Posted on 08/30/2002 9:24:15 AM PDT by MadIvan
An Arab man accused of trying to hijack a Londonbound plane with 189 people on board has links with supporters of Osama bin Laden, it emerged today.
The 29-year-old Tunisian-born man is being questioned by Swedish police after he was caught with a loaded pistol in his hand luggage as he tried to board a Ryanair flight from Stockholm Vasteras airport to Stansted.
He was one of a 20-strong party on their way to an Islamic festival in Birmingham for followers of Salafi - a fundamentalist sect whose teachings are popular with Bin Laden's terror group al Qaeda.
All the al Qaeda suspects held in Europe last year were Salafi followers. Shoebomber Richard Reid, the Brixton man who attempted to blow up a Boston-bound airliner, was also a follower.
British security experts today flew out to Sweden to help question the latest suspect. American John Walker Lindh, who was caught fighting with the Taliban after converting to Islam, is known to have studied Salafi.
Scotland Yard said anti-terrorist and Special Branch detectives were liaising closely with Swedish police and forces in Essex and the West Midlands.
The loaded gun was found in a washbag in the hand luggage of the man as he passed through a checkpoint to board Flight FR685 to Stansted.
People on board the Boeing 737-800 told today how heavily-armed police suddenly surrounded the group, who were dressed in traditional Arab clothing, and handcuffed them at gunpoint.
Passenger Elin Dermeborg, 27, a Swedish social worker visiting a friend in the UK, said: "We all got on the plane, then the crew came around and said 'We have got a group of people on the flight we don't feel secure with'.
"There was a group of about 20 Somalians, some were wearing Muslim clothing, and they said they were on their way to an Islamic meeting in the UK.
"Everyone had to get off the plane and one of the Somalians, a guy wearing a red T-shirt, was arrested by the police. They handcuffed him and took him away.
"We were told by the airport staff he was trying to get a gun on the plane. Everyone was very calm, no one panicked."
Police drove the men away from the airport in coaches. Some were made to kneel with their hands behind their heads as officers stood over them. The handgun was detected by a security scanner.
The remaining passengers were taken off the plane and photographed by security men. The plane was delayed for more than six hours.
The latest incident comes as a draft report prepared by UN experts warned the world that Bin Laden's al Qaeda network is "alive and well".
Security sources in London said: " There are already widespread fears that supporters of Bin Laden may try to commit a new atrocity to coincide with the anniversary of 11 September. This incident has illustrated the need for constant vigilance and as a result our state of alert has been heightened even further."
Chief Inspector Anders Freyksell of Vasteras police said: "The gun was a small pistol loaded with three or four bullets."
Police spokesman Ulf Palm added: "We believe he was going to hijack the plane." Mr Palm said the man was also charged with illegal possession of a firearm. The suspect was said today to have a criminal record in Sweden for violence and theft.
The man is a Swedish national but was originally from Tunisia. Some of the Arab group had already boarded the plane yesterday afternoon when the weapon was found.
When questioned the suspect told them he did not know anything about the gun in his bag. The man told Swedish police he was on his way to the conference in Birmingham.
The conference - which attracts up to 3,000 Muslims from across Europe - is organised by Salafi.com, an Islamic online book shop. One of the key aims of the conference is to try to dispel the notion of links between Islam and terrorism.
Did I save you the trouble? That's polite too. ;)
Regards, Ivan
I wish that was all he did. Seems to me he demoralized our military, UnAmericanized our patriotism, gave away our top secrets to enemies of our country (this will come back to haunt us in future years) became the symbol of cheating and lying (look at his influence on our CEO's, etc.)
.... well, there is no end to the UNAmerican and "Power" mongering done by Billy and Hitlary.. that our country will pay for for many years to come.
Are you joking? I've despised Clinton since 1992. He was coated in grease when he was a candidate. I really despaired when he was elected. I got angry when he was trying to get away with perjury.
Best Regards, Ivan
Yeah, and it's a real shame because Bin Laden would have been far easier to get and his network would have been easier to snuff out. Allowing him all those years to grow and organize has resulted in the dangerous situation we face today. It's like a cockroach infestation. We wallowed in filth for 8 long years and the cockroaches thrived and reproduced in that time to the point where they are almost overwhelming today.
But, at least the clean up has started. We can't stop until they are all irradicated.
Regards, Ivan
It's who you guys are too you know. But your country is now just as asleep as ours was. You are a courageous, stoic people, but you've forgotten that. The girly-men have taken charge and the others have turned away. Deep down though, I know who you guys really are and sooner or later it will come to the surface, just like it has here.
The real men were always still here, they were just silenced by the weeping, hand wringing liberals. They are still there in Britain too. I know, because you're one of them.
The reminders are there if we care to look. A visit to the Cabinet War Rooms. Watching the Cenetapf on November 11th. We can choose to remember. It is just a pity that too few people do.
The girly-men have taken charge and the others have turned away. Deep down though, I know who you guys really are and sooner or later it will come to the surface, just like it has here.
It will turn, eventually. I am sure that like the old song says, "There will always be an England". The socialists cannot destroy us, because they represent nothing but lies and lassitude. In the end, virtue triumphs.
The real men were always still here, they were just silenced by the weeping, hand wringing liberals. They are still there in Britain too. I know, because you're one of them.
I thank you, but I doubt I could be described as "silent". ;)
Regards, Ivan
ROFLOL....yes, you did. Laughing too hard to type anything else.
That is true. We're paying the price already. In fact, we started paying the price for his Emperor Nero act almost from the beginning of his first term in office.
We can only hope that the wake-up call that affected even many of those who're so far out in the wings they're in danger of falling out of the earth's atmosphere will prevent the American public from buying into the "IT'S ALL BUSH'S FAULT" propaganda....the way they did with the first President Bush.
Regards, Ivan
I understand that would never occur.
(In finest Sir Humphrey voice) "Then again, I may have misunderstood."
SellOut: The Inside Story of President Clinton's Impeachment by David Schippers
Well, it's simple as long as you remember that the salient feature of this sect of baatil is their rejection of the mathhabs of the Salf-e-Saalihoon. You were probably mistaking this for their baatil contentions of 'ad mut-taqleed" or the renunciation of Taqleed or their blind following of their opinions of desire. An easy mistake to make.
Help me. My brain is melting...
(I guess I should have included the smiley last time)
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