Missing 727 Inspires Fear

ABC News ^ | June 27, 2003 | By the ABCNEWS Legal-Investigative Unit

[freeperfromnj]

Missing 727 Figured in Embassy Closure

June 27 — Information that one of the FBI's 22 most-wanted terrorists was affiliated with a 727 plane operator in Africa sparked major concern last week for U.S. counterterrorism agencies that terrorists could conduct an aerial assault against the U.S. Embassy in Kenya, sources told ABCNEWS.

The intelligence is particularly alarming after a Boeing 727 disappeared in Africa May 25 when it mysteriously sped from a runway in Angola.

U.S. intelligence agencies are trying to trace the plane's whereabouts using satellites and human intelligence, but have not yet been able to locate it.

Read Pierre Thomas' reports on the plane: 727 Vanishes It's Never Happened Family Fears Pilot's Fate

Officials do not automatically link the aircraft's disappearance to terrorism, but sources say they are concerned that a man who currently operates 727 jets in Africa — and who is described as a suspected former unofficial aviation adviser for the Taliban — is affiliated with Fazul Abdullah Mohammed. Mohammed is an alleged al Qaeda operative who was indicted in the United States in the 1998 East African embassy bombings and is still at large.

The U.S. State Department closed its embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, for six days starting last Friday after the Defense Department learned that it was a specific target of a terrorist attack. Kenya has been on heightened alert status for more than a month due to a range of intelligence red flags signaling terrorist activity in the region, including the sighting of Mohammed near the Somali border several weeks ago, sources told ABCNEWS.

Intelligence officials also learned of a transfer of a cache of weapons into Kenya from Somalia, a large infusion of cash into a suspicious bank account in Kenya, and the transit into Kenya of one or more British nationals of Somali descent recently.

Combined with the disappearance of a 191,000-pound jetplane, all of this spelled the makings of an imminent attack to authorities, intelligence officials told ABCNEWS, leading to the shutdown of the embassy.

[Jeff Head]

I doubt that they will waste a 727 on Kenya. Better be on our toes.

[IYAS9YAS]

My theory is that, once in the air, it wouldn't get far because of friendly nations with radar tracking. My guess is that it was flown to unfriendly nations for ground assault training purposes.

[flagstaff06]

If you remember correctly, the whole idea of terrorism is to make people live in fear...

The likelyhood of them using this plane to attack Kenya is unlikely. If anything it is to put America in fear. If they go futher than "terror", then we better be ready for the worst.

[Jeff Head]

Could well be...but if it comes in below radar...who knows?

[Paleo Conservative]

I doubt that they will waste a 727 on Kenya. Better be on our toes.

A 727 can't reach the US from Kenya without refuelling. In order to inflict maximum damage it would have to have lots of fuel in its fuel tanks, which implies it would have to take off within a few hundred miles of its intended target.

[SwinneySwitch]

This plane, according to previous threads, has additional tanks built inside the plane!

[Hinoki Cypress]

Maybe not. Isn't this plane retrofitted with internal tanks which could be filled with fuel? Seems I read that in the article on the day the plane was swiped.

[LurkedLongEnough]

Israel - or India?

[Flyer]

when it mysteriously sped from a runway in Angola.

Very mysterious. They usually take off at 10 mph.

[Flyer]

when it mysteriously sped from a runway in Angola.

Very mysterious. They usually take off at 10 mph.

[Flyer]

Very mysterious. I usually post replies only once.

[Paleo Conservative]

This plane, according to previous threads, has additional tanks built inside the plane!

So maybe it could just reach the US from Africa without refuelling and arrive low on fuel. Remember the planes used in the September 11 attacks were full of fuel, because they had just taken off from airports on the east coast bound for California. A 727 has the same cross-section as a 757, but has less fuel storage in the wings and less efficient engines. In order to cause catastrophic damage to a building, it would need land somewhere close the the US and refuel.

[Jeff Head]

Conventionally configured you are right...but if they are working on it now, to turn passenger and cargo space into fuel space...they could accomplish what you have stated.

Best not underestimate them.

[Jeff Head]

Very possible too.

[Paleo Conservative]

Conventionally configured you are right...but if they are working on it now, to turn passenger and cargo space into fuel space...they could accomplish what you have stated.

Perhaps if a particularly long runway were chosen, it could take off overloaded. I still doubt it would be worthwile to fly directly from Africa.

[VRWC_minion]

a Boeing 727 disappeared in Africa

I saw this on TV, that magician did it.

[Paleo Conservative]

I think a target in the Middle East or Africa would be a more likely target.