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| Suspect in diverted Delta flight used to be in Air Force |
| 2010-04-28 |
| A man detained after claiming he had explosives on a trans-Atlantic flight Tuesday served in the U.S. Air Force as an intelligence specialist for four years, Air Force officials said. Delta Air Lines Flight 273, which was heading from Paris, France, to Atlanta, Georgia, was diverted to Bangor, Maine, on Tuesday afternoon after the man made the explosives claim, law enforcement officials said. Two law enforcement officials identified the passenger as Derek Stansberry of Florida. He held the rank of senior airman and was on active duty from June 2005 to June 2009, according to Air Force officials. Federal air marshals on board the flight took Stansberry into custody, Delta spokeswoman Susan Elliot said. In addition to explosives, Stansberry claimed he had false documents, the law enforcement officials said. Investigators had found no explosives so far, they said. Stansberry was not flagged on any databases, they said. The FBI is leading the investigation with assistance from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration and the Bangor Police Department, the officials said. Stansberry trained at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas, and also was stationed at Hurlburt Field in Okaloosa County, Florida, according to Air Force officials. He served in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to service records. Passengers said they were unaware of any disruption, but that the flight crew moved all the passengers forward in the partially filled cabin. The jet landed in Maine at about 3:30 p.m. ET. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #16 If you ain't Cav, you ain't shit. Yep that's the saying. "Charge Hard". As for being a bit off, well... lets jsut say I have personal experience on being an the odd side of things at times, mentally. Made me a better analyst and ops, but was detrimental to career arc. Sometimes still get right pissed after all these decades. Not surprised to see the zoomie that popped his cork was one of us dark side types. I trained at Goodbuddy Airplane Patch myself, so I know what he is about. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2010-04-28 23:36 |
| #15 More from Reuters: A former U.S. Air Force intelligence specialist who served in Iraq and Afghanistan was charged with making bomb threats. Derek Stansberry, 27, of Florida was accused of claiming he had dynamite in boots in his backpack connected to a pressure trigger and that he also had explosives in his laptop, an FBI affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Maine said.Delta Flight 273 was diverted to Bangor, Maine, where the plane and luggage were searched. No explosives were found. The passengers were forced to stay overnight in Maine and were due to arrive in Atlanta on Wednesday afternoon. Stansberry was an Air Force senior airman and served as an intelligence specialist, Air Force spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Linda Pepin said. He was on active duty from June 2005 to June 2009 and received several decorations, including for service in Iraq and Afghanistan, Pepin added. He was charged with interfering with a flight crew and making false statements about having an explosive device on the plane, according to court records. He could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the first charge and up to five years for the second one. A federal judge ordered Stansberry temporarily held without bail. At his initial court appearance, Stansberry requested a competency exam be conducted, according to court records. A detention hearing is scheduled for May 3. In the Delta incident, one air marshal reported that Stansberry had said he had taken eight Ambien sleeping pills and had previously used Valium but not during the flight. He later told the FBI he had taken one Ambien earlier that day. The incident began when Stansberry passed a note to one of the flight attendants in which he said he was not an American citizen and had a fake passport. The crew turned the note over to one of the four U.S. air marshals on the jumbo jet. He then made claims about explosives in his computer and boots. The air marshals moved the items to the rear of the plane and built a bunker around them in hopes it would dampen any effects of a possible explosion, the affidavit said. During interviews with law enforcement agents, Stansberry told them he had top security clearances, had classified information, and other passengers on the plane had tried to interrogate him, though none had in fact talked to him, the court papers said. "He decided to claim that he had a bomb in order to divert attention from the fact that he had classified information," the affidavit said. Nine Ambien pills?!? It's a wonder the man is still breathing! |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2010-04-28 19:04 |
| #14 Sounds like he was an intel puke that got caught up in the drug scene after he left service and joined a civilian outfit. I've seen it happen dozens of times. This may have been his way of asking for help. Weird, but it happens all kinds of ways. Goodfellow AFB trains Imagery Analysts and Intelligence specialists - training once done at Lowry AFB. Sounds like he was either going back to Eglin/Hurlburt or to McDill, SOCOM Headquarters. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2010-04-28 15:50 |
| #13 A Continental Airlines flight headed to Washington's Dulles Airport was diverted to Piedmont Triad International Airport. Continental Airline flight 3006 was headed from Houston, Texas to Washington, DC when it landed in Greensboro. The plane left Houston at 7:25 am CST Fly the friendly skies... |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-04-28 14:22 |
| #12 Could be medical . . . . |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-04-28 14:18 |
| #11 From Foxnews.com: The father said government officials questioned him, but he was as perplexed as they were. "My son's profession in the military required he live a squeaky clean life," Richard Stansberry said. The father said his son served four years in the Air Force before leaving last year for a job in the private sector. He wouldn't identify his son's employer, but said the firm does work for the Air Force....Houston, 24, said that when Tuesday's flight landed, FBI agents boarded and helped remove the suspect, who was wearing handcuffs. "He looked extremely calm, like a blank face. No emotion," Houston said of the man who was removed. Richard Stansberry, of Apollo Beach, Fla., said he has not yet been able to speak to his son. "Unfortunately, I don't think they'd let him call me," the elder Stansberry said. "In a situation like this, the government is doing what it is supposed to do." CIA? "When seeing and hearing isn't believing"? Wonder if we'll hear anymore on this? |
| Posted by: Lumpy Elmoluck5091 2010-04-28 12:29 |
| #10 Don't know OS, but I've heard it said... "If ya ain't CAV, YA AIN'T SHI*" |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-04-28 11:28 |
| #9 Some intel weenies are little loose in the head, helps on the job in a few ways. But some do go way off the end of the rope. Even converted combat arms people, like Cav troopers. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2010-04-28 11:26 |
| #8 Suspect in diverted Delta flight used to be in Air Force I missed it initially. Notice CNN's reluctance to use the term US Air Force VETERAN? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-04-28 09:13 |
| #7 #6 as an intelligence specialist for four years Pretty much explains it. Confused, pi**ed off, and frustrated. Hazards of the profession. Send him down to Eglin, lock him up and get him some medical help asap. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-04-28 08:01 |
| #6 as an intelligence specialist for four years I doubt he was driving trucks. I vote for smart but a total flake. |
| Posted by: ed 2010-04-28 07:55 |
| #5 PTSD is not impossible for 'Chair Force' - he was deployed in Iraq & A'stan, and for all we know could have been driving trucks and getting blown up and stuff. Airmen were (are?) being detached and assigned to general transportation units, among other things. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2010-04-28 07:52 |
| #4 Could be a case of "gone nuts". It happens. |
| Posted by: Whiskey Mike 2010-04-28 07:29 |
| #3 I'd bet he attended government schools also. Which is responsible for more irrational behavior? |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2010-04-28 07:19 |
| #2 From a desk jockey in the Chair Force? |
| Posted by: gromky 2010-04-28 06:45 |
| #1 Early days I know, but could this be a case of PTSD ? |
| Posted by: Dave UK 2010-04-28 05:14 |