Posted on 07/17/2002 5:17:00 AM PDT by dommie
NEW YORK (AP) - Military jets escorted a jet to LaGuardia International Airport after a passenger became alarmed by a group of people passing notes, officials said.
About 15 minutes before American Trans Air Flight 204 was due to arrive from Chicago on Tuesday, a passenger told a flight attendant that seven others were engaged in "suspicious activity," passing notes and changing seats, Port Authority spokesman Alan Hicks said.
The seven passengers, who are from India, were released early Wednesday, Port Authority officials said. They belonged to an Indian performance group and may have been rehearsing or discussing a performance when they attracted suspicion, their New York host, Chiru Vijanam, told WNBC-TV.
The flight attendant notified the pilot, who alerted federal aviation authorities. Two F-16 fighter jets escorted the plane - a Boeing 757 with 98 passengers plus a crew - to the ground, said Maj. Barry Venable, a spokesman for the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
The plane landed five minutes late, and no one was hurt.
Since Sept. 11, NORAD has scrambled fighters or diverted them from other missions more than 400 times to assist civilian aviation authorities, Venable said.
You can pass notes on an aircraft and not be a terrorist. You can also talk on an aircraft and not be a terrorist. You can even change seats on an aircraft -- so long as the stewardess does not mind -- and not be a terrorist.
Lots of wasted jet fuel getting those fighter aircraft on the deck.
In this age of cell phone, instant messaging and email; you do not find someone writeing on paper to be a bit strange.????Get with the program, report everyone, and often.(end of sarcastic, morning rant.....sheeesh I need coffee.)
About 15 minutes before American Trans Air Flight 204 was due to arrive from Chicago on Tuesday, a passenger told a flight attendant that seven others were engaged in "suspicious activity," passing notes and changing seats, Port Authority spokesman Alan Hicks said.Sounds like Magaw and his boys need to do more surveilance in the nation's elementary schools. Who knows what those diabolical third graders might be plotting.
The passenger in this case will be receiving the new Special Human Intelligence Team's Good Citizen Medal.
-Eric
If nuns were airline stewardesses.
Boycott the entire airline industry. It is the incubator for the police state the Feds are salivating for.It and the "War on Drugs".
-Eric
About 15 minutes before American Trans Air Flight 204 was due to arrive from Chicago on Tuesday, a passenger told a flight attendant that seven others were engaged in "suspicious activity," passing notes and changing seats, Port Authority spokesman Alan Hicks said.How did I miss this?The seven passengers, who are from India, were released early Wednesday, Port Authority officials said. They belonged to an Indian performance group and may have been rehearsing or discussing a performance when they attracted suspicion, their New York host, Chiru Vijanam, told WNBC-TV.
They held these people overnight for passing notes and moving about the cabin!
In-clintoning-credible.
-Eric
You mean the War on SOME Drugs.Yep, those without sufficient constituency.
-Eric
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