WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 11:30 A.M. — With two of the hijacked airliners used in Tuesday’s terrorist attacks coming from Boston’s Logan Airport, the city’s daily papers are — like the military — on full alert.

Both the Globe and the Herald published special extra editions on Tuesday. And today, each had a significant scoop. The Herald, in particular, came up with a striking piece of information that garnered national attention.

The Herald, citing anonymous sources, reported that authorities had identified " at least five Arab men as suspects, " adding that officials had seized a car at Logan " laden with Arabic-language flight training manuals. " The paper also reported, " Authorities were led to the rental car by a civilian who got into an altercation with several Arab men as they were parking their car. "

Today’s Globe didn’t have anything quite that compelling. But the paper, citing " sources, " did report that " investigators had seized two pieces of luggage " that hadn’t made it onto the plane. " One of the bags, " the Globe story said, " a black suitcase bearing a tag with an Arabic name, contained instructional videotapes on techniques for flying large aircraft, a knife, some type of flight plan or log, a wheel-shaped calculation device used by pilots, and a copy of the Koran, sources said. "

The Herald’s story and (to a lesser extent) the Globe’s were cited by the national media today. Herald reporter Cosmo Macero was interviewed on MSNBC and on the nationally syndicated radio show Imus in the Morning, as well as on local radio station WBZ. Another Herald reporter, Jonathan Wells, was interviewed on CNN. The story was also reprinted on the MSNBC.com Web site.

" With something like this, it’s all hands on deck, " Macero told the Phoenix, adding: " It’s like old news now. It’s quarter to 11 on Wednesday, and now this whole thing starts all over again. "

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Issue Date: September 12, 2001