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.
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.
Wasabi = Japanese rocket fuel.
Wasabi?
Wassaaaaaaaaabiiii!!!!
aaaaaaaaaaaa.......
Looks like we have taken action to the threat alert issued by government
The report didn't metnion their nationality. Any word?
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.
Let's don't forget those Japanese terrorists who put the Saren gas in the subway.
Not ALL terrorists are Middle Eastern.
Here in New York we just call it booze.
Both were Northwest Airlines flights
Both were headed to the west coast of the US
Both originated from Narita, Japan
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.
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