Free Republic

FRENCH authorities yesterday confirmed they were searching for an Afghan man who had failed to board one of the Air France flights cancelled amid fears of an imminent terror attack over the Christmas period. The man, named as Abdou Hai, was on a United States list of suspected terrorists - and a passenger with the same surname was due to fly from Paris to Los Angeles on Air France flight 68 on Christmas Eve. The news came as the US said it believed terrorists had been planning an attack at Christmas bigger than the atrocities on 11 September, 2001. Reports...

U.S. Security Needs Anger Some Europeans Thursday January 8, 2004 12:16 AM By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press Writer LONDON (AP) - Fears of a new airborne terrorist attack have brought heightened tensions, grounded flights - and created turbulence for U.S.-European relations. Some European nations have balked at the United States' tough new aviation security measures, which include armed guards on aircraft and preflight scrutiny of passenger lists. Airlines, hit by rising security demands, want governments to handle part of the cost. ``There are tensions within Europe on how to handle U.S. requests,'' said Philip Butterworth-Hayes, editor of Jane's Aircraft Components....

Jan. 6— Authorities across Europe are searching for a passenger suspected of having links to al Qaeda who failed to show up for an Air France flight on Christmas Eve, ABCNEWS has learned. U.S. law enforcement officials believe the male passenger underwent terrorist training in Afghanistan. The ongoing search for the man — who was traveling with a French passport — is one of the factors contributing to the continuing security jitters about trans-Atlantic flights, officials said. French officials told ABCNEWS the man is feared to have a small bomb whose components might get past airport security. The man had...