9/11 : Old documentary about some interesting facts

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9/11 Israeli nationals arrestUrban Moving Systems incidentIsraeli intelligence MossadFBI investigation and interrogationSeptember 11 2001 Twin Towers

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This account documents the arrest and FBI investigation of five Israeli nationals detained on 9/11 after a witness reported seeing them on top of an Urban Moving Systems van posing for pictures while the Twin Towers burned, appearing happy rather than shocked. Following their arrest, the FBI discovered that two of the men had connections to Israeli intelligence and worked for Urban Moving Systems, which a former Mossad agent identified as a front company for Israeli intelligence operations. FBI records revealed the men had taken 76 photographs showing them celebrating—smiling, hugging, and high-fiving—with burning towers in the background, contradicting their initial claims to police. The men provided conflicting accounts of their whereabouts and timeline, with evidence suggesting they arrived at the parking lot before the attacks began. After 71 days in federal custody, all five were deported to Israel, though the full scope and purpose of their presence and activities remained unclear.

Key Points

An eyewitness account and FBI investigation of five Israeli nationals arrested on September 11, 2001, after being observed photographing and appearing to celebrate the Twin Towers burning from a New Jersey parking lot, leading to suspicions of Israeli intelligence involvement.

Summary

This account documents the arrest and FBI investigation of five Israeli nationals detained on 9/11 after a witness reported seeing them on top of an Urban Moving Systems van posing for pictures while the Twin Towers burned, appearing happy rather than shocked. Following their arrest, the FBI discovered that two of the men had connections to Israeli intelligence and worked for Urban Moving Systems, which a former Mossad agent identified as a front company for Israeli intelligence operations. FBI records revealed the men had taken 76 photographs showing them celebrating—smiling, hugging, and high-fiving—with burning towers in the background, contradicting their initial claims to police. The men provided conflicting accounts of their whereabouts and timeline, with evidence suggesting they arrived at the parking lot before the attacks began. After 71 days in federal custody, all five were deported to Israel, though the full scope and purpose of their presence and activities remained unclear.

Key takeaways

A witness reported observing five men on an Urban Moving Systems van appearing to celebrate while photographing the burning Twin Towers on 9/11.
FBI investigation confirmed two of the five men had connections to Israeli intelligence, with one identified as Mossad agent Steven Kirsberg, who stated 'We are Israeli. We are not your problem. Your problems are our problems. The Palestinians are the problem.'
Photographs developed by the FBI showed the men celebrating with smiling, hugging, and high-fiving poses in front of the burning towers, contradicting their claims of photographing a tragic event.
Evidence suggested the men arrived at the parking lot around 8:00 a.m., approximately 45 minutes before the attacks began, based on their own statements and witness testimony.
The men provided conflicting and confused accounts of when and how they learned about the attacks and their exact whereabouts that morning.
The men were carrying plane tickets for immediate departure to multiple destinations around the globe when arrested.
All five Israeli nationals were held for 71 days in federal custody then deported to Israel; the full purpose of their presence and activities remained unresolved.

Full article

The Initial Witness Report

A woman watching the Twin Towers burn from her apartment in New Jersey noticed three men on top of a van, posing for pictures with the towers burning in the background. She observed that they appeared happy and did not look shocked by what was happening. The witness called police, who stopped the van hours later and arrested five men. All five were identified as Israeli nationals and were subsequently turned over to the FBI.

FBI Investigation and Intelligence Connections

During a check of national security databases, some of the men were listed as having had connections with Israeli intelligence. The men claimed they were simply taking pictures at the time and said they worked for a company called Urban Moving Systems. The FBI obtained a search warrant for the company's offices, but not long after the arrests, the offices were simply abandoned with almost everything left behind. In jail, the five Israelis were repeatedly interrogated and given lie detector tests.

Juvala Viv, a counterterrorism adviser to the U.S. Congress who was once a spy for Israel's secret service Mossad, stated that Urban Moving Systems was a front company for Israeli intelligence. According to the FBI, two of those movers were identified as Mossad agents, including Steven Kirsberg, the driver of the moving van. During questioning, Kirsberg stated: "We are Israeli. We are not your problem. Your problems are our problems. The Palestinians are the problem."

The Photographs and Evidence of Celebration

FBI reports confirmed that the men were not taking somber pictures of a horrific event. When their 76 photographs were developed, they revealed that the men had been celebrating—smiling, hugging each other, and high-fiving. One of the pictures featured Sivan Kirsberg holding a lighter up with the burning tower in the background. The men had also lied to police about where they had been that morning and were carrying plane tickets for immediate departure to different places around the globe.

Conflicting Accounts and Suspicious Timing

The FBI confirmed that two of the men had ties to Israeli intelligence and came to suspect that they had been on a mission for Mossad. FBI reports showed how the men gave confused and often conflicting accounts of when and how they learned about what was happening and when they arrived at the parking lot. Oded Elner stated they had arrived there shortly after 8:00 a.m., which would have been 45 minutes before the attacks even began—a timeline consistent with an eyewitness account that had placed their Urban Moving Systems van at the parking lot at 8:00 a.m.

Detention and Deportation

The five men were immediately transferred to federal custody, held for 71 days, and then deported back to Israel. While the FBI or certain sources believed they were Israeli intelligence operatives focused on investigating Muslim groups and Arab targets rather than U.S. targets, the full scope and purpose of their presence and activities remained a subject of investigation.

Topics#9/11 Israeli nationals arrest#Urban Moving Systems incident#Israeli intelligence Mossad#FBI investigation and interrogation#September 11 2001 Twin Towers

Transcript

Click any row to jump to that moment in the video.

0:00 So I thought I lost this video for good, but I found it.

0:04 You might want to save it.

0:06 It began when this woman was watching the Twin Towers burning from her apartment in New Jersey.

0:11 She noticed three men on top of a van, posing for pictures, with the towers burning in the background.

0:17 And I could see that they were, like, happy.

0:20 You know, they weren't— they didn't look shocked to me.

0:23 You know, they didn't look shocked.

0:24 The witness called police, who stopped the van hours later and arrested five men.

0:30 All five, it turns out, were Israeli.

0:33 They were turned over to the FBI.

0:35 Sources tell ABC News: during a check of national security databases, some of the men were listed as having had connections with Israeli intelligence.

0:44 The men said they were just taking pictures at the time.

0:47 They said they worked for a company called Urban Moving.

0:50 The FBI obtained a search warrant for the company's offices.

0:54 Not long after the arrests, the offices of Urban Moving were simply abandoned.

0:59 Almost everything was left behind.

1:02 In jail, the five Israelis were repeatedly interrogated and given lie detector tests.

1:07 Juvala Viv is a counterterrorism adviser to the U.S.

1:10 Congress, but was once a spy for Israel's secret service Mossad.

1:14 He says Urban Moving was a front company for Israeli intelligence.

1:18 According to the FBI, two of those movers were identified as Mossad agents.

1:25 The driver of the moving— of the moving van, Steven Kirsberg.

1:30 "We are Israeli.

1:31 We are not your problem.

1:32 Your problems are our problems.

1:33 The Palestinians are the problem.

1:36 "

1:36 FBI reports confirmed that the men were not taking somber pictures of a horrific event.

1:41 When their 76 pictures were developed, they revealed the men had indeed been celebrating— smiling, hugging each other, and high-fiving.

1:49 One of the pictures even featured Sivan Kirsberg holding a lighter up, with the burning tower in the background.

1:56 They lied to the police about where they had been that morning.

1:59 They were carrying plane tickets for immediate departure to different places around the globe.

2:04 The FBI confirmed that two of the men had ties to Israeli intelligence and came to suspect that they had indeed been on a mission for the Mossad.

2:12 The FBI reports show how the men gave confused and often conflicting accounts of when and how they learned about what was happening and when they arrived at the parking lot.

2:21 Oded Elner even said they had arrived there shortly after 8:00 a.

2:24 m., which would have been 45 minutes before the attacks even began.

2:28 This is in line with one of the eyewitnesses that had placed their Urban Moving Systems van at the parking lot at 8:00 a.

2:34 m.

2:35 They were immediately transferred to federal custody, held for 71 days, and then deported back to Israel.

2:43 Don't worry, they were just spying on Arab terrorists.

2:48 And while the FBI or certain sources might believe that, in fact, they were Israeli intelligence, they don't believe that the U.S.

2:53 was a target, that they were actually investigating Muslim groups?

2:56 They believe if this was.

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