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.
Using them, yes, taking them into the cabine, in general no. They were/are prohibited as carry on for some UK to US flights. This was a Holland to India flight.
Plaaaying those mind games together.
Recent information says they released them....didn't hold them.
After reading this article from Reuters I still know next to nothing about this incident. Is the media just unable to publish Who,What,and When in a clear and concise manner?
They refer to people from India and Pakistan as Asians because those countries are on the Asian continent. (But they normally refer to them as "South Asians.") That does make them Asians. But I think this article left something out of the description because the earlier articles were more specific. In another article I read on this story, the other passengers described the men as "south Asians," which narrows it down quite a bit -- meaning India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc. -- countries with large Muslim populations.
The term "south Asian" would never be taken broadly to include anyone from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, etc, because they would be referred to as "southeast Asians," nor would it include anyone from Japan, Korea, China, etc, becasue they would be referred to as "East Asian."
"Some had beards, others were unshaven"
-------
I don't see the distinction...
"OK, Mohammed, your idea of fiddling with the cell phones and plastic bags was not such a good one. Let's not do that one again."
Well, I don't shave sometimes for several days but I've never grown a beard. Hope this helps. ;^)
They must have had weapons drawn, how else would they be ID'd as FAMs?
Looks like our peaceful muslims figured out they can yell fire in a crowded theater, and then play the Martar card for the MSM when they get caught.
Its almost as good as setting off a real bomb.
It wont be long till someone punches them in the face before the Air marshals can rescue them. If they start that crap on a plane that I'm on, Im going to get in their face, and if they get physical, my right fist is going to crack a skull.
"Some had baseball caps."
Oh my God! Not baseball caps?
I find it hard to take a shiite on a plane. The bathrooms are to small.
I read today I think in the Boston Herald that the 12 spoke Urdu, not Hindi. national language of Pakistan and indian muslimes.
A dry run.
Not being able to take a shiite onboard would ruin my usually sunni disposition.
Oh my God! Not baseball caps?
If they were Boston Red Sox hats, we know they were up to no good.
"Some had beards, others were unshaven"
-------
I don't see the distinction...
I think it may have been the "Asian" women they were referring to as "unshaven."
I saw FAM's on flight to Phillipines back in 2004.
A young white couple started running down Isle of plane just as we were landing in Manila, so they could be first in line to get off the plane. They were Idiots. Air marshals almost tackled them. FAM's were very big guys and in shape. It was fun to see the two idiots held until everyone was off the plane.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.