Man arrested on US plane tried to board day before: officials

AFP ^ | December 23, 2001 | AFP

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

The man arrested for allegedly trying to blow up a transatlantic flight from France was turned away from a Paris airport the day before, police officials said.

A US senator said the passenger, caught Saturday carrying suspected explosives in the heels of his shoes on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami, was on a suicide mission.

A French police source said airline staff at Charles de Gaulle airport had turned the man away at the check-in because he was "behaving bizarrely, was agitated and had a worrying look."

His passport also appeared brand new, although police had verified that it had not been reported stolen.

"The next day, the man passed through, again without baggage. Usually someone taking a long haul flight without luggage should be reported to police in the country he boarded, but this was not done," the police source said.

Passengers and crew overpowered the man, who appeared to be attempting to ignite explosives mid-flight aboard the jet with 197 passengers and crew aboard.

The plane was diverted to Boston where the man was arrested.

French police said the man identified himself to Boston police as Sri Lankan national Abdel Rahim, a Muslim.

He had been carrying a suspected fake British passport which was issued three weeks earlier in Belgium in the name of Richard Colvin Reid, born in 1973.

Anti-terrorist prosecutors in Paris are to launch an investigation into the incident.

Laura White, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Airport Authority, said the material in the man's shoe was consistent with C-4, a plastic explosive used for both industrial and military purposes.

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

So Mr. Rahim's almost fatal stunt was not done a whim....

[blam]

Hang'em.

[litany_of_lies]

"Turned away the previous day...." "TURNED AWAY?"

Why wasn't he taken into custody? Detained? Shoes checked? Identity verified?

Can you imagine the outrage against French security if this gut had been successful on Saturday?

The French had better buy a clue....FAST.

[litany_of_lies]

Sorry...."gut" = "guy"

[thucydides]

This may well have been an Al Qaeda experiment. Had the plane blown up over the ocean, no one would have known the cause. This would mean that a wave of suicide bombers could be sent to board aircraft with explosives in their shoes. The alarming thing is that a suspect turned away on one day, should be allowed to board the next, and that an obvious third worlder with a freshly minted UK passport, issued out of country (in Belgium) should not have been given a thorough search. In the current circumstances, I believe all male persons of middle eastern appearance need to be given a very exhaustive search, and be required to submit their names in advance for pre - clearance. It may be that we are not far from having to implement the Chinese government's solution: our airlines will not sell tickets or board passengers from a list of muslim countries.

[Bullish]

Glaring example of pathetic security.
This guy fit every concievable profile of a terrorist, yet he's still able to board a plane.

[VOA]

Hang'em.

In Massachussetts?
If there was a passenger aboard with even the most tenuous connection to
The Sane States (Texas, Oklahoma, etc...the "we try, convict, and execute killers" states),
I hope their Attorneys-General file to extradite the puke to try him for attempted murder!

[Rockyrich]

I first picked this up from the Miami Herald via WorldNetDaily and it's interesting, but not surprising they did not refer to the person's profile - Muslim as reported here. All the Herald quoted was, "Laura White, a spokeswoman for the airport authority, said the man was carrying a British passport that identified him as Richard Reid, 28, but she said U.S. immigration officials believe the passport -- issued in Belgium -- might be bogus." I'm sure much of the detail was in the AP coverage, but ignored. Seems were getting back into the PC mode.

[monday]

"Sri Lankan national Abdel Rahim, a Muslim. "

You know if I were Muslim I would be embarrassed. Not only does the religion have a high number of crazys who want to kill themselves, as well as large numbers of innocent people, but they apparently are the most incompetent people on the planet. 9-11 is beginning to seem more and more like a lucky shot. This loser is not smart enough to buy a lighter, so it wouldn't smell? or at least lock himself in the rest room? Also I'm not an explosives expert but even I know that c-4 can't be ignited by lighting it. Am I wrong? Isn't det cord needed, along with an electric power source?

[chachacha]

AMEN, let me add to your already reasonable list. "All those already in this country be given a free one way ticket back to their beloved homeland and help educate those morons. Start by overthrowing every terrorist King in every terrorist country that is sponsoring this crap. Lets wake up Americas. Your worried about oil? Dammit, go and take it all over till they understand what the ---- is goin on.

[litany_of_lies]

I have a theory. I believe this guy is part of a cell that has been mostly broken up or detained, but he's managed not to be. He's not getting orders from anyone anymore because of detentions and other disruptions of communications. BUT he's still a "true believer." So he tried this on his own and obviously didn't have a grip on how to get it done right.

[Amerigomag]

A US senator said

And these juveniles in the U.S. Senate wonder why 43 is hestitant to share any intel with them.

[Brad C.]

Can you imagine the outrage against French security if this gut had been successful on Saturday?

If the plane had gone down, we probably would have never known the cause. By the time salvage crews would reach the site, most if not all; of the plane would have been on the sea floor. There would be no passengers left alive, as the plane would have fallen from cruising altitude with a gaping hole in it at a minimum. The French would never be blamed, because for all practical purposes the problem would look like a fuel tank explosion.

[lowbridge]

The shoe salesman who sold the terrorist the lethal shoes declined to talk to reporters.

[maxwellp]

A high salute to the brave flight attendant and passengers who subdued this guy! I'm beginning to think it's up to the crew and passengers to defend themselves. Airport security, such as it is, doesn't work.

[MinuteGal]

Although luckily no one was killed, I hope they try this maniac under some charge that carries the death penalty. It's my opinion that the American public is so preoccupied with the holidays they are not even concentrating on what a horrible tragedy could have happened here.

I also feel that the government and the media are soft-pedalling this story till after the air-travelling public is back from wherever they went for Christmas. Am I off-base here?

Leni

[Brad C.]

How could anyone think otherwise? No one will protect you better then you yourself can. I also salute the people who prevented this act.

[ninenot]

French security

This is the oxymoron of the century. Remember, it's the Frogs who think the USA is behving badly in Afghanistan...

[ninenot]

I hope their [Texas/Oklahoma] Attorneys-General file to extradite

Might be do-able. American Airlines is HQ'd in Texas.

[Aliska]

So he tried this on his own and obviously didn't have a grip on how to get it done right.

I predict more "lone-wolf" type attempts. They don't necessarily need to be associated with any cell. In fact, acting alone would be easier, especially if they didn't communicate with any others about their intentions.

What if the guy had gone into the bathroom to "light up" and had been successful?