Investigators Still Don't Know Why All Four 9/11 Hijackers That Served as Pilots During the Attack Had six Meetings in Las Vegas Between May and August of 2001.
Local news covered the still-unknown connections between the 9/11 hijackers and Las Vegas shortly after the attack. (Las Vegas-Clark County Library District)
Investigators have been unable to determine why all 4 of the hijackers that went on to serve as pilots during 9/11 made repeated trips to Las Vegas in the months leading up to the attacks. An FBI agent on the case said, “Everything they did was for a reason. I can tell you it wasn’t to see a show.” The four met six times in Las Vegas between May and August of 2001. They used computers at a cybercafe across from UNLV, met at a sandwich shop downtown, and at a Starbucks on Flamingo Road. The hijackers also made a stop at Olympic Garden strip club.
During one trip in late-June of 2001, the lead hijacker – Mohammed Atta – rented a car at McCarran Airport and rented a room at Econo Lodge on Las Vegas Boulevard where he put a Do Not Disturb sign out and then spent two days in his room with a view of the Stratosphere. Atta’s rental car had 110 miles on it when he returned it after about three days.
Investigators speculated the hijackers may have been meeting with others unknown in Las Vegas. While the FBI believes the final meeting of the hijackers in August may have been to finalize logistics for the attacks, the purpose of the five prior visits/meetings in Vegas are unknown.
Another interesting note mentioned in the source below is that 100 members of the Saudi Royal Family and relatives of Osama bin Laden were staying in Las Vegas on 9/11 (apparently bin Laden's sister was well-known at the Bellagio). After being interviewed by the FBI, the Saudi royals and their associates were permitted to leave Vegas on chartered flights.