Four Cancellations or Delays in 24 Hours on London-Dulles British Airways Flights

AP | 1/02/04 | Pete Yost

[kattracks]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Authorities concerned about terrorism canceled or delayed four flights in 24 hours between London and Washington Dulles International Airport, tightening the security net over U.S. airspace. The flurry of activity over New Year's took place a week and a half after the Bush administration raised the national terrorism alert to orange, its second-highest level.

In the face of extreme security at the nation's airports, seaports and public gathering places, no terrorist incidents took place.

But the heightened security caused some inconvenience for passengers at Dulles, just outside the nation's capital.

Based on security advice from the British government, British Airways on Thursday canceled the same flight from London that U.S. authorities had boarded on New Year's Eve after it landed at Dulles.

The canceled flight was one of the airline's three daily flights from Heathrow Airport to Washington. The return flight to London also was canceled Thursday.

On Thursday night, U.S. authorities delayed a London-bound British Airways flight that had been scheduled to leave at 6:35 p.m. EST, with passengers "re-screened because of security concerns," said a Dulles airport official who asked not to be identified by name. The plane left shortly after 10 p.m. EST. The airline confirmed the late departure.

On New Year's Eve, U.S. officials acted on intelligence information and not just suspicious passenger names when they boarded the British Airways jet at Dulles, a national security official said.

Investigators found no evidence of terrorism as 247 passengers from London waited more than 3 1/2 hours before getting off the plane while some of them were questioned.

"We had concerns with individuals on the flight, but threat reporting information led us to make the decision to have the flight escorted," a national security official said, speaking only on condition of anonymity.

The officials said the concerns were "fact-related" and not just connected to the passenger list the United States now receives from airlines flying into this country.

Security personnel did weapons screening of passengers, and the plane was kept several hundred feet from the terminal during the questioning.

FBI agents questioned a woman who appeared to be from the Middle East, asking her repeatedly why she was not traveling with her husband, one passenger said.

In Alaska, meanwhile, oil tankers on Thursday resumed loading at the terminal at Valdez, Alaska, which officials had closed down Tuesday.

The ships load Prudhoe Bay oil destined for the Lower 48 states at Valdez, the end of the 800-mile pipeline, which carries 17 percent of the nation's domestic oil supply.

Law enforcement personnel strengthened security last week in the Prince William Sound community after U.S. officials said al-Qaida operatives could target remote sites such as oil facilities in Alaska. Officials also said then they could not corroborate a report about an al-Qaida threat against the Valdez oil terminal.

The U.S. government shared threat information with the Mexican government, which canceled a scheduled U.S.-bound flight from Mexico because of security concerns.

Agustin Gutierrez, Mexico's presidential spokesman, said Mexico did not receive convincing information for the cancellation.

"The question is what threat?" Gutierrez said. "This question must be answered by Homeland Security. If we are going to have a good climate of cooperation, the least that we can hope for are reasons."

Gutierrez also said the cancellation came after United States authorities said they would refuse to allow the plane to land, but Homeland Security Department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse denied that.

---

Associated Press writer Traci Carl contributed to this story from Mexico City.

[eastforker]

Tick, tick, tick, tick..... something is happening, wish we knew what it is.

[autoresponder]

WABC 770am NYC reported just a bit ago that a passenger attempted to get into the pilot's cockpit and was restrained and handcuffed.

FBI was waiting for him and arrested him at the airport.

Sorry, airline and airport got by me.

[Cap Huff]

"Investigators found no evidence of terrorism as 247 passengers from London waited more than 3 1/2 hours before getting off the plane while some of them were questioned."

The writer gives no real source for the "no evidence" found part of this statement. How does the writer know what was or was not found? It stikes me as a subtle attempt to make this seem like it was all much ado about nothing. The feds may or may not have found what they were looking for, but based on the purported quotes from anonymous sources, there clearly was a compelling reason for the delays and searches.

[onyx]

OMG! Try to learn more.

[doosee]

Just a guess but I think AQ is sending pack mules through the security apparatus to see exactly what is being checked. The real thing will follow. CIA is picking up the planning.

[glock rocks]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1050167/posts

[Right_in_Virginia]

In the face of extreme security at the nation's airports, seaports and public gathering places, no terrorist incidents took place.

BTTT

[autoresponder]

My best short info now:

In an incident over the Pacific on Thursday night, a passenger on a Northwest Airlines flight from Detroit to Honolulu had to be restrained after he approached the cockpit, airline officials said.

The man was escorted to the back of the plane by two off-duty pilots who happened to be on board and was arrested when the plane landed.

Thomas Becher, a spokesman for Northwest, said he could not say whether the incident was related to terrorism.

[hershey]

Mexico should stop complaining about not getting the full monty about where our terror intell. comes from. Considering the corruption level of their own law enforcement, plus millions of citizens hotfooting it north over the border with $9 billions coming south, Fox and company have little to complain about. Never mind the drug trade, that's another issue. Mexico had better cooperate fully without grumbling, or else.

[onyx]

Just a guess but I think AQ is sending pack mules through the security apparatus to see exactly what is being checked. The real thing will follow. CIA is picking up the planning.

OMG, I think you're right.

Serves me right for staying up too late. Now I'll have difficulty getting to sleep.

[onyx]

Thanks, gr. I missed that earlier thread.

[autoresponder]

'Unruly' passenger detained after Detroit-Honolulu flight

(CNN) --The FBI on Thursday detained a man after he allegedly became "unruly" on a Northwest Airlines flight from Detroit to Honolulu and had to be subdued by the flight crew, an FBI official said.

According to Honolulu FBI Special Agent in Charge Charles Goodwin, Brandon Gabriel Rines has been charged with "Interference With a Flight Crew" and is being held at the Federal Detention Facility in Honolulu.

"Rines initially became agitated and would not remain in his seat," Goodwin said in a statement.

"He subsequently became more unruly, at which time he was subdued and restrained by crew members."

The incident took place as the country is under an orange terror alert and numerous flights to and from the United States have been canceled or delayed over security concerns.

"There is no apparent nexus to terrorism," Goodwin said.
Northwest Flight 923 left Detroit at 9:29 a.m. and arrived in Honolulu at 2:34 p.m. (7:34 p.m. ET).

The episode took place about 90 minutes before the flight landed in Hawaii.

Rines is expected to appear before a U.S. magistrate on Friday, according to the FBI.


- One federal source said Rines claimed he had to talk to the pilot.

- Rines path was from Tennessee to Detroit to Hawaii.

[GOP_Proud]

< FBI agents questioned a woman who appeared to be from the Middle East, asking her repeatedly why she was not traveling with her husband, one passenger said. >

Maybe he was on the manifest and then he didn't show up for the flight? If his name was a name they were watching, I'd want to know her answer too. Just a thought.

[Happy2BMe]

First-class passenger tries to enter cockpit (Honolulu)

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[nopardons]

YIKES and thanks for the update.

[autoresponder]

Another flight from UK cancelled too today.

DC was the alleged target or alternately blowing up the jetliner in flight or as "Plan B".

My latest Hillary updated graphic with
"running rat" added for the kiddies.

Click on the graphic to restart the action.



HILLARY SINGS:

[nopardons]

Holy cow!

[onyx]

My God. Just as we opined. I hate being correct on this, don't you? The threat is real, but try telling democrats. Thank God, they'll not own the White House for a good long time.