Posted on 08/30/2002 4:28:09 AM PDT by MadIvan
Security at all British airports was stepped up today after an armed Arab man was charged with attempting to hijack a London-bound passenger jet.
A loaded gun was found in the hand luggage of the 29-year-old as he passed through a checkpoint at Stockholm Vasteras airport ready to board Ryanair flight FR685 to Stansted. The plane was carrying 189 passengers.
The weapon had been concealed in a washbag and was detected by an X-ray machine. Security sources in London said: "There are already widespread fears that supporters of Osama bin Laden may try to commit a new atrocity to coincide with the anniversary of 11 September. This incident has illustrated the need for constant vigilance and as a result our state of alert has been heightened even further."
Chief Inspector Anders Freyksell of Vasteras police said: "A scanner picked out the gun in the man's hand luggage. The gun was a small pistol loaded with three or four bullets." Police spokesman Ulf Palm added: "We believe he was going to hijack the plane." He said the man was also charged with illegal possession of a firearm. Police now have four days in which to question him before he must make a first court appearance, where a judge will have to decide whether to hold him in custody until his trial.
The suspect was said today to have a criminal record in Sweden for violence and theft. The man, who is a Swedish national but whose parents came from Tunisia, was in a group of around 20 Arabs, some of whom had already boarded the plane yesterday afternoon, when the weapon was found. The group were quickly surrounded by heavily-armed police with machine-guns. Police escorted the Arab group away from the airport in coaches to be questioned.
Some were made to kneel on the floor of the coach with hands behind their heads as officers stood over them with weapons. When questioned, the suspect told them he did not know anything about the gun in his bag.
The unnamed man told Swedish police he was on his way to a Islamic conference in Birmingham.
But a spokesman for the Da'wah conference, Yusuf Bowers, said today he was not aware of anyone due to attend from Sweden.
The conference - which attracts up to 3,000 Muslims from across Europe - is organised by Salafi Publications. Richard Reid, the alleged shoebomber awaiting trial in the United States for attempting to blow up a flight to Boston, was taught the fundamentalist Salafi version of Islam, but was disowned by the sect after his arrest.
Mr Bowers said: "We condemn any form of terrorism."
When the Ryanair plane finally arrived at Stansted just after midnight many of the passengers were looking weary after their ordeal. One told how armed police surround a group of "ten or 12 men in traditional Muslim clothing". The police arrived from nowhere and rounded up a dozen of the people who were with him.
"That group were handcuffed and led away to another part of the departure lounge. They had Swedish passports but looked like Arabs. All the remaining passengers-were lined up in the baggage area and photographed. We had to hold our passports open beside our heads so the photographer could picture them."
Another passenger, Louise West, 33, from London, said: "We did not know what was going on at first. We were told there was a security problem and the flight would be delayed.
"Everyone was calm, but it was very frightening to think that someone might have got a gun on board.
I heard some children on the plane say that they saw the gun being taken out of the bag.
"There were police with guns and sniffer dogs all over the place. It was terrifying."
Teacher Vicky Elliott, 29, of Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire, said: "I knew there was something wrong but I only found out that someone had tried to get a gun on board when I went to the toilet and an air stewardess told me.
" The group were bussed off escorted by police, there were police with guns everywhere, but it was very well handled."
An extensive search was carried out by the bomb squad on all luggage and passengers - including those also travelling to the Islamic conference but nothing more was found.
After a six-hour wait, passengers were allowed to continue their journey to the UK.
The Boeing 737-800 had been scheduled to leave Stockholm at 3.55pm local time.
When it finally touched down at Stansted today the passengers were given priority clearance so they could go on their way.
A spokeswoman for the airline said: "Ryanair commends the prompt action and vigilance of the security staff at Stockholm Vasteras airport and we are cooperating fully with the relevant Swedish authorities.
"We apologise sincerely to our passengers for this delay, but safety and security is our number one priority."
She said a fresh crew had been sent to the Stockholm Vasteras airport and all travellers were given food and refreshments while they waited.
Freedom of the free world bump.
Something the muslim "moderates" had better keep in mind as they harbor fanatics.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/742004/posts
I'm so angry I'm speechless. It would not displease me if Israel greased the treads of their tanks with all of these bastards.
Best Regards, Ivan
I can't believe the English would stand for this profiling. </sarcasm - in case there should be a doubt)
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