Major airport security alert

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/2104089?source=Evening%20Standard | 19 Nov 2002 | Mark Wilkinson

[UKCajun]

A major security alert has been sparked after an Arab teenager claiming to support Saddam Hussein climbed onto an airliner at Stansted airport and caused £15,000 damage.

Moroccan-born Josef Monti arrived on the Eurostar train on false papers and within 48 hours walked unchallenged into a highly-restricted area at the airport.

He climbed into the cockpit of an unlocked European Aviation Boeing 737, which was empty and unguarded, and smashed instrument panels and equipment.

He was about to attack another aircraft when he was detained by airport security. The 18-year-old later admitted to officials that he was a supporter of Saddam Hussein.

Although he asked to be directed to the notorious Finsbury Park mosque after arriving in Britain, Monti is believed to have no direct links to any terrorist organisation. But the ease with which he breached security at Britain's third-biggest airport has raised serious concerns.

One security source said: "If a lone teenager could get this far, just think what the combined might of al Qaeda could do."

Monti, who lives in Paris, arrived at Stansted in the early hours of Wednesday and wandered about "air-side" for several hours before being arrested.

On Friday at Chelmsford magistrates' court, he pleaded guilty to criminal damage and two charges under the Aviation Security Act. He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced in six weeks' time.

[UKCajun]

Some coincidence--weapons inspectors arrive in Iraq.

[jriemer]

BTTT

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Religion of peace alert!

[FreedomPoster]

Keyword added.

[jriemer]

Admin Moderator,

Can or should this story be upgraded to "Breaking News" in light of the perp's statement supporting Saddam Hussein that "justifies" his solo attack on parked airliners in England? This is the second aircraft / airline event in 48 hours. Earlier it was the El Al attempted highjacking and now its airport sabatoge in England. Something's up.

jriemer

[robowombat]

This fellow's name is very odd for a Moslem. Monti would appear to be a European name. Specifically it would appear to be a Sephardi Jewish name. The Jewish community in Marocco once contained a fair number of families descended from Jews expelled from Spain in 1492. After the French protectorate over Marocco ended the equality of all confessional communities was proclaimed and actually adhered to. This earned the monarchy the enmity of Islamicists. The Maroccan Jewish community declined more as a result of the withdrawl of French capital and the local society becoming gradually more and more Islamic than through any direct persecution. Many Maroccan Jews left over the 15 years after independence for France, the US, Canada, and Israel. One wonders if Mr Monti's family may have been part of a much smaller trend that saw some Jews converting to Islam.

[TGIAO]

What is up with UK security? Didn't I read a few days ago about protestors getting onto (as opposed to into) a nuclear sub being 'refitted' or something?

Heres hoping for 'lessons learned' and that our security is being beefed up too.

[jriemer]

On 11/16, two protestors boarded the British HMS Vanguard submarine while in dock, set off the ship's fire alarm and were subsequently arrested. The two were from Sweeden and Finland.

The HMS Vanguard is a Trident ICBM submarine. Such an act show how easy it can be to access the British nuclear sub fleet in port.

See link:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021116/ap_wo_en_po/britain_nuclear_protest_2

jriemer