Posted on 08/24/2006 3:10:46 PM PDT by saganite
Passengers aboard a Northwest Airlines plane bound for Mumbai and forced to turn back to Amsterdam said air marshals swooped after 12 people began fidgeting with mobile phones and plastic bags, Dutch media said on Thursday.
The 12 were arrested on Wednesday after the plane landed at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. Prosecution authorities said they were still holding the 12 but would not give their identities or nationalities.
"I saw the air marshals run and I knew something was amiss," a 31-year-old businessman aboard the plane told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.
"Some had beards, others were unshaven, one was wearing a robe. Some had baseball caps," another passenger told the paper.
Other passengers commented those arrested were from Asia and aged between 25 and 35.
Two Dutch F-16 fighter jets accompanied the 273-seat Northwest DC10 plane which had reached German airspace en route to Mumbai before it was forced to turn back to Schiphol.
The same flight departed for Mumbai, India's financial hub, on Thursday morning at 0830 GMT after passengers spent the night in hotels.
Dutch police can hold suspects for three days without charge, extended by another three days in special circumstances.
"All 12 are still being held but we cannot give any information about their identity," said a spokesman for the Dutch public prosecutor's office.
Passenger Sarat Menon told Dutch daily De Telegraaf: "Shortly before the flight I spoke to them in a coffee bar. I didn't detect anything suspicious."
He added the situation later on the plane remained calm throughout.
Security has been increased at airports worldwide in the last two weeks after British police said they had foiled a plot to blow up planes in mid-Atlantic using liquid explosives disguised as drinks.
Mumbai has also been on high alert after commuter train bombings on July 11 that killed 186 people.
The return of the Northwest plane to Amsterdam did not lead to heightened security and did not affect other flights at Schiphol -- Europe's third largest cargo airport and fourth biggest passenger hub -- an airport spokeswoman said.
Looks like the sky marshals did their job admirably.
Hey, the article didn't say they were Muslims. It said they were Asians. Until someone clears it up I'm assuming they are Japanese Sumo wrestlers. /sarcasm/
How about Shiites on a Plane? Somebody do it.
(D) Muslim males between 17 and 40.
Dead, I believe post 2 is a request for you :)
can you imagine how the air marshalls "tighten up" when they saw these 12 idiots playing cell phone gothcha in the aisle?
for somereason europeans call people from the middle east and southwest asia, Asians even tho they could be arab or aryan :p
How about "Sheiks on a plane"?
Cute how they do that Huh.....
..I thought cell phone use on flights were prohibited
Doogle
When I first read it I assumed they were talking about the sky marshals but now I'm not sure. Could be the "asians" they were referring to. I know the marshals have complained bitterly about their dress code which makes them stand out like a sore thumb.
Good one!
bump
Muslims again?
Asians can be Muslims ... .
Noticing the calling of attention to ethnicity rather than religion?
Since the plane was enroute to Mumbai they could be Indian. Who the heck knows since the autorities aren't talking.
LOL! Perfect!
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