AP sources: Man claims explosives, flight diverted

AP ^ | 04/27/2010 | GLENN ADAMS

[toldyou]

...a 26-year-old Florida defense contractor allegedly claimed to have a bomb in his luggage and a fake passport, U.S. authorities are reporting.

Federal officials identified the passenger as Derek Stansberry, an American citizen, who was traveling alone, NBC News reported. Authorities said they believe his passport is authentic.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/04/fla-contractor-held-after-alleged-bomb-threat-on-paris-to-atlanta-flight/1

[toldyou]

“26-year-old Derek Stansberry of Riverview, Fla.”

He’s on facebook...if any of you have an account there...

[LibertyRocks]

His last posting from the 20th:

COPY/PASTE from FB:
Derek Stansberry I ♥ and miss my amazing soon 2 be wifey, Jillian Marie... Fingers X'd, home in a few more days and deuces to Africa
April 20 at 2:22pm

************
From reading his posts it sounds like he was in GB for a while... Mentioned not being able to get home (to FL) due to the volcano?

[LibertyRocks]

Appears that as of just a couple of weeks ago he was working in Africa... No word on what PART of Africa. INTERESTING to say the least...

[LibertyRocks]

Finding more — for the time being until it’s either closed, or he switches it to “private” or “friends only”....

He was working in Ouagadougou. Here’s a link to the Wiki page for the city which is the capital of Burkina Faso.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouagadougou

Some of his posts seem rather immature (IMHO). I’m guessing - as others have pointed out above - that he’s got some “issues” so to speak. Lots of posts describing heavy drinking as well — maybe he had a few too many cocktails on that flight home???

[BRK]

OMG Fellow freepers! NO SH*T ! I was on this flight and sat 7 rows back from this guy! I am writing this from the Bangor, Maine Holiday Inn. I am going downstairs to eat, but the story is all true and what an experience.

[LibertyRocks]

Glad you are OK!!

Did the guy seem drunk to you? In reading through his posts on Facebook it seems he enjoyed drinking.

He also just spent a few months in a predominantly Muslim country in Africa. Comments regarding the riots there, as well as the “celebration” of (in his words) the “Prophet Mohammmed’s” Birthday.

Slight “censorship” of his post as it contains the F-word. No other changes in this copy/paste:

Derek Stansberry So it’s the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday ( personally I think he should have went with the name McLovin ) celebration today so Ouagadougo is a f*****g zoo today... Chillin’ by the pool and gonna work out
February 27 at 9:45am

[BohDaThone]

so — now what? we have a name, a picture, etc, and his ethnicity seems pretty clear — and not Amish either, but sure doesn’t look like some of the conclusions people were hurtling toward??

[toldyou]

“Lots of posts describing heavy drinking as well — maybe he had a few too many cocktails on that flight home???”

My thoughts exactly! Here are a few to which you refer...

Still recovering from St. Paddy’s day... I’d like to know what I tried to punch cuz my right hand is still swollen & Dustin is my boy...cuz I made him give me a right hook 2 the ribs which I’m still feeling. Alcohol is one hell of a drug March 19 at 5:45am

another:

Hung over as shit and bout to throw down at the house 4 St. Patrick’s Day...March 17 at 12:59pm

another:

who thought a day of relaxation would turn me so angry.... Jack n’ Cokes and Castels right after I work out, whose down? At least Africa has alcohol March 4 at 12:32pm

[toldyou]

He mentioned that he was delayed because of the volcanic ash...

[toldyou]

OMG! What are the chances?

[LibertyRocks]

Yep, I realized it once I started reading back. BTW: Did a capture of his entire posting history (it was relatively short - he just signed up back in January).

[BRK]

I was not close enough to see him clearly, but I had a long talk with the guy who sat next to him and he was convinced the guy was going to blow up the plane. He (the guy I talked to) emailed his loved ones good bye and the whole nine yards. I don’t think the perp was drunk, but he was definately had a psychosis of some type going on. Apparently, the bomb claim was bogus and he faked a claim of a fake passport.
Kudos to the Delta crew and the Air Marshall. They were stone cold serious yet calm and professional and remained coureteous throughout the ordeal.

[LibertyRocks]

Thanks for the post. Can’t imagine what that must have been like for all of you... I’m reading through his posts on FB and I would agree there was some sort of “issue”. Glad he wasn’t the “real deal”.

[NonValueAdded]

OMG, thanks for the report and glad you are safe.

[MWestMom]

Thank the Lord you are o.k. Unbelieveable!

[BP2]

so — now what? we have a name, a picture, etc, and his ethnicity seems pretty clear — and not Amish either, but sure doesn’t look like some of the conclusions people were hurtling toward??

First of all, it reflects Studies that show that as much as 80 percent of the public does NOT TRUST the media, mostly because of their Liberal bias and a Politically-Correct agenda. The fact that Cable News Stations held onto the name of the Ft Hood shooter for several hours, almost waiting to see if their competitors would utter his Islamic name first, reinforces this distrust of the MSM and their PC agenda.

Second of all, it just goes to show that in light of incidences where “an aircraft and explosives” are involved, perception may not ALWAYS be reality — but statistically speaking — it's pretty damn close.

In fact, if you were to BET MONEY on any random incident where “an aircraft and explosives” were involved WITHOUT knowing the suspect, if you were to say that person is a Middle Eastern male between the ages of 20-45, you'd VERY LIKELY be WIN that bet. With 19 "September 11" hijackers, an underwear bomber, a shoe bomber, and nearly a half dozen similar incidences over the last decade versus this ONE non-Islamic male, odds are PRETTY GOOD that your "stereotype" is very accurate, even though it may not be deemed "fair" or PC.

There are NO absolutes in life. But we are ALL subject to a subjective interpretation of the world in which we live, based upon our own individual life experiences we encounter.

For example, walking down this dark alleyway may be safe, but what do your life experiences tell you to do?

[happinesswithoutpeace]

whoa

[freethinker_for_freedom]

I agree with you. I think we should search all Arab-looking men extra thoroughly. If they don’t like it, they can quit trying to bring down our planes.

[BRK]

That’s exactly what I said as we were landing. And yes the place was deserted (except for about 20 police cars of various kinds.)