Suspects Removed at Gunpoint From Jets (NEW ATTEMPT)

AP ^ | September 14, 2001, 4:45 AM EDT | By JOHN SOLOMON

[TheOtherOne]

Suspects Removed at Gunpoint From Jets

By JOHN SOLOMON
Associated Press Writer

September 14, 2001, 4:45 AM EDT

WASHINGTON -- Up to 10 people of Middle Eastern descent were detained at two New York airports -- at least three removed at gunpoint from a Los Angeles-bound jet, sources told The Associated Press.

At least some of the people detained Thursday were carrying knives, according to published reports. Authorities were investigating whether the two groups -- detained at Kennedy and LaGuardia airports -- were more would-be hijackers or people related to the attack trying to flee the New York area.

One man was arrested with a fake pilot's license, Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik said. Several of those detained had attempted to board airlines Tuesday around the time of the hijackings but were turned away and fled, a U.S. official requesting anonymity told the AP.

The incidents caused the region's three major airports _ Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark, N.J. -- to close again just hours after service was restored.

The Washington Post, citing unidentified government sources, reported that two armed groups of five people each were detained with knives, false identification and open tickets dated Tuesday _ the day of the attacks. ABC News also reported that those detained were carrying knives.

A source familiar with the workings of the airline industry told the AP that law enforcement officers secretly boarded a plane at Kennedy using a catering cart. The officers, with weapons drawn, then removed the three from the plane.

One of those being detained was believed to have had flight training similar to that obtained by Tuesday's hijackers, the U.S. official said. The Post reported that those detained had certificates from the same Florida training school attended by some members of Tuesday's hijackings.

A passenger on a San Jose-bound American Airlines jet at Kennedy told The New York Times that officers boarded and closely questioned about 15 people.

"Anyone with dark skin or who spoke with an accent was taken aside and searched," passenger Mike Glass of Seattle told the Times. "And then they went to any male with too much facial hair."

Also, the Times, quoting unidentified law enforcement sources, reported that two men were detained from a Saudi aircraft at Newark after being identified on a terrorist watch list.

Separately, new information emerged about Tuesday's events. A law enforcement source told the AP that the FBI was investigating an altercation at Kennedy on Tuesday, and trying to understand whether that incident might have been an aborted hijacking attempt.

Tuesday's incident occurred about 9 a.m. -- around the same time two hijacked jet airliners crashed into the World Trade Center towers. After passengers had boarded United Airlines Flight 23, bound for Los Angeles, officials told them it had been canceled

Three males refused to disembark and argued with the flight crew, who called airport security. The men vanished before security arrived, the source said.

There have been persistent, unconfirmed reports that a fifth hijacking had been attempted Tuesday but somehow averted.

(PROFILE (CO:AMR Corporation; TS:AMR; IG:TRV;) )

Copyright © 2001, The Associated Press

[Texas_Jarhead]

Off Topic - Who is in charge of threads at this time of day? ANyone know?

I posted a request for information on the UN's response to the attacks, got one response, and then the dang thing was deleted. It's ridiculous.

PS - Has there been a condemnation of the attacks by the UN or any statements made at all?

[Mike Darancette]

Give them the Amadiou Diallo suite.

[HalfIrish]

Those terrorists must be retarted

Please do not drag our retarded citizens down to their level. Thanks.

[gunnedah]

No they havent yet. Also look at the faces in Congress that are conspicuously missing in your newscasts.It is very obvious.

[TERMINATTOR]

Luke 22:36 (KJV) --Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

Got sword? (M1 Garand)

No mercy, no quarter!
May the jihadists burn in hell for eternity!
Help speed them on their way!

[MomwithHope]

I heard NPR say yesterday it was "passenger profiling". Why not call it what it really is.

[outlawcam]

We'll see how the events play out... But has anyone else given thought to or heard about the possibility that these people being caught are "copy cat" terrorists--merely sympathizers who know nothing about the actual conspiracy?

[AppyPappy]

A natural byproduct after we claimed one of the terrorists was talking. They are trying to flee the country.

[newzjunkey]

Thanks. BUMP!

[Zorobabel]

Jesse and fat Al have been conspicuously silent during this whole affair.

[csvset]

Yes, the Rev.'s should be Kabul bound to demand the release of the Christian relief workers.

[Labyrinthos]

Has any liberal dared squawk about racial profiling yet?

How about Mike Glass and the reporter who included Mr. Glass's quote in the article? Seems to me that someone was trying to make a liberal point.

[piasa]

Fox reports the feds took two men have been taken from a Carnival cruise ship in Miami for questioning regarding terrorism.

[PLK]

I think libs only get upset when it's a black, Latino, or Indian.

Wrong, and it's already happening. At our Big 10 University it's the biggest topic on campus. The President has sent out 2 mass emails cuz she's peeing her pants over the worry that it might happen. Like that's our biggest worry right now. How sickening. We had a huge "discussion" in a meeting yesterday about how awful it would be and remembering the detention of Japanese in camps during WWII and just how unjust and bad it was. Yadayadayada....on and on. The libs cannot seem to interupt their thought processes long enough to actually let a logical thought get from A to B. It's really pathetic.

[PLK]

Those terrorists must be retarted or on some kind of dope. To think that they could waltz in and not get caught does not make sense!

Actually, I read somewhere that it's not uncommon for suicide bombers to drug themselves before they act. One may also consider that if they had themselves all psyched up to become martyrs and go straight to Allah, and then were thwarted Tuesday, they would naturally give it another go. They are probably crazed with the notion that they were left out of all the fun.

[nothingnew]

"And then they went to any male with too much facial hair."

Oops. Guess I better stay away from airports...

FMCDH (btw, what is too much facial hair?)

[Daus]

Can you imagine the beat down any 'terrorist' is going to get from his fellow passengers, the moment they get up and make their announcement?

The only reason they were successful the first time is that everyone on board assumed they would ultimatatly live after the highjacking was over. Now the assumption is once a hijacking begins, is that you will be flown into the side of a building. It's going to be like the WWF up there is someone tries this again.

I would suggest any one of Arab descent who is flying and needs to use the bathroom, to just wait and stay in their seat. :)