'Suspicious' Air France passenger a no-show -- again

Straits Times ^

[DeaconBenjamin]

PARIS - A passenger with a name similar to a suspected Al-Qaeda operative wanted by the United States failed to turn up for a flight from Paris to Los Angeles on Sunday for the second time in three weeks, airport officials said.

The passenger was booked on the Air France flight on Sunday as 'Abdul Haye', a name which bears a phonetic resemblance to that of a man who US law enforcement officials believe is linked to Al-Qaeda and spent time training in Afghanistan.

A passenger with a reservation in this name also failed to show up on Dec 24 for an Air France flight to Los Angeles, which was ultimately cancelled due to terror fears.

France cancelled the flight at the request of the US, which was concerned by the presence of certain names -- including that of 'Abdul Haye' -- on the passenger list.

On Jan 7, Paris airport officials and Air France had told French police that an Indian citizen called 'Abdul Haye' was expected to arrive in France on an Air France flight from Bombay.

The sources added that this passenger was a regular on the Bombay-Paris and Paris-Los Angeles flights and had a reservation made in this name on Sunday's 1.35pm (1235 GMT) flight to Los Angeles.

French police were waiting for 'Abdul Haye' at Charles de Gualle airport to check his identity and nationality and ask why he failed to appear for the flight on Dec 24.

But the man once again failed to appear for this flight or for the later departure at 8pm (1900 GMT).

Air security has been stepped up around the world in recent weeks after Washington said US intelligence showed Al-Qaeda could be planning airborne suicide attacks similar to those on Sept 11, 2001 on New York and Washington.

The US has also issued an emergency directive that foreign carriers put armed sky marshals on flights where US officials deemed there was a terrorist risk

WHAT'S IN A NAME? FRENCH authorities are aware of two people with the name 'Abdul Haye', both with Indian nationality.

One was born in 1961 and the other in 1962. Both live in Bombay and work at the same leather trading company, sources familiar with the situation said, adding that at least one of them has a home in Los Angeles.

French police sources said that there were different theories over the two 'Abdul Hayes': they could be two people with the same name, possibly brothers, or there could be just one person who needed a second passport due to an error over the date of birth for the first.

The 'Abdul Haye' wanted by the US is believed to have been captured by US forces in Afghanistan but later escaped.

[Leroy S. Mort]

No doubt this publicity should flush Abdul out....

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[Dog]

This guy is serious about completing his mission.

[breakem]

'Suspicious' Air France passenger a no-show -- again. Well duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh!

[leadpenny]

Exactly. Why are they telling us this?

[oceanview]

either that, or they are testing the system by booking tickets under various pseudonyms. they could get this person any identity they wanted to fly.

[Dog]

Could be French spin....in case this guy manages to get on a plane some day..

[Peach]

My bet is he's already found a workaround for getting into the country. OR, they are using names on passenger lists to see what our response is.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

No doubt!

[Dog]

I don't think he wants to get in our country ....he wants the plane for a suicide mission.

[Peach]

But will it be a suicide mission in this country or another? Regardless, hope we get him, and soon.

[SJSAMPLE]

If I had the same name as a suspected terrorist, I wouldn't be showing up for many appointments, either. Especially knowing how AQ operatives are being hunted down. But, why would an AQ terrorist want to leave France? They're safest there.

[breakem]

Perhaps he wants to fly INTO an american city.

[DannyTN]

As I was going up the stair,
I met a man who was not there,
he wasn't there again today,
I wish that man would go away

[ClancyJ]

Perhaps he has been "eliminated" by his "friends" since he is high risk now.

[breakem]

I think it was a made up name to create disruption around the holidays. IMO

[ClancyJ]

Could be. Who knows?

[DannyTN]

"I think it was a made up name to create disruption around the holidays. IMO" "The sources added that this passenger was a regular on the Bombay-Paris and Paris-Los Angeles flights " - Article

It doesn't sound like it's a made up name as he apparently has a regular habit of flying. They don't tell us when the second reservation was made, but my guess is that he made them in advance and won't ever be using that name again.

[breakem]

The Shadow. (if you're too young to know the reference let me know.) C-YA