http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1050629/posts "Incident at airport, report about alleged al-Qaida operative in Tappahannock have town buzzing"
The Free Lance-Star (Fredricksburg) ^ | 1/2/2004 | MICHAEL ZITZ and PORTSIA SMITH
Posted on 01/02/2004 5:18:05 PM PST by cebadams
ARTICLE SNIPPET: "A New Year's Eve incident at Tappahannock Municipal Airport had townspeople talking yesterday, but there was little anxiety about reports linking the village of 2,000 to al-Qaida terrorism.
According to the FBI, an illegal alien tried to enter the airport late Tuesday afternoon, then fled.
And the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported yesterday that unnamed sources said a Tappahannock resident has been under investigation for some time on suspicion of financing or assisting al-Qaida.
Airport Manager John McDonald said the Virginia State Police pursued a car that tried to enter the airport grounds, then sped off at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. State police overtook the car and stopped it.
"I don't know what happened," McDonald said yesterday. "They're pretty tight-lipped."
William Lowery IV, co-owner of Lowery's Seafood Restaurant, a Tappahannock landmark, said customers were coming in and talking about the airport incident, but most aren't worried.
"We don't think we have to worry about [the airport] being used to blow up little Tappahannock," Lowery said.
The state police and the FBI confirmed the incident, but said it's no reason for concern."