“Panamanian authorities deny reports of attempted plane hijacking”
Posted 1 hour ago by dpa news in Crime | 40 views
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Civil Aviation spokesman Victor De La Hoz told Panamanian television that the authorities “deny any attempt or report of a hijacking” on board Copa Airlines flight 231.
De la Hoz said the misunderstanding started when flight attendants served breakfast on board and noticed that one knife was missing in the first-class section of the plane. The subsequent search showed that one of the passengers had grabbed the knife as a “souvenir.”
Airport security officials arrested the man pending further investigation after the plane landed safely.
De La Hoz stressed that Panamanian authorities did not want to cause unnecessary alarm that might affect tourism.”
Thanks to a special emailer for pointing to these links:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/II26Df02.html
Sep 26, 2007
Page 1 of 2
“Military brains plot Pakistan’s downfall”
By Syed Saleem Shahzad
KARACHI
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http://analysis.threatswatch.org/2007/09/understanding-alqaedas-psy/
“Understanding Al-Qaeda’s Pakistan PSYOP and Insurgency
The Troubling Effectiveness of al-Qaeda’s PSYOP On The Pakistani Army”
By Steve Schippert
(September 25, 2007)
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http://www.saag.org/papers24/paper2387.html
Paper no. 2387
21-Sept-2007
“Al Qaeda Steps up Psywar Against Musharraf & Pakistani Army - International Terrorism Monitor-— Paper No. 283”
By B. Raman
Syrians detained on Panama-bound plane
September 25, 2007 11:54 a.m. PT
PANAMA CITY, Panama -- Six Syrians were detained in Panama on Tuesday after the crew on their flight from Cuba alerted authorities to suspicious behavior. An aviation official denied police reports that the Syrians tried to open the cockpit door. "This is not a hijacking," said Victor de la Hoz, spokesman for the Panamanian Civil Aviation Authority.
Panama's National Police director, Rolando Mirones, said earlier that the passengers approached the cockpit "apparently with the intention of opening a door."
But de la Hoz said the Copa Airlines crew simply notified authorities on the ground that a knife was missing after they served the meal in the first-class cabin, where the Syrians were sitting. He did not say whether the Syrians were suspected of taking the knife. Mirones said the suspects "did not commit any violent acts inside the airplane, but they raised suspicions," adding: "That is why we are investigating."
The passengers, who were not identified, were being held at Panama City's international airport, he said. Like many airlines, Panama's Copa ordered cockpit doors locked on commercial jetliners after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1102AP_Panama_Passengers_Detained.html