Bernie Kerik got out of the shower - "I'm thinking it was a bomb."

[DoYouEverWonder]

Bernie Kerik was NYPD's Police Commissioner on 9-11. Kerik was by Rudy Guiliani's side soon after the attack began. Kerik later went on to become the nominee to head Homeland Security after Tom Ridge stepped down. Fortunately, Kerik's wrong doings were starting to come to light and he had to withdraw. Kerik was also in charge of communications on 9-11 and many rescuers and their families blame Kerik for the communications breakdown that cost so many lives. Here's his version of what happened that terrible day.

Daily News (New York)
September 27, 2001, Thursday

HEADLINE: GIULIANI & GROUP OF TOP COPS BARELY DODGED DEATH AS TOWERS FELL
BYLINE: By JOHN MARZULLI DAILY NEWS POLICE BUREAU CHIEF


When the south tower of the World Trade Center imploded, Mayor Giuliani, Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik and their top aides were trapped inside a building at 75 Barclay St.

With telephones knocked out, Kerik's bodyguard, Detective Hector Santiago, called a "Code Black" over the police radio frequency. Those who knew what it meant understood how serious the situation was. "That's the first time I ever heard a 'Code Black' called," said Kerik, who protected the Saudi royal family before he became a cop. "I knew it was bad, but I didn't know how bad."

<snip>

When American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the south tower at 8:48 a.m., Kerik was taking a shower in his private bathroom on the 14th floor of Police Headquarters.

Moments later, Chief of Staff John Picciano was banging on the door, telling Kerik that a plane had struck the World Trade Center. The top cop assumed it was a small twin-engine aircraft or some kind of stunt plane that hit the building by accident.

"I went to the conference room and looked out the window," Kerik said yesterday. "I thought there was no way a small plane could have done that much damage. I'm thinking it was a bomb."

http://www.albany.edu/mumford/wtc/marzulli.htm

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. Where is West Broadway between Liberty and Barclay Sts?

West Broadway doesn't go to Liberty Street?

They decamped at West Broadway between Liberty and Barclay Sts. People were running past them, screaming hysterically. There were poor souls jumping from the burning towers. Seemed like a safe spot. At that moment, the NYPD brass was still not thinking terrorist attack or building collapse.

"We were thinking it was a towering inferno, that it was just going to burn," said Deputy Inspector Chris Rising, a close aide to Kerik.

[FoxOnTheRun]

2. fake news?

[DrDebug]

3. Interesting detail. Protecting the Saudi royal family before becoming cop

Didn't know that part. It is interesting because: "Bush when he was CIA Director worked with the head of Saudi Intelligence and the CIA trained the Palace Guard to protect the Saudi Royal Family." ( http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/conspiracytheories/white.pdf )

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. I don't remember hearing about that

during his confirmation hearings?

I don't understand why the Saudis would hire an American to guard them. Don't they have any big, burley, dimwitted Arabians?