Terror link to Air France crash?

The Christian Science Monitor ^ | June 10, 2009 | Alexandra Marks

[Scanian]

New York – Could it have been terrorists, after all, who brought down Air France Flight 447?

French news reports that Airbus 330-200's passenger manifest contained the names of two people with alleged ties to Al Qaeda has renewed the focus on terrorism as a possible key to the puzzle of what brought the plane down more than a week ago on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.

A French nuclear submarine has now joined the search effort in the Atlantic Ocean for more wreckage and the black boxes, which hold the most crucial clues to the events of that stormy night. Speculation initially centered on lightning or turbulence as the cause of the plane crash, and later, on the potential malfunction of small speed sensors called "Pitot" tubes, which could have iced up leading to improper speed readings.

The focus on technical problems has been, in part, because almost immediately after the plane disappeared with 228 people aboard, the French authorities reportedly ruled out terrorism as a possible cause. That puzzled many aviation analysts, since so little was known at the time about the cause of the disappearance.

Since then, several clues have emerged that have prompted investigators to take another look at terrorism. First, a Spanish pilot flying in the same area reported he saw a "bright white flash" in the sky that evening. That could indicate a midair explosion of some kind. Air France also confirmed that it had received a bomb threat at its offices in Argentina four days before the crash. And now, there are the reports that the passengers included two people whose names match those on France's terrorist watch list.

But terrorism experts warn against jumping to any conclusions.

[hoosiermama]

Terrorist who eh thunk it?....Pirates maybe but terrorists...../sarc

[Kiss Me Hardy]

Well, I thought terrorism brought down TWA Flt 800, what with 200+ witnesses, including the pilot of another plane, reporting that a flaming streak shot toward the planefrom the sea. But fedeal investigators soon persuaded me otherwise. After all, who could believe that terrorists might attack a US airplane

[TribalPrincess2U]

Wonder if any reporter has asked 0’s opinion about this.

They would waste time asking Bush his opinion.

[TribalPrincess2U]

Wonder if any reporter has asked 0’s opinion about this.
They would waste time asking Bush his opinion.

Should read...

They would waste ANY time asking Bush his opinion.

[Publius6961]

But terrorism experts apologists warn against jumping to any conclusions.

There. Fixed it for 'em.

[swarthyguy]

Hey, we’ve been told right from the getgo, terror was not a factor.

Of course, catastrophic failure in all systems, primary and redundant simultaneously, after numerous threats to AF in Brazil in the prior weeks.

Hell, I say check the center fuel tanks.