US credibility questioned in plane crash report
Egypt-USA, Local, 7/7/2001

US aviation officials were accused of dishonesty and deception by EgyptAir's Chairman Mohammed Fahim Rayan. Speaking before the Parliamentary Committee for Transport and Communications Rayan said: "American aviation officials suggested that we should cooperate and tacitly agree that co-pilot Gamil al-Battouti probably caused the Boeing 767 aircraft to begin its fatal dive on October 31, 1999."

This implies that Battouti had, for unknown reasons, decided to commit suicide "We rejected this outrageous suggestion because it not only injures the feeling and pride of millions of Muslims worldwide, but is detrimental to the future and interests of Egypt's national airline," Rayan told stunned committee members.

Up to 217 people were killed when Flight 990 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, off the Massachussetts coastline.

US aviation officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said that suicide was the likely cause when they misunderstood religious mantras uttered by the co-pilot.

Battouti's last-minute prayers are precisely translated into "May God help and guide me." These words are normally said by a Muslim when he is about to take a serious decision in time of danger.

Muslims derided US aviation officials for insisting that Battouti was on the brink of committing suicide. Clergymen and scholars from Al-Azhar (Egypt's highest religious institution) argue that it is inconceivable that a Muslim would kill himself out of despair or another reason and say "May God help and guide me."

EgyptAir officials maintain that Flight 990's crash was caused by a sudden problem in the Boeing 767's elevator panels -- movable components on the tail of the aircraft that control its up-and-down movement. But US officials have persistently rejected this notion.

Committee members are angry that Egypt even asked US aviation officials to investigate the incident knowing that their credibility in such matters is not intact. MP Hamdi Hosni said: "The Egyptian plane crashed in international waters and the Egyptian government is fully entitled, according to international aviation law, to conduct an independent investigation.

" It is widely believed that US aviation officials had, from the outset, a ready-made explanation that would exonerate the Boeing company from any liability.

Rayan expressed his regret that EgyptAir did not obtain advanced technological help. "International aviation law stipulates that we can seek help from the country nearest to the scene of the tragedy. If we did it alone it would cost us millions of US dollars," he said.

"The NTSB is experienced in investigating plane crashes but we upheld our right to take part in the investigation," he said.

We have begun inquiries which may lead both sides to a plausible explanation behind Flight 990's tragic demise." Although Rayan admits that the Americans have ignored any evidence submitted by Egypt so far.

The US also breached agreements in which both sides were to refrain from issuing statements about the crash until the final report was published. US Intelligence sources were recently reported as saying that Egyptian investigators secretly agreed with the US findings: that Gamil al-Battouti crashed into the Atlantic shortly after take-off from New York with the intention of killing himself.

Earlier James Hall, who retired in January as head of the investigative panel, claimed: "From the information that I reviewed no doubt was left in my mind that the accident occurred as a direct result of the pilot's actions and not mechanical failure.

" In an interview with NBC's 'Today' program, Hall emphasised that the investigations had focused primarily on the co-pilot Gamil al-Battouti.

MP Hamdeen Sabahi (opposition Nasserite Party) said that the Americans were deliberately trying to undermine EgyptAir's reputation, and says that "if we had conducted an independent investigation we would have cleared our name.

" He believes that Boeing is purposely trying to undermine EgyptAir, and in so doing give the impression that it is snow-white.

Sabahi said that Egypt should not buy any more planes from Boeing until the aircraft manufacturing company admitted to supplying faulty equipment.

Such unfortunate incidents always produce their share of conspiracy theorists, and the MP Abdel-Salam Moussa is not one to disappoint. He maintains that the tragedy of EgyptAir Flight 990 was a criminal act "because it was gunned down by a missile launched without warning from a US air base in the area," an Egyptian report said.

Previous Stories:
  EgyptAir denies US magazine claims on crash probes   (6/26/2001)
  Egypt opposes U.S. allegations on EgyptAir crash   (6/16/2001)
  Egypt challenges US findings on Flight 990 crash   (6/16/2001)

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