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Two Passengers Held at Seattle Airport
Reuters ^ | Wednesday October 31 11:23 AM ET | Reuters

Posted on 10/31/2001 7:38:18 AM PST by Koblenz

SEATTLE (Reuters) - U.S. Customs and FBI (news - web sites) agents in Seattle seized two passengers from a Northwest Airlines Corp. jet inbound from Narita, Japan, on Wednesday and held them for questioning, airport and airline spokespersons said.

Officials kept the rest of the 201 passengers and 17 crew members on board the Boeing 747-200 while the two unidentified men were questioned and their bags searched, said Northwest spokesman Bill Mellon.

``The FBI asked us to hold (the plane) short of the passenger terminal. Customs and FBI agents boarded the flight and have detained two men. They are questioning them and they are checking their carry-on and checked luggage,'' Mellon said.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport spokeswoman Terry-Ann Mohon said passengers are routinely held aboard the plane during such an incident.

The red-eye flight from Narita had otherwise gone normally, Mellon said.

``The were no problems on the flight. No incidents were reported,'' he said.

Officials at the Seattle FBI office declined to confirm any of the details of the incident.


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
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This is the leading story at Yahoo, but I didn't see it here yet... Anyone have any info?
1 posted on 10/31/2001 7:38:18 AM PST by Koblenz
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To: Koblenz
Yes, see for local news.

It's in my back yard - radio news isn't given much in the way of more details. No problem on the flight - the feds must have just been after these two for some reason - may or may not be related to terrorism.

2 posted on 10/31/2001 7:42:29 AM PST by anniegetyourgun
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To: Koblenz
...probably just running a hazmat check on a tube of wasabi.
3 posted on 10/31/2001 7:45:54 AM PST by True Capitalist
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To: Koblenz
Is anybody watching the Space Needle? They tried for that one at the Y2K celebration. They will try again. Just like they made 2 attempts at the WTC.
4 posted on 10/31/2001 7:47:16 AM PST by StockAyatollah
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To: True Capitalist
Feds were tracking these two as well as the one they grabbed outside the midtown tunnel this morning in Queens. N.Y. Looks like we have taken action to the threat alert issued by government
5 posted on 10/31/2001 7:47:47 AM PST by shadeaud
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To: anniegetyourgun
HazMat suits, hmmmm....if you hear any more developments, keep us posted, please.
6 posted on 10/31/2001 7:50:40 AM PST by cake_crumb
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To: True Capitalist
"hazmat check on a tube of wasabi. "

Wasabi = Japanese rocket fuel.

7 posted on 10/31/2001 7:53:30 AM PST by Rebelbase
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To: Rebelbase
Wasabi = Japanese rocket fuel.

Wasabi?
Wassaaaaaaaaabiiii!!!!

aaaaaaaaaaaa.......

8 posted on 10/31/2001 7:57:37 AM PST by peteram
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To: shadeaud
Just heard a flight arriving in San Fransisco from Japan being held, nothing more
9 posted on 10/31/2001 7:57:43 AM PST by horsewhispersc
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To: Koblenz; shadeaud
But seriously -

Looks like we have taken action to the threat alert issued by government

The report didn't metnion their nationality. Any word?

10 posted on 10/31/2001 8:00:44 AM PST by peteram
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To: Koblenz
Wednesday, October 31, 2001

Northwest Airlines Flight Detained at Sea-Tac Airport • Complete coverage of the incident on KIRO 7 Eyewitness News at Noon, 5 and 6:30.

ASSOCIATED PRESS and KIRO 7 EYEWITNESS NEWS
SEATAC -- A Northwest Airlines flight from Tokyo was detained Wednesday morning at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport while federal officials questioned two male passengers and searched their luggage, a Northwest spokesman said.

Passengers were being allowed to leave the plane at about 8:30 a.m., KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reported.

Men in hazmat suits were seen going through baggage that had been taken off the aircraft.

Airline spokesman Bill Mellon said five FBI, U.S. Customs, and Immigration and Naturalization Service agents boarded Flight 8 when it landed as scheduled at 6:10 a.m. and removed the two passengers.

The rest of the 201 passengers and 17 crew members were being held in the 747-200 away from the terminal. It wasn't clear when they would be able to leave the aircraft, airport spokeswoman Terri-Ann Mohon said.

"We've only been told that it may take a while," she said. There were no unusual incidents during the flight from Tokyo's Norita Airport, Mellon said. U.S. officials asked before the plane landed that it be held away from the terminal, he said.

Mellon said he did not know the nationality of the two passengers being questioned.

Mohon said the incident was not expected to affect other flights at the airport south of Seattle.

11 posted on 10/31/2001 8:01:55 AM PST by honway
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To: peteram
The report didn't metnion their nationality.

Let's don't forget those Japanese terrorists who put the Saren gas in the subway.
Not ALL terrorists are Middle Eastern.

12 posted on 10/31/2001 8:05:16 AM PST by EggsAckley
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To: Koblenz
Just a note, there might be a possible Philippines connection, since most flights from the Phils hub through Narita. South Phils = Abu Sayyaf Muslim terrorists.
13 posted on 10/31/2001 8:06:27 AM PST by ikka
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To: ikka
True - The Phillipines / Indonesia is a hotbed for muslim fanatics (of any nationality). I believe there are still some US hostages being held there.
14 posted on 10/31/2001 8:09:42 AM PST by peteram
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To: Koblenz
Another report of a detained plane in San Francisco just came across KTSA radio...no details yet.
15 posted on 10/31/2001 8:13:24 AM PST by ravingnutter
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To: Rebelbase
Wasabi = Japanese rocket fuel.

Here in New York we just call it booze.

16 posted on 10/31/2001 8:17:00 AM PST by lowbridge
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To: Koblenz
Interesting......

Both were Northwest Airlines flights
Both were headed to the west coast of the US
Both originated from Narita, Japan

17 posted on 10/31/2001 8:18:53 AM PST by Tai_Chung
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To: StockAyatollah
"Is anybody watching the Space Needle?"

If I'm not mistaken, the original attack on the Space Needle was to coincide with the Y2K celebration, when tens of thousands of people were expected to be in the vicinity. Right now, during the tourist off-season, the Space Needle would be a much less attractive target for terrorists. The terrorists seem to choose their targets based on the maximum disruptive effect on society, and attacking the Space Needle would not cause nearly as much disruption or death as would attacks on countless other targets here and nation-wide. So I think the Space Needle is probably not on the terrorists' short list. Attacks on the Columbia Tower (80 stories), Key Tower (50 stories, adjacent to I-5), Ross Dam (power grid), or Cedar River (watershed) would be much more devastating.
18 posted on 10/31/2001 8:20:29 AM PST by Steve_Seattle
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To: Tai_Chung
Northwest Flight #28 from Japan at SFO. They have not taken anything off of the aircraft yet, detaining passengers on plane. Plane being kept in a remote location.
19 posted on 10/31/2001 8:21:26 AM PST by ravingnutter
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To: Tai_Chung
Both were headed to the west coast of the US

So thats why the communist land of Sodom, Hellywood, has become so patriotic! They want America to save their sorry butts!
I am, however, concerned about "the great unwashed masses" that also live there.
I hope they stay safe.

20 posted on 10/31/2001 8:23:25 AM PST by concerned about politics
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