31 Yemeni Residents Detained at JFK

AP | 2/20/02

[kattracks]

NEW YORK, Feb 20, 2002 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- Authorities refused to let 31 Yemeni passengers board a flight departing from John F. Kennedy International Airport because they did not have proper visas, the Port Authority said Wednesday.

The group was scheduled to take British Airways Flight 116 at 11 p.m. Tuesday to Yemen with a connection in London, Port Authority spokesman Sgt. Jeff Baumbach said.

They were barred from the flight and detained after the visa problem came to light, Baumbach said. He said the airline called the FBI, whose Joint Terrorist Task Force responded to investigate.

The 31 detainees apparently all booked their tickets with the same travel agent, Baumbach said. It was unclear what type of visas they lacked or how long they would be held in custody.

"Safety and security are paramount at BA," a British Airways spokeswoman said. "The group did not have the proper travel documents, and thus the security process was taken to the next step."

Telephone calls early Wednesday to the FBI were not immediately returned.

Copyright 2002 Associated Press, All rights reserved

[George from New England]

Yup. Let these 31 be the only ones on board. Add a pilot and a parachute. Give them just enough fuel to get over international waters and let em go!

[thinktwice]

Denmark is finally off the hook. Now, ... There's something rotten in Yemen!

[kassie]

This is the first I've heard about this. Please keep us informed.

[vannrox]

HISTORICAL NOTE:

There is quite a bit of Terrorist activity today (this dated post).
Gunman Shoot Dead 3 In Munich Rampage
Hijack of airplane in progress in Colombia by rebels (FARC?)
Iranian Arrested Carrying Loaded Gun Onto Plane
Italy Arrests Four Moroccans with Maps, Cyanide

[kassie]

Thanks for all the links.

[Lopeover]

Don't be too sure. Maybe they were leaving town because somethin' else is going down. The one of the terrorists who flew the planes into the WTC on 9/11 had family members that he sent back home.

[paul51]

Yemeni people stranded in countries around the world because their own government will not give them visas to return

If their own country doesn't want them back, that should tell us something.

[Rockitz]

Something's up....I wonder if round two of 9/11 is in the offing and these 31 just didn't want to be here when it starts?

[TX Bluebonnet]

Send em all back via "ConAir"

[skeeter]

A good start, hopefully the "authorities" will expand this effort to include apprehending potential terrorists who are trying to ENTER the country.

[genefromjersey]

Just checked CNN: the Feebies ran them through their handy-dandy Terrorist Computer List ( Acme Terror Finder- $15.95 plus tax )and released them. It is noteworthy that they were released in smaller, more manageable groups: not enough to take over an airplane without weapons.

Adios, muchachos !

[steve50]

i think they should put you in charge of Homeland Security, you have a much better grasp of things than our public serpents seem to.

[concerned about politics]

Something's up....I wonder if round two of 9/11 is in the offing and these 31 just didn't want to be here when it starts?

I wonder what these folks did while here? (Biologists, for example?)
31 guys could set something up, and leave a few behind to pull it off.
The reason I question all this is because of the one way tickets, and all that cash.
The Terrorist finder from K-Mart may not have them listed as terrorists, but hey, there's always a first time for everything.

[Slingshot]

Let's see.

31 times 72 virgins.

There are not many left.

[genefromjersey]

Only if I can be appointed Notary Sojack .
OK, OK ! It was a character in an old comic strip, called "The Little King". The Notary, who was identified by a sign or billboard,had absolutely nothing to do with what was going on in the strip-which, for some obscure reason, people in the 1940's and early 50's found amusing.
Let's see: I started reading at the age of 5, so I've had 63 years to ponder over the role of the Notary Sojack in contemporary populist literature. I would have prepared a thesis on the topic, but the nice doctors say I shouldn't over-exert my brain, because I might start "acting out".
Please: may I have my nice meds now ???

[cookcounty]

31 guys, all pay cash, all leaving the same time on the same flight. They have more in common than just being Yeminis who wanted to go home at the same time. There has to be more to this story, it was obviously an organized group of SOME kind. .....

[whenigettime]

The 31 detainees apparently all booked their tickets with the same travel agent

Makes one want to check into this travel agent, no?

[thinktwice]

A related story with more info, posted about five hours later, is at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/631606/posts

And now, over twelve hours later, there is nothing new -- My guess is it's over and they're all on their way to Yemen.

[chainsaw]

31 terrorists on one plane could pretty much control he plane - Sky marshals or not.
No guns, box cutters, finger nail clippers, or explosive tennis shoes needed.

[eFudd]

Well they almost got it right.

We need to keep illegals from entering, not leaving.

In fact we should help them leave.