The document-leaking web site Wikileaks announced Tuesday that it would release 500,000 alphanumeric pager messages sent on September 11, 2001.

A notice posted on the site said that Wikileaks would release the pager message intercepts in “real time” beginning at 3 a.m. Eastern time Wednesday and continuing for 24 hours, corresponding to the same time of day on 9/11.

“Text pagers are mostly carried by persons operating in an official capacity,” the site said prior to the release. “Messages in the archive range from Pentagon and New York Police Department exchanges, to computers reporting faults to their operators as the World Trade Center collapsed.”

Wikileaks did not identify its source for the pager messages, but said that it received them from “an organization which has been intercepting and archiving US national telecommunications since prior to 9/11.”

Kevin Poulsen ofWired points out that pager traffic is not encrypted and trivially easy to intercept.

Alphanumeric pagers were popular in the 1990s but have declined in popularity as mobile phone text messages largely supplanted them.

“This is a significant and completely objective record of the defining moment of our time,” the Wikileaks site said. “We hope that its entry into the historical record will lead to a deeper and more nuanced understanding of how this tragedy and its aftermath may have been prevented.”

I was planning to sleep, but I came home tonight to this news and now I’m brewing coffee and preparing to “live” blog the more interesting of these half million intercepts as they are released over the next 24 hours.

2001-09-11 03:01:18 Metrocall [1064386] A ALPHA MONEY MARKETS FF__3.500 PR 6.500 EU$ 3.45/3.40/3.27 LIB 3.50/3.36/3.32 EIB4.301/4.242/114 REP 3.47/3.40/3.36 DCP 3.46/3.33/3.29 UBA 3.41/3.21/3.18 BBA 3.50/3.36/3.32 U

2001-09-11 03:01:48 Metrocall [1064375] B ALPHA /FTSE 5033.70 -036 NIKK 10292.95 +097 DAX 4704.36 +034 CAC40 4415.02 +031 MIB30 31564 +0000 HSI 10348.65 -0017 30 _99.0

2001-09-11 03:03:11 Arch [1617998] D ALPHA smartlady|thinking of you |Hi Gody, Sorry so late, I just replied to your email. Glad to know u r home safely. I miss u... Karen |129

2001-09-11 03:03:11 Arch [0960635] C ALPHA Wendy Javier|Please check queue |Hello there, I am working on a launch. Can you please check the queue? It doesn't look like it's moving... Thanks, Wendy|153

2001-09-11 03:04:50 Skytel [007555619] A ALPHA netrangr@prodrubdir.hew.us.ml.com|Alm: 4 3150:0 1|Tme: 2001/09/11 03:03:26 Src: I tpcb.teleplex.ml.com:3897 Dst: I 216.35.94.76:21 NSX: [10008.12501.41] SID: 3150 "FTP SITE" Msg: "SITE"

2001-09-11 03:05:24 Arch [1164259] A ALPHA From Kristin Allbright Sub:x75245 remedy#10024876 Communications to Puerto Rico buying office were down due to circuit issue. Circuit has recovered. AT&T still engaged to find resolution. Msg:

2001-09-11 03:06:00 Metrocall [1458228] B ALPHA 3000 CHINABERRY DR CAR VS TREE POSS ENTRAPMENT HAMM

2001-09-11 03:07:48 Metrocall [002510081] A ALPHA [McBride, Greg]FW: American Airlines Net SAAver Fares-- Dear Greg McBride, Today's American Airlines Domestic & International Net SAAver Weekend Getaway Fares e-mail offer is valid for travel next weekend. Domestic Departure dates: Sep

2001-09-11 03:08:09 Arch [0915948] D ALPHA From:NJROS1NHA01/SERVER/Prudential@PRUDENTIAL Subject:ServerWatch Notification - Server NJROS1NAP39/SERVER/Prudential is NOT Responding Body:WARNING: Server NJROS1NAP39/SERVER/Prudential is Not Responding. Reason: Remote system no longer r

2001-09-11 03:09:36 Skytel [002839867] C ALPHA 23985@emc.fedex.com|pushback on early departures and chase city aircraft asap...

2001-09-11 03:11:35 Skytel [005207087] D ALPHA FLT1011 APPROX 45 MIN LATE, FLT1153 ETA 0444

2001-09-11 03:13:20 Arch [1614034] A ALPHA From:NJROS1NHA01/SERVER/Prudential@PRUDENTIAL Subject:ServerWatch Notification - Server NJROS1NAP39/SERVER/Prudential is Responding Body:Server NJROS1NAP39/SERVER/Prudential is Responding or has been restarted.

2001-09-11 03:16:35 Skytel [007523119] D ST NUM 0-212-222-9018

2001-09-11 03:18:48 Metrocall [002178488] C ALPHA EMAIL goodtining@www40.net Rates may NEVER be Lower !!

2001-09-11 03:20:36 Skytel [002839867] C ALPHA 23985@emc.fedex.com|attention second floor: please move your exception bags asap

2001-09-11 03:22:44 Skytel [003862901] B ALPHA BTY 50.67 -1.28 NWS 30.81 +0.10 WCOM 12.88 -0.10 DJIA 9654.71 +48.86 (1

2001-09-11 03:26:35 Skytel [005327015] B ALPHA frank,mike can u give me status? is khh on battery or gen? Michael Bishop

2001-09-11 03:29:58 Metrocall [1064378] C ALPHA TRICHET SEES EUROZONE GROWTH OF AROUND 2.0 PCT FOR 2001

So far a quiet night, not much going on except for sysadmins doing their usual nightly maintenance on the servers that keep the Internet and business operations going.

2001-09-11 03:30:44 Skytel [002402427] C ALPHA < <86901:534>>PAC 03:23 9/11/01 FINAL AT&T VANTIVE SYSTEM WENT DOWN. ABLE TO ACCESS WHEN USING URL https://www.acss.att.com/Login. URL IS CASE SENSITVE. SERVER WAS REBOOTED BUT UNSURE IF THIS RESOLVED ISSUE. IMPACT: NO KNOWN. 18028 GMIR/92

2001-09-11 03:33:31 Arch [0801351] B ALPHA (25)06:ABS: Tkt:5002798, Sev:1, Opened, Sname:BNK, CIS Id:195942813, Contact:JOSEPH GANDIA/NOC @ 2122507800 Note:HOST IN NYC BOUNCING\\PWR VRFD\\RECOVER ON OWN\\NO PATTERN\\DLCI 35\\RED ALARMS ON ROUTER\\NO CHANGES\\OK TO TEST\\ROTI PSN2 SHOWS UP,

2001-09-11 03:35:01 Metrocall [1576347] C ALPHA Frm: Swoon Horoscopes Sub: Gemini Daily Horoscope Txt: Dear SWOON user, If you have used the SWOON Personals in the past, we've got some great news: Through an exciting partnership that has blossomed between Match.com and SWOON, Persona

2001-09-11 03:35:20 Metrocall [1064378] C ALPHA EURO PUSHES TO DAY'S HIGHS AGAINST DOLLAR, YEN

2001-09-11 03:35:52 Metrocall [0905692] D ALPHA (1/1) NOVA STC I-295 NB On MD Side Vehicle Accident Right lane Blocked. Event open and Closed shortly after. EOC/KMT. 9/11/01 3:31:15 AM

2001-09-11 03:38:34 Skytel [005105954] A ALPHA CALL MY CELL PHONE INSTEAD OF MY HOUSE PHONE CAUSE I DON'T WANT IT TO RING, AND CRYSTALS BEEN GOING AROUND SAYING STUFF ABOUT YOU AND ME. I LOVE YOU.

2001-09-11 03:39:35 Skytel [005359140] B ALPHA ATTN OUTBOUNDS, EXPECT HEAVY NON-CON PULLS AND FLOWER VOLUME FROM THE NORTHEAST..

2001-09-11 03:40:09 Metrocall [1064381] D ALPHA ICRC SAYS 165 REPORTED DEAD IN JOS, 928 WOUNDED

2001-09-11 03:41:08 Arch [0015079] B ALPHA Tom.Marble@dtn.c|Operations Notification ,|Final Notify: Apwire is once again updating. The problem was with an application in New York. Questions regarding this outage should be directed to x 5467 Thank-you, OPS(Document link: Database 'OPs

2001-09-11 03:44:18 Metrocall [1145662] D ALPHA Frm: StormCenter.COM Sub: Storm Advisory (1/2) Txt: FORECAST FOR For Fairfax County TODAY-SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 80S....

2001-09-11 03:44:30 Metrocall [1145662] D ALPHA Frm: StormCenter.COM Sub: Storm Advisory (2/2) Txt: ..NORTHWEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

2001-09-11 03:48:03 Skytel [004690331] C ALPHA netrangr@prodrubdir.hew.us.ml.com|Alm: 4 2153:0 1|Tme: 2001/09/11 03:44:25 Src: I 216.35.60.62:0 Dst: I 216.35.39.152:0 NSX: [10008.17001.41] SID: 2153 "ICMP Smurf attack" Msg: " "

2001-09-11 03:55:32 Metrocall [1064376] C ALPHA GOVPX TREASURY 30__99.03 /05+5.437 10_101.07+/09 4.841 5Y_101.07+/08+4.329 2Y_100.06+/07 3.513 6M 3.110/100 3M 3.167/157

2001-09-11 03:58:57 Skytel [004732386] A ALPHA wn@solutions.att.com|Tkt#0570912-CITICORP|MEXMONT-01-CU-DL3800-E1 up after manual restore-monitoring-GCSC 9194741488

At this time several men of Middle Eastern descent were reportedly seen entering the airport in Portland, Maine, where several 9/11 hijackers will fly to Boston and take a connecting flight, American Airlines flight 11, which they will then hijack.

2001-09-11 04:03:36 Skytel [003273267] A ALPHA julie.rodriguez@fritz.com||We have just been informed that Customs has gone manual as of 2:50am.

2001-09-11 04:04:42 Skytel [004682599] B ALPHA rddoyle@fedex.com| Can't call now, had a emergency landing in PHX. Have fun....I'll miss ya....

2001-09-11 04:06:32 Metrocall [1064381] D ALPHA BRUNEI CUTS AUG SERIA LT CRUDE PRICE TO $25.16/BBL,DOWN $1.17 VS JUL-TRADE

2001-09-11 04:16:44 Skytel [005092733] D ALPHA dss@tcysnp34.travelocity.com|TCYSNP34 Error occurred in cruisedata.csh at Tue Sep 11 03:16:25 CDT 2001|

2001-09-11 04:20:36 Skytel [004697392] A ALPHA ovmail@sexo4066.whq.ual.com||OpenView ITO alert. Node: skypath1.whq.ual.com Msg: Old wind data for Skypath

2001-09-11 04:25:40 Skytel [005107544] C ALPHA OPEN/CLOSE:Link TRGR54A (Tarragona, Spain) --> BLR54A (Bilbao, Spain) is down. TOP:03:21 TOR:03:45. TKT#1484962 -- From: SMT - 248.528.7000

2001-09-11 04:27:55 Skytel [002673372] D ALPHA alert@msn.com||Hotmail MSNBC Sports:msnbc: Jordan all but confirms return to NBA

2001-09-11 04:29:57 Skytel [007509738] C ALPHA alert@msn.com||JDSU 6.19 -0.24 Merrill Lynch - Be Bullish

I need more caffeine. I’m usually going to bed by this time of night. But it’s very difficult to pull myself away from this traffic, mundane as most of it is.

2001-09-11 04:36:04 Arch [1026292] B ALPHA Backup@NYED.usco|Operator Attention|(Server: "NYEPSROGUE" Job: "Monday backup" Device: "HP 1") Please inser t overwritable media into the changer using the slot import command.

2001-09-11 04:37:04 Arch [0983370] C ALPHA "Andrews, Rick" |travelweb|travelweb is back up 01:35

2001-09-11 04:44:49 Arch [0515405] D ALPHA (3)ERIN MOVIN SLOWLY NORTHWARD & CONTINUING TO WEAKEN HURR ERIN NOW @ 37.2 N. LAT 65.9 W. LON MAX WIND ARE NEAR 90 MPH. MOVIN TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 7 MPH. PRES. IS 976 MB...28.82 IN.

2001-09-11 04:59:45 Arch [1184785] A ALPHA From:PAERSCNHM01/SERVER/Prudential@PRUDENTIAL Subject:ServerWatch Notification - Server PAERSCNML25/SERVER/Prudential is Responding Body:Server PAERSCNML25/SERVER/Prudential is Responding or has been restarted.

By this time practically nothing’s talking except the computers. And the monkey.

2001-09-11 04:59:48 Metrocall [0300391] B ALPHA _01Z00_02A)_1B"n6_1A8_1C3_09Odd_1A5 but _1A8True_1A9_1B&a _1C1MONKEY SIGHTINGS: It's not `Planet of the Apes.' It's more like town of the monkey. About a dozen people in Danville, New Hampshire, report seeing a large monkey on the

2001-09-11 04:59:50 Metrocall [0300391] B ALPHA loose, including Fire Chief David Kimball. He describes the animal as being about four feet tall, with woolly, brown fur. Kimball figures it's an escaped pet, but the owner doesn't want to report it because monkeys are illegal in the state. _0D_1C2TOU

2001-09-11 05:04:23 Arch [0553455] D ALPHA MUHAMMED, MUSTAFAH UNAUTHORIZED RETURN 09/11/2001 4:59AM

2001-09-11 05:07:49 Arch [0944991] D ALPHA PAGE FROM lifeline: alert 8931351 AMDB_FD dba nyfdpsyb01.gsam.gs.com FD_PROD nyfdpsyb01.gsam.gs.com_DBA (FD_PROD): 01-09-11 05:07:19 DBmaint.func_dump: ERROR: Dump for FD_PROD.SMART_data failed

2001-09-11 05:21:38 Skytel [004539594] C ALPHA delay code for flights holding due to late arrival MP. main cargo door broken from 0246 (block in) to 0320 (cargo door open). sort was from 0302 - 0341.

2001-09-11 05:25:17 Arch [1400339] A ALPHA LIRR MVB-AMD,THERE ARE 94 CARS OUT OF SERVICE.. TRAIN 1013 WILL BE RUNNING 2 CARS SHORT..

2001-09-11 05:32:19 Arch [1749363] A ALPHA |P2 NOTICE #4243326 |Etisalat link Dubai to Cairo failed impacting users WAN connectivity. Etisalat contacted Cairo PTT. OUTAGE START: 11 Sep 10:21 CET NO ETU. walho x4112 |172

2001-09-11 05:39:12 Skytel [005524707] A ALPHA PBSS@NA2.US.ML.com|NS MSG: MarginCall has startedStarted Operation: OP7_CMSma...|2001-09-11 05:41 am: MarginCall has startedStarted Operation: OP7_CMSmargincall

2001-09-11 05:39:52 Metrocall [1064381] D ALPHA OPEC CRUDE BASKET EDGED UP TO $25.56 ON MONDAY

2001-09-11 05:47:31 Skytel [005255305] C ALPHA Please join the following bridge for a Netcap PTP link issue. Bridge 888-789-0276 Pin 592965. Thank You Serena/SMC - Serena Doore * wcomnet.com paging

2001-09-11 05:48:36 Arch [0983449] C ALPHA Time to wake up!!

2001-09-11 05:54:41 Metrocall [1543599] D ALPHA Remember morning medication.

As the country wakes up, Mohamed Atta and Abdulaziz Alomari breeze through security and board Colgan Air flight 5930 to Boston, which departs at 6 a.m.

2001-09-11 05:59:36 Skytel [005384638] D ALPHA oracle@hqfas14.desc.dla.mil|Errors found in routine alert file checkup of fest on hqfas14 at 09/11/01 06:00:00. Check /u001/app/oracle/admin/scripts/dba/data/monAlertLogErrors.fest.ERROR_LOG.110901_060000 for error message.|****************

2001-09-11 06:02:41 Metrocall [1064378] C ALPHA GOLD FIXED PRICE LONDON FIX $271.39

2001-09-11 06:05:31 Skytel [007555205] B ALPHA jjlongwell@fedex.com|Numerous calls on service disruption|Please inform; John Longwell 262-1015

2001-09-11 06:12:07 Arch [1274765] D ALPHA 11-THIS IS RORY CONCEPCION. I AM UNABLE TO GO INTO WORK TODAY. WE ARE GOING TO MY AUNT'S !1/2 011

2001-09-11 06:12:09 Arch [1274765] D ALPHA 11- WAKE TODAY AT CHERRY HILL. SHE DIED RECENTLY. !2/2 011

2001-09-11 06:13:41 Metrocall [0639948] D ALPHA Frm: Southwest Airlines Sub: southwest.com Weekly Internet Specials September 11, 2001 Txt: Southwest Airlines e-mail update for September 11, 2001

2001-09-11 06:25:06 Arch [0904389] B ALPHA LIRR MVB-AMD,AT 6:16 ALL DEBRIS REMOVED FROM TRAIN 901. REQUESTING RESTORE POWER.. TRAIN IN PROCESS OF RECEIVING PAPERWORK.

2001-09-11 06:27:40 Skytel [003928287] D ALPHA TOM. THIS IS RAY, MY CONTINENTAL FLIGHT CANCELLED MHT TO EWR. NEXT FLIGHT IS AT 9:40 AM ARRIVING 11 AM. PAGER NUMBER 1 888 935 8317

2001-09-11 06:31:04 Arch [1276083] A ALPHA "NJDOT TOC North|Cave in|Route 1&9 Southbound left lane closed at 86th Street. Northbound all lanes = closed due to cave in. In North Bergen. Duration 4 - 8 hours. Crew 219, = 2006 on scene in construction project. TOC-N FS

2001-09-11 06:31:48 Skytel [003918495] D ALPHA 148411@emc.fedex.com||lets go...traffic on the gw bridge

2001-09-11 06:36:03 Metrocall [1064381] D ALPHA IRAQ SAYS IT SHOOTS DOWN U.S. RECONNAISSANCE PLANE

The five Flight 11 hijackers arrive at Logan Airport in Boston, the two from Portland and three more who drove to the airport. Flight training manuals are later found in the rental car they left behind. The Flight 175 hijackers also start arriving.

2001-09-11 06:47:03 Metrocall [0753507] A ALPHA Bill, check your WTC email for a message regarding Panacea.-Kent(x6137)

2001-09-11 06:56:47 Arch [0912340] B ALPHA Bomb Scare, ND, 700 W. 40TH Male caller stated a bomb in the bldg, set to go of at 0815. 7811 notified.

Flight 93 hijackers begin checking in.

Several hijackers are selected for additional security screening, but this only means that their bags are scanned for explosives and held off the plane until they board. No one had ever anticipated that a hijacker would blow up a plane while still on board.

2001-09-11 07:01:33 Arch [0911009] A ALPHA <opsosf @GlaxoWel|SYSTEM STATUS AS OF 7 AM|GOOD Morning! ALL TASKS THAT SHOULD BE UP NOW ARE UP!

2001-09-11 07:05:22 Metrocall [1064379] C ALPHA LONDON SILVER FIXED AT 418.00 CENTS - SEP 11

2001-09-11 07:06:35 Skytel [003071916] D ALPHA alert@msn.com||Manhattan - Tuesday: Sunny (Clear at night) 80/60*Wednesday: Mostly Sunny 78/60*Thursday: Showers /

OK, I admit defeat. There’s much too much traffic here to read through and post in one sitting. At this rate it will take at least a week just to skim through it all. I’ll continue doing so throughout the holiday and post anything I find of interest.

Update: Declan McCullagh posted a much more interesting report on the contents of the pager traffic. As it turns out, the pager messages had been leaked on a file-sharing site before WikiLeaks could complete their release. I’ll be going through them as time permits over the next few weeks.