You can smile while you say it [illegible].
It is enough that the concept of Oness [Tawheed] that you uphold as a banner that you fight for -- as the Prophet of God, peace be upon him, and his companions had done and will continue untill the last day.
End Of Page Two.
More: Pages Three and Four.