Cockpit Tape's Release Applauded by Relatives

The cockpit voice recording from the flight on which passengers wrested control from hijackers Sept. 11, 2001, will be played publicly for the first time at the sentencing trial of al-Qaeda conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui, a judge ruled yesterday.

U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema also ordered that the tape be made available to the public after the jury hears it in court unless family members of Flight 93 victims file a written objection by Tuesday.

D. Hamilton Peterson of Bethesda, president of Families of Flight 93, called the release of the recording "enormous" and said he supports the ruling.

"The only people who have ever heard it are federal law enforcement officials and a very small number of Flight 93 families. Nobody else has heard it," said Peterson, whose father, Donald A. Peterson, and stepmother, Jean H. Peterson, died. "The significance of this cannot be overemphasized. This has very horrific and heroic moments."

Flight 93 left Newark for San Francisco the morning of Sept. 11 and was hijacked by terrorists. It crashed near Shanksville, Pa., as it was heading east, presumably toward Washington. Family members who spoke to their loved ones on board have said that passengers were about to retake control of the plane from the hijackers before it crashed in a remote area, probably saving the White House or Capitol from being struck.

In June 2004, families of those killed in the 9/11 attacks gathered in a New Jersey hotel to listen to audiotape from the cockpit recorder and other evidence, including phone calls between passengers and family members or co-workers on the ground. The government, citing the prosecution of Moussaoui, required family members to sign a nondisclosure agreement as a condition of listening to the tape.

"We signed a confidentiality agreement understandably and justifiably not to reveal the contents because it could impair a fair trial," Peterson said.

Peterson emphasized that he was speaking as an individual and not in his role as president of the family organization. He said he sent an e-mail yesterday to relatives of Flight 93 victims after learning of Brinkema's decision.

"This is a remarkable opportunity, and likely the last opportunity, to have the bravery of our loved ones revealed at last to the American people," he said.