Whereabouts Unknown: Terror Suspect Failed to Show for Christmas Eve Flight

abc ^ | 1/6/04

[knak]

Jan. 6— Authorities across Europe are searching for a passenger suspected of having links to al Qaeda who failed to show up for an Air France flight on Christmas Eve, ABCNEWS has learned.

U.S. law enforcement officials believe the male passenger underwent terrorist training in Afghanistan. The ongoing search for the man — who was traveling with a French passport — is one of the factors contributing to the continuing security jitters about trans-Atlantic flights, officials said.

French officials told ABCNEWS the man is feared to have a small bomb whose components might get past airport security.

The man had a ticket for Air France's Flight 68 from Paris to Los Angeles on Dec. 24, but the flight was canceled and the passenger never showed up at the airport, U.S. and French officials told ABCNEWS.

The man is being sought across Europe. Former French defense official Alexis Debat says the French fear they canceled the flight too soon, tipping him off.

"Nobody knows where he is and that is a big concern throughout Europe," said Debat, an ABCNEWS consultant. "The French are concerned that they may have dropped the ball."

The man's identity and description have been passed on to security officials in London, adding to other potential threats being dealt with there.

"This person will also have several other pieces or documents, aliases, several passports," Debat said.

As part of the search for the one suspect, French officials today carried out two raids today near the city of Lyon and in a small town north of Paris, based in part on U.S. intelligence information.

"You have to hit at the head, which is the logistical network that enables the person to travel back and forth," said Debat.

As well as the Air France flights, several other U.S.-bound flights were canceled or delayed over the holidays, including British Airways flights from London to Washington.

[CyberAnt]

Oh great!

[CyberAnt]

Please .. after the last few days I've had .. I don't want to hear this info .. just when I was beginning to feel safe.

[CyberAnt]

They recovered the black box today.

[CyberAnt]

I heard .. they break it into pieces .. and then reassemble it once they get on the plane .. cute huh??

[maestro]

....I'm surprised that France would even admit that they "dropped the ball" - they are usually too smug to admit anything....

Yep,....this can only 'mean' that this is even a bigger problem than they are NOW willing to mention.

:-(

Deep....DEEP....yuk.

.....and....'papers'.....security 'ID's...too,...Gotta Be!

[SarahW]

He took a jaunt to Egypt, perhaps? With the return flight terminating in the Red Sea?

[Shermy]

They recovered the black box today.

Really? I thought they found it, by its signal, but determined it was in water too deep to recover.

[Peach]

But remember, those techniques were used in the mid 90's to take down a plane and to our knowledge, haven't been used since.

Perhaps we've killed all those terrorists who knew how to make a bomb this way.

Take comfort - we are holding our own since 9/11.

[maestro]

Really? I thought they found it, by its signal, but determined it was in water too deep to recover.

Maybe,....1,000 feet DEEP.

[arasina]

...it gets put together in the bathroom.

Like the suspicious two from yesterday?

---

Passengers on Air Europa Flight Detained The Associated Press ^ | 1/5/04

Posted on 01/05/2004 7:19:40 PM EST by freeperfromnj

Police Detain Two Passengers on Dominican-Bound Flight After Suspicious Behavior

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic Jan. 5 — Two Canadian men were detained for suspected links to terrorism after acting strangely aboard a flight from France to the Dominican Republic, authorities said Monday.

The two were detained after Air Europa Flight 89 landed in Santo Domingo Sunday night, said Gen. Fernando Cruz Mendez, director of national Investigations. They have not been charged and authorities did not find any weapons, Cruz said.

"They acted very nervous on board," he said. "They went in and out of the bathrooms, including a few times together."

He did not say why Dominican authorities suspected the men had possible links to terrorist activities.

Passengers on Air Europa Flight Detained

[Peach]

I saw that and immediately remember what I'd read in that book. Ramzi Yousef is in US custody and so we've gotten lots of information from him and his participation in the WTC bombing in 1993, as well as planning other terrorist attacks across the world.

[CyberAnt]

I agree .. I'm surprised at that too .. especially since they kept saying the USA was over-reacting when we cancelled the flights. Actually .. I heard we told the French .. YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO LAND .. I guess that would cause you to cancel the flight.

And .. may be Air France has now figured out that if their plane gets blowed up .. they could be sued out of business.

[CyberAnt]

Thanks Peach!!

[blam]

The Latest is that it is to deep (2600 ft) for them to recover. I just posted an article from a UK paper on the subject.

[JustPiper]

Nothing to see here (according to Chirac)

[anymouse]

Looks like Inspector Cleuseau bungled another one. No wonder they have been canceling French flights lately.

[alrea]

the French fear they canceled the flight too soon, tipping him off

they wanted to negotiate

[hoosiermama]

Read that! My first reaction was: what were two men going into a bathroom together? Then I realized they were Canadian.......

[Howlin]

I heard that he had actually been with bin Laden.

[rintense]

Maybe this was that dead stowaway guy.