September 11, 2001, is a day that will live in infamy for people around the world. Not only was it the deadliest attack on American soil, but it was also a turning point for the country, and it left people across the U.S. feeling more vulnerable than they ever had before in their lives.
For Holly Ratchford, 9/11 would become a day to remember for a different reason. The California landlord discovered in the weeks following the terrorist attack that she had unwittingly been renting a home to two of the hijackers responsible for crashing into the Pentagon.
She recently spoke out about her experience for the first time, telling the BBC how she was totally fooled by the men who worked very hard to become a part of the local community within the Parkwood Apartments. That’s because Ratchford says the men went out of their way to blend in, often attending events at the apartment complex and even joining tenants like her for cookies and tea.
Ratchford is opening up about her memory of that time as the 25th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, telling the outlet about what she can recall of two of the men responsible for one of the darkest days in America’s history.
The California Property Manager Rented to Two of the 9/11 Hijackers
Ratchford told the outlet how she used to manage the Parkwood Apartments, where she also lived. She recalled how Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar came to live in the San Diego-area apartment complex after being vouched for by another resident named Omar al-Bayoumi.
“I would have cookies and tea with them,” Ratchford said in her first public comments about the time. “It wasn’t like they were just someone that came into the office and rented from us.” For those who may not remember, al-Hazmi and al-Mihdhar were part of the five-man team that hijacked Flight 77 before crashing the plane into the Pentagon, where 184 people were killed.
Ratchford told the outlet how the duo blended in with the rest of their neighbors, even attending pool parties and events at the complex. “There was absolutely nothing unusual about them. They were nice, they were polite,” she recalled of the duo, calling out al-Bayoumi’s behavior specifically, describing him as “bubbly” and remarking how he was always smiling.
The Saudi National Denies Being Friends With the Hijackers
The New York Post reported on Ratchford’s interview, noting that al-Bayoumi was a Saudi national who denied knowing the two hijackers very well, despite co-signing on the rental agreement and helping them to set up a bank account. Instead, he claims to have only met the men at a Middle Eastern restaurant.
After being extensively investigated, the New York Post says al-Bayoumi was later released, and no charges were ever pressed against him. He eventually moved back to Saudi Arabia in 2002, where he presumably still lives today.
Families of 9/11 Victims Still Want Justice
It’s hard to believe that 9/11 happened almost 25 years ago. However, just because more than two decades have passed doesn’t mean there aren’t still people fighting for answers. According to Motley Rice LLC, attorneys with the law firm are still looking to get justice for the families and survivors, filing civil lawsuits against those believed to be connected with the attacks.
The law firm’s website says that it has represented more than 8,800 plaintiffs in these cases. And it’s not alone; Cozen O’Connor also has a website dedicated to its own litigation against any entities believed to have been responsible for the attacks.
While we may never know the full details of how that fateful day was carried out, it does seem like there are still people trying to learn as much as they can about the people responsible for the attacks so they can bring them to justice while also ensuring nothing like that ever happens in this country again.