El Al Plane Avoids Toronto For 2nd Day

The Guardian (UK) ^ | 10-25-2003

[blam]

El Al Plane Avoids Toronto for 2nd Day

Saturday October 25, 2003 1:31 AM

TORONTO (AP) - An Israeli flight was diverted from Toronto to Hamilton, Ontario, for a second straight day Friday due to an unspecified security threat, authorities said.

An El Al flight from Tel Aviv was sent to Hamilton, 40 miles southwest of Toronto, Thursday because of a phone call that raised security concerns.

It reached Los Angeles later that night then made the return trip Friday with a stop in Hamilton instead of Toronto's Pearson Airport before continuing on to Tel Aviv, said police spokesman Todd Moore.

Moore and Peter Coyles of the federal transport ministry refused to provide any details of the security threat.

``This was a specific threat to El Al at Pearson Airport,'' Transport Minister David Collenette said. ``It was specific to that flight at that airport.''

A perimeter search Thursday of the Toronto airport by land and helicopter turned up nothing, Moore said. He was unaware of any further search on Friday, and said no arrests have been made.

Coyles said the decision to stop in Hamilton instead of Toronto on Friday was made by El Al, without any input from the Canadian government. Passengers were transported from Toronto for the flight.

[blam]

There must have a tip that someone has a surface-air missile and wants to down the El Al plane.

[Great Dane]

There must have a tip that someone has a surface-air missile and wants to down the El Al plane.

Yes, and one would hope this would be the wake-up call our politicians are in dire need of.

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

I suspect that the Canadians are going to come to regret their lax immigration policy. But then, so are we.

[NautiNurse]

That's exactly what I thought upon reading about the perimeter search.

[Diogenesis]

Yup. also, how much practice they have had since TWA800.

Team Xlinton gave them 8 years of doing whatever they wanted.

[TBall]

I hope that the good guys are doing their best to take advantage of tactical opportunities as they arise

[Hazzardgate]

I recall this went on at Heathrow a few months ago .... istr seeing pics of tanks at the airport!

I'm surprised this isn't getting more attention.

[Great Dane]

istr seeing pics of tanks at the airport!

I haven't seen much, but if I know our government, they will keep this under their hat as much as possible, afte all, Canadians are sooo nice, nobody would try any funny stuff here, /sarcasm off./

First, we are no nicer than anyone else, second, terrorists don't give a hoot about nice.