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."
Two suspects questioned by British investigators said that an aircraft leaving a London airport would be part of this new al-Qaeda operation intended to eclipse the death toll in the September 11 attacks. One of these men is understood to have said that the attack was planned for the Christmas and new year holidays.