InstinctInstinct
September 11, 2001. Almost everything seemed to go as the terrorists intended. Almost. Flight 93—which crashed not on the Capitol or the White House, but in a Pennsylvania field—was one terrorist shy of the other flights. The brave Americans who rose up that day against the hijackers were aided by a man they never met and whose story has never been written. His name is Jose Melendez-Perez. This book tells his story.
As Michael Smerconish recounts in riveting detail inInstinct, more than a month earlier a young Saudi national had arrived at Orlando International Airport on a flight from London. He didn’t speak English, and his customs paperwork was blank except for his name: Mohamed al-Kahtani. He had a one-way ticket. Soon, INS agent Melendez-Perez was called to the scene. To others, al-Kahtani seemed like a befuddled tourist eager to see Disney World. At risk to his job for the appearance of racial profiling, Melendez-Perez—drawing on his trainingand his instinct—sent al-Kahtani packing back to Dubai.
Melendez-Perez changed history that day. But he is not alone. In addition to telling his story and that of al-Kahtani—who was later captured in Afghanistan and sent to Guantanamo Bay—Instinctexamines the quick thinking of other Americans who faced fanatics; for example, the Washington State border inspector whose gut told her something wasn’t right about the would-be millennium bomber. Michael Smerconish provides fascinating insight into the post-9/11 world of interrogation. And he poses tough questions about how the CIA and Homeland Security can protect America in a post–9/11 world. Most pointedly: Have we learned from the example of Jose Melendez-Perez?
Tells the story of INS agent Jose Melendez-Perez who stopped 9/11 hijacker Mohamed al-Kahtani, who was later captured in Afghanistan, from entering the country, in a book, the proceeds of which will benefit the Flight 93 National Memorial Fund, that also looks at other heroes in the War on Terror.
Tells the story of INS agent Jose Melendez-Perez who stopped 9/11 hijacker Mohamed al-Kahtani, who was later captured in Afghanistan, from entering the country, in a book that also looks at other heroes in the War on Terror.
The gripping story of courageous men and women who changed history - by stopping terrorists on American ground.
All author proceeds will be donated to the Flight 93 National Memorial.
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- Guilford, Conn. : Lyons Press, [2009], ©2009
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