The US government has agreed to release video film Tuesday showing a hijacked jetliner strike the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Taken by surveillance cameras in the Pentagon parking lot, the images have been the subject of lawsuits prompted in part by conspiracy theories surrounding the attack.
The Justice Department, which had blocked their release, agreed to turn over the video clips now that the trial of Al Qaeda plotter Zacarias Moussaoui has ended, a Pentagon spokesman, Bryan Whitman, said.
Whitman said the images appear to be the same as a series of still pictures previously seen on US television.
"We fought hard to obtain this video because we felt that it was very important to complete the public record with respect to the terrorist attacks of September 11," said Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, a group that sued for the release of the video.
"Finally, we hope that this video will put to rest the conspiracy theories involving American Airlines Flight 77," he said in a statement.
The group said it would post a copy of the video on its website, www.judicialwatch.org.
The Pentagon admitted having the video last year, but said it could not release the film because it was part of its investigation into Moussaoui, Judicial Watch said.
Moussaoui was sentenced to life in prison this month over the September 11 attacks conspiracy.
Flight 77 slammed into the Pentagon at 9:37 am on September 11, killing 189 people in the jet and on the ground.
During the Moussaoui trial, prosecutors showed pictures of burning bodies amd human remains as well as images of the explosion triggered by the Pentagon crash.
