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| 'Shoe bomb' attempt on US plane |
| 2010-04-08 |
| A man has been detained after he tried to set fire to his shoes on a US flight, reports say. The man was subdued on United flight 663 from Washington Reagan airport to Denver. While the presence of explosives has not been confirmed, reports are referring to the incident as a "shoe bomb attempt". An ABC report identified the suspect as a Qatari diplomat stationed at the country's Washington embassy. The plane, with more than 160 passengers and crew on board, landed safely at Denver International Airport, where TV footage showed it surrounded by security vehicles. The US Transportation Security Administration said the suspect was being interviewed by law enforcement officials. "TSA is monitoring an incident on board United Airlines flight 663 from [Washington to Denver] after receiving initial reports that a Federal Air Marshal responded to a passenger possibly causing a disturbance on board this aircraft," the agency said in a statement. The incident comes just months after a Nigerian man allegedly tried to detonate a bomb on a passenger jet arriving in the US. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, was overpowered by passengers and crew shortly before the Northwest Airlines plane landed in Detroit from Amsterdam on 24 December. He has been charged with attempting to destroy a plane. In 2001, Richard Reid, a British citizen, attempted to blow up a transatlantic passenger jet carrying 197 people with explosives hidden in his shoes. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #23 they should have just let him walk off that plane all by himself without their protection. I'm sure some of the passengers would have dealt with him appropriately |
| Posted by: chris 2010-04-08 18:43 |
| #22 Moriarty: You can't arrest me! Seagoon: And why not? Moriarty: [laughs] Seagoon: [laughs] Moriarty: See that plate on the steamroller? See the letters on it? C.D. Willium: Cor blimey! Moriarty: No, Corp Diplomatique! I have diplomatic immunity! Willium: Get me out of here, call a doctor! Moriarty: Sapristi yakamacaca. Diplomatic immunity means I cannot be arrested, sued, disfranchised, blackballed, guillotined, run out, left in bulk, charged, hung, drawn or quartered, or needle-nardle-noo! You see, I happen to be the deputy vice pomfrit of the Titicacan delegation. Seagoon: Then why are you driving a steamroller? Moriarty: My feet hurt me. |
| Posted by: Throper Forkbeard7372 2010-04-08 17:32 |
| #21 Heeeeeeeres Funny Boy... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2010-04-08 16:28 |
| #20 this is bullshit, if it where us we would be escorted too a cell with a list of charges. |
| Posted by: chris 2010-04-08 16:13 |
| #19 The diplomat was on his way to Denver for a consular visit with a jailed Al Qaeda operative -- perhaps adding to the tension with the U.S. government. The State Department comment came after officials already were calling for Mohammed Al-Madadi to either be recalled or expelled for doing just about "everything wrong" on board the United Airlines flight to Denver late Wednesday. Al-Madadi was flying back to Washington, D.C., Thursday after being released from custody. He's expected to arrive at Dulles International Airport shortly after 3 p.m. ET and will likely be escorted by federal air marshals. |
| Posted by: Lumpy Elmoluck5091 2010-04-08 16:04 |
| #18 Hey, folks. Look where he was heading. Probably out to Florence... WASHINGTON – A Qatari diplomat who caused a bomb scare after sneaking a smoke in an airplane bathroom was traveling for a consular visit to see an imprisoned al-Qaida agent. A State Department official and another person close to the matter say Mohammed Al-Madadi was going to meet Ali Al-Marri for an official visit. Consular officials frequently visit foreigners held in the United States to make sure they are being treated well. The two sources spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter. But, I hope he ejoys his new posting to East Bumfuckistan... Officials say the diplomat will be sent home or transferred to another country for touching off the bomb scare. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2010-04-08 15:34 |
| #17 I'm hoping diplomatic immunity doesn't keep him off the "no fly list." Let him walk or swim. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-04-08 14:14 |
| #16 The FBI said the man had full diplomatic immunity as the 3rd secretary and vice-consul. Our local TV noon news also summarized this episode as a 'misunderstanding', which is a gross distortion of what happened. It was 4th or 5th down the line of news. The first item was a Sikh with a meat cleaver. The item after this one was, of course, about How is it possible that smoke was coming out of the restroom without the restroom's smoke detector screaming an alarm? Was the detector in working condition, or did the smoker 'disable' it? AFAICT, monkeying with airline equipment is a federal offense. Just the fact that the diplomat was smoking on board a flight (and a short one, at that) should make him persona non grata. Such an action is far less likely than Obama issuing another apology for the existence of the USA and his continuing work to make that less likely in the future. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2010-04-08 12:37 |
| #15 Why are we still allowing muslims on airliners? I'm sure Obama would have a 17-minute answer to that question. |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2010-04-08 12:37 |
| #14 Trial or test run by this muslim punk. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-04-08 08:18 |
| #13 The suspect was identified by authorities as a diplomat in the Qatar embassy in Washington, Mohammed al Modadi, 27. The FBI said the man had full diplomatic immunity as the 3rd secretary and vice-consul. |
| Posted by: john frum 2010-04-08 08:17 |
| #12 Why are we still allowing muslims on airliners? |
| Posted by: Parabellum 2010-04-08 08:09 |
| #11 would-be shoebombers that is. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-04-08 07:33 |
| #10 Air Marshalls = notorious lack of humor regarding shoe-bombs Passengers = notorious lack of humor regarding shoe-bombs. I predict passengers will end up killing one of these guys some day. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-04-08 07:32 |
| #9 Besoeker, |
| Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2010-04-08 07:25 |
| #8 In other news: Not mentioned in official reports, but revealed here this morning, a passenger on the flight discloses a previously concealed detail: That a female unsub left the lavatory moments before the Qatari diplomat. In addition, the same passenger overheard the exchange between the Air Marshall and the diplomat and had this to add to media reports: "I swear to god. His first words to the air marshall, in heavily accented english, were, 'Were we smoking??? I didn't look!' " |
| Posted by: logi_cal 2010-04-08 07:08 |
| #7 A little something for you this morning Devil Dog. UFC and USMC Vid1 UFC and USMC Vid2 |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-04-08 06:30 |
| #6 Have I missed something or has Obama made a public comment or issued condolences about the West Virginia coal mine disaster? I believe he's headed back to Eastern Europe again this week. They must keep Air Force One parked HOT on the ramp at Andrews. Still waiting for USAF personnel to "tell all" about that 'Statue of Liberty' fly over last fall. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-04-08 05:16 |
| #5 This was caused by all that Tea Party right wing hate speech. African Americans heard him mutter the "N" word 15 times. |
| Posted by: GolfBravoUSMC 2010-04-08 04:49 |
| #4 The Precedent's statement on the incident, where he describes the air marshals as "typical white people acting stupidly" and asks for Qatar's forgiveness should be released by the time the average 'burger enjoys his/her first coffee break today. |
| Posted by: Cornsilk Blondie 2010-04-08 04:28 |
| #3 Air Marshalls = notorious lack of humor regarding shoe-bombs |
| Posted by: LeighG 2010-04-08 00:52 |
| #2 FBI agents say no explosives were found in the shoes of a Qatar diplomat who was subdued by federal air marshals on a United flight to Denver Wednesday night after allegedly telling the marshals, "I'm lighting my shoes on fire." Authorities say the diplomat was wrestled to the ground and two F-16 fighter jets were dispatched to accompany the 757 on the final five minutes of its flight to Denver. Flight 663 originated from Washington Reagan airport. A US security official said, "it may have been a massive misunderstanding" and the diplomat's statement may have been a "sarcastic" comment when he was confronted by two air marshals who had been told by flight attendants that smoke was coming from the lavatory. |
| Posted by: john frum 2010-04-08 00:12 |
| #1 Next on the Obamanation agenda: Conduct a federal law enforcement sweep of right wing militias in northern states as a response. Someone should give DHS a hint: Misdirection means the enemy, you know, the people actually trying to kill Americans, are confused as to what to do, not us. Second on the Obamanation agenda: Disarm everyone except federal law enforcement agencies. And make sure they know how to target right wingers and "tea baggers." |
| Posted by: badanov 2010-04-08 00:05 |