Tampa Kamikaze Pilot Expressed Sympathy for Bin Laden

NewsMax.com ^ | 1/06/02 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

The 15-year-old flight student who crashed a stolen Cessna 172 airplane into Tampa's tallest building on Saturday left behind a suicide note expressing sympathy for Osama bin Laden and support for the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, a Florida law enforcement official said at a news conference Sunday afternoon.

"Upon a search of the (crash) scene a note was found which belonged to (Charles) Bishop," said Tampa Police Chief Bennie Holder.

"According to the note Bishop clearly stated that he had acted alone without any help from anyone else. He did, however, make statements expressing his sympathy for Osama bin Laden and the event which occurred on Sept. 11, 2001."

Despite the bombshell revelation, Chief Holder insisted, "at this time there is no information to support Bishop's connection with any terrorist organization. Let me say again, all indications are Charles Bishop was a troubled young man. He acted alone without help from anyone else."

Chief Holder declined to quote from Bishop's note directly, saying that because the investigation into the crash was still ongoing details would be kept confidential. He said it was handwritten and "three or four paragraphs" in length.

Bishop said the 15-year-old was carrying the note in his pocket.

Holder said that while he considered Bishop's death a suicide, he would not characterize the plane crash as a terrorist act. "It depends on your interpretation of a terrorist act but no, I do not," he told reporters.

Police intend to check Bishop's computer for further information, Holder said.

The flight student crashed the light plane into the 22nd floor of Tampa's 42-story Bank of America building, apparently killing himself on impact. No office personnel were injured in the crash.

[MizSterious]

Oh, I see, just a misguided child "acting out," not a terrorist act. Watch and see how in the days to come he'll be portrayed as a saintly person who would never so much as step on an ant. Had he lived, they'd no doubt sentence him to a "time out."

[Mixer]

Holder said that while he considered Bishop's death a suicide, he would not characterize the plane crash as a terrorist act. "It depends on your interpretation of a terrorist act but no, I do not

Well I sure as hell do! He supported OBL and 9/11 and more then likely he will spawn a few copycats before it is over. That to me is terrorism.

[mikeIII]

I'd be interested to know more of his background to see what attracts them youngsters like him to OBL. Was he unstable?

[Mark17]

Byron, LOL, we had another terrorist attack, and apparently he wasn't even Arab, or I guess he wasn't.

[Amerigomag]

Agreed. Even without an OBL connection or a 911 backdrop, flying an aircraft into an occupied building is, among other things, an act of terror.

[Mark17]

I'd be interested to know more of his background to see what attracts them youngsters like him to OBL. Was he unstable?

Maybe it is the same thing that causes some idiots to be cult followers of Charles Manson, the night stalker, the hillside strangler, the Menedez brothers, to name a few. The bottom line is: they are idiots.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

...Byron, LOL, we had another terrorist attack...

Suicide, Mark. Copycat suicide.

Happens all the time, especially where male teen hormones are involved.

[IWONDR]

How was he able to get to his target without being intercepted? What would have happened if he had been a terrorist carrying some sort of toxic chemical or explosive? I guess since he was only 15, no one was alarmed enough to alert authorities?

[Byron_the_Aussie]

...was he unstable?...

What fifteen-year-old male isn't?

[Byron_the_Aussie]

Kattracks, a prediction; if the media milk this bigtime, for ratings, count on another copycat.

[Walkin Man]

He supported bin-Laden and 9/11 BUT the "poor boy" is just a misguided child just like Johnny Jihad Walker, and his copy-cat crime is not a terrorist act.

BS!

[Mark17]

Suicide, Mark. Copycat suicide.

Happens all the time, especially where male teen hormones are involved.

No doubt. I wonder if he wasn't getting....well, never mind what he wasn't getting.

[Amerigomag]

Suicide, Mark. Copycat suicide

Nice try!

Care to explain the attempted murder aspect of his flight?

[DeckTheHallsHolly]

I would send Mummy and Daddy the bill for the plane, the building repair and city services.

[stlrocket]

Pictures of the Plane in the building.

1-5-02 B OF A BLDG - TAMPA

[KSCITYBOY]

One less poster on the democratic underground today.

[JusPasenThru]

The fellow was following his dream, walking his own walk, doing his own thing, and coloring outside the lines. He defined reality in his own unique way. He was not being judgemental like the right-wing Christians are. He had the courage of his own convictions. He just did it. America brought this own herself by oppressing third world countries and by turning her back on the needy and homeless. He knew there are no such thing as absolutes, especially when it comes to "right" or "wrong". To me, it was wrong but if you think it was OK, then you're OK, and so am I.

Now I've just saved you the trouble of reading the New York Times editorial page.

[Mark17]

Suicide, Mark. Copycat suicide

Nice try!

Care to explain the attempted murder aspect of his flight?

Who knows for sure what he was attempting? We may never know, but we CAN speculate can't we?

[MattMa]

I feel sympathy for Bin Laden also, the poor "son of a female dog" is dead, and has left 30 some children fatherless.

Of course I could be wrong, there may be less children.