Wired Iraqi man triggers scare at L.A. airport

Reuters ^ | 3-6-07

[STARWISE]

An Iraqi national wearing wires and concealing a magnet inside his rectum triggered a security scare at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday but officials said he posed no apparent threat.

The man, identified by law enforcement officials as Fadhel al-Maliki, 35, set off an alarm during passenger screening at the airport early on Tuesday morning.

A police bomb squad was called to examine what was deemed a suspicious item found during a body cavity search of the man. Local media reports said a magnet was found in his rectum.

"He was secreting these items in a body cavity and that was a great concern because there were also some electric wires associated with that body cavity," Larry Fetters, security director for the Transportation Security Administration at the airport, told reporters.

Maliki, 35, who lives in Atlantic City, New Jersey, was preparing to board a US Airways flight from Los Angeles to Philadelphia.

The flight left without Maliki but with his luggage aboard. It made an unscheduled landing in Las Vegas, where the plane was thoroughly searched but nothing was found, officials said.

Passengers were not evacuated and no flights were disrupted by the incident at Terminal One at Los Angeles airport.

"There never was a threat," Fetter said.

He said police and the FBI were called in from "an abundance of caution" because Maliki was "so bizarre in his behavior."

[STARWISE]

Now you're talking ... you never know what damage/evil you'll be be preventing. Once you make the call, you'll know professionals will check them out... and they won't get back to you, so don't hold your breath. Where are you?

[Cindy]

Adding a video showing the alleged suspect to this thread:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3b7_1173233271

[starbase]

Where are you?

I don't want to say, I'm a secretive guy, but I'm in the West.

[STARWISE]

K .. in a town where there are a noticeable number of new muslim faces?

[Cindy]

Adding a photo and video of the suspect to this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1796289/posts?page=71#71

http://ktla.trb.com/news/ktla-suspiciouspkg,0,2079823.story?coll=ktla-home-1

[starbase]

It's seems to be getting that way, but it might have just been a passing coincidence.

[starbase]

Here's Johnny. Not a really good picture. The website you link to has a Flash presentation with him sitting in a car, the corners of his mouth pointing very much downward. He must feel pretty gross, everyone sitting around him knowing he's "Magnet Butt Boy":

[STARWISE]

I don't think I'm buying that .. you know what seems "typical" to you. Trust your instincts.

[Lijahsbubbe]

ROFLAO----best thread and longest laugh I have had in months---see, Mooslimbs are good for something

I'll second that!

[STARWISE]

Thank you ....

[Cindy]

The ktla link I posted above on this thread has a good closeup of the suspect's face.

OPINION: He looks like a man with a lot on his mind. I hope he is cooperative and likes to talk.

[Cindy]

You're very welcome STARWISE.

[starbase]

I don't think I'm buying that ..

Yeah, I'm probably BS'ing myself. There's a convenience store very near that grocery store that's run by some Arab guy, I walked in once and he said in this mocking tone, "Harow" (like "Hello" in a really dopey tone), so I just turned and walked out.

Most likely they have a little cell going on there and the grocery store's on the finalist list for targets.

On the other hand I have been back several times since then and have not seen any Arabs at all, that's why I hold out the possibility that maybe they were just passing through. Maybe they liked someone else's grocery store as a better target.

Who knows, maybe they thought I was Homeland Security and it was too hot to continue to case the joint out? Or maybe they're truly not dangerous, or maybe they'll shoot someone suddenly ten years from now. This is the enemy we have today, why oh why is our government letting more move here?

[rdl6989]

I wonder what his DU screen name is?

[starbase]

I wonder what his DU screen name is?

Hah! It's MagKNEEtized_rear.

[Myrddin]

This is not a good sign. I wonder how much longer it will be before we pick up a "passenger" with a surgically implanted device.

The guy may have been purposely testing the ability to detect objects inside the body.

[starbase]

OPINION: He looks like a man with a lot on his mind. I hope he is cooperative and likes to talk.

I agree, he does look like he doesn't quite understand how it all came to this. I repeat how humiliating that must be, sitting around other men, in cuffs, having just had magnets and wires up his butt, getting caught doing it, knowing none of the other men did it (since they're not in San Francisco we can assume that's true).

If they don't let him shower for a week I bet he'll start singing like a bird.

[The_Media_never_lie]

So, the wires might have been for an electromagnet. Wonder if he is AC/DC?