To SAC Seattle analyzing discrepancies in Seattle Flag interview with purported hijacker

SAC, SEATTLE (164-81) 5/1/72

SA [REDACTED]

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b6 b7C

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NORJAK

Re "Seattle Flag" 5/10/72.

A review of the article concerning D.B. COOPER appearing in the May 10 issue of the "Seattle Flag" reveals the following discrepancies between the article and the actual hijacking:

1. In the article, the interviewee states he sat in seat 15 D, whereas the hijacker actually sat in seat 18 E.

2. The interviewee in the article states that he landed over 100 miles away from Southwest Washington. This would be in conflict with the indications of the test flight run by Northwest Airlines.

3. The interviewee states that he knew that with down flaps the stalling speed of the 727 was 109 miles per hour. This information would not appear to be known at Northwest Airlines, as there was some question at their office the night of the hijacking as to whether or not the plane could fly with 15 degree flaps.

4. In the article, the interviewee states one of the reasons he selected a 727 was because the lavatories in the rear were a handy place to hold a stewardess hostage, wich turned out to be right. In another place the interviewee states he held stewardess hostage part of the time behind the rear galley curtain and part of the time in the toilet. This is not true, inasmuch as the hi- jacker did not hold the stewardess hostage in either of these locations.

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JSD/rlg (3)

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164-81- 3011 SEARCHED .....INDEXED..... SERIALIZED....FILED.... MAY 1 1972 FBI - SEATTLE

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DB Cooper-8101

SE 164-81

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5. The interviewee in the article states that he knows the bills were xeroxed before they were delivered to him, as he could smell the xerox fluid on them at the time they were delivered. This is in error, inasmuch as the bills were not xeroxed, and if they had been, would not have a smell of xerox fluid.

6. The interviewee in the article states that the bomb which he allegedly had consisted of five Gillette shaving cream cans painted red and rigged with prima cord fuses. This would disagree with the stewardesses descrip- tion of the cylinders which she observed in the briefcase, inasmuch as they were smaller in diameter that shaving cream cans.

7. In the article at one place the interviewee states concerning payment by the airline "why risk four lives - not including mine - and a 5 million dollar airplane for a mere $200,000?" This would appear to indicate that the person being interviewed felt that the passengers had been released before the money was paid, whereas the money was delivered to the hijacker before the passengers were released.

8. In the article, the interviewee states that he told the pilot "let the passengers off but I want every- body in the cockpit and the other two stews to stay on the plane." This appears to be inaccurate, inasmuch as the hijacker did not demand that the stewardesses remain on the plane.

9. The interviewee in the article says that he was in the cockpit twice, once when they were having fueling troubles and at this time, he told the pilot "I want the flaps at 15 percent and the gear down." He states that after discussion with the pilot concerning the destination of the plane he slammed the cockpit door and went back to the tourist compartment with the stewardess. This is inaccurate, inasmuch as the hijacker at no time was in the cockpit to the aircraft and was not observed by the flight crew in the cockpit and instructions concerning destinations were relayed through the stewardess.

10. The interviewee states that he selected the name D.B. COOPER by sticking a pin in the Seattle telephone directory. This is inaccurate, inasmuch as the hijacker when purchasing his ticket, in fact used the name DAN.COOPER instead of D. B. COOPER.

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- 2 - DB Cooper-8102

SE 164-81

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11. The interviewee in the article states the note he gave to the stewardess read, "I'm hijacking this aircraft. Relay instructions to the ground that I want $200,000 in 20s and two parachutes delivered to me when the plane lands. I have a bomb." Stewardess [REDACTED] states that the note which she received read, "miss i have a bomb hear and would like you to sit by me." He later had her take down a note which he dictated reading "I want $200,000 by 5:00 p.m. in cash. Put it in a knapsack. I want two back parachutes and two front parachutes. When we land I want the fuel truck ready to refuel. No funy stuff or I'll do the job."

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12. In the article the interviewee talks about two parachutes, one back pack and one chest pack and states that he did not leave any parachute on the plane; however, cut the chest pack into strips to use to tie the money to him. This is inaccurate, inasmuch as four parachutes were delivered and one parachute intack and one with shroud lines cut were locted on the plane when it arrived in Reno.

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13. The interviewee in the article states that after they were airborn, he took the stewardess forward and over the intercom told SCOTT, the pilot to hold the plane at 7,000 feet and 200 miles per hour. This is inaccurate, inasmuch as the hijacker told [REDACTED] to go forward to the cabin and relayed no further instructions to the pilot.

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14. The interviewee in the article states that pilot SCOTT tried to humor him with a steady line of chatter over the passenger PA system and he told the crew, "nobody under any circumstances is to attempt any further contact with me." Although there was little attempt by the crew to contact the hijacker no instruction of this type was relayed by the crew.

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DB Cooper-8103

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b6 b7C