[quote]
Fighter jets escorted two flights — one to New York City, another to Detroit — after passengers' use of the bathrooms aroused suspicions Sunday, the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
On a Los Angeles-to-New York American Airlines flight, three passengers made repeated trips to the bathroom, officials said. The three were cleared after the plane landed safely at New York's Kennedy Airport.
Earlier, on a Denver-to-Detroit Frontier Airlines flight, the crew reported that two people were spending "an extraordinarily long time" in a bathroom, Frontier spokesman Peter Kowalchuck said. Police detained three passengers at Detroit's Metropolitan Airport after the plane landed without incident. They were released after questioning.
In both instances, the FBI said the jets shadowed the planes "out of an abundance of caution."
New York, in particular, has been in a heightened state of security after federal officials received a credible but uncorroborated tip of a car bomb plot on the 9/11 anniversary in either New York or Washington.
American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith said the plane's captain never declared a security threat and never asked for law enforcement help. A "security concern" was brought to the airline's attention, the crew used "normal procedures" to assess the circumstances and the plane landed as planned, Smith said.
"In our eyes, it's a big nothing," Smith added.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command scrambled two F-16 jets to shadow American Airlines Flight 34 until it landed safely at 4:10 p.m., the Transportation Security Administration said in a statement.
On the flight, the three passengers made repeated trips to the bathroom and some thought they were using hand signals to communicate, a law enforcement official said. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Two of the men were Israeli and one was Russian, the official said, adding that they were cleared and sent on their way.
FBI spokesman J. Peter Donald said in a statement that the jets were sent to escort the flight "out of an abundance of caution." The FBI interviewed passengers and found "no nexus to terrorism," he said.
A similar scenario played out on Frontier Flight 623.
NORAD spokesman John Cornelio said NORAD sent two F-16 jets to shadow the plane until it landed safely. The craft, with 116 passengers on board, landed without incident at 3:30 p.m. EDT, Kowalchuck said.
The Airbus 318 taxied to a pad away from the terminal, he said. The three escorted off the plane in handcuffs included two men and a woman, passenger Ilona Hajdar of Charlotte, Mich., told The Associated Press.
Authorities cleared the aircraft at 5:15 p.m. EDT after it was searched, the TSA said.
Flight 623 originated in San Diego before stopping at Denver International Airport on its way to Detroit.
In Denver, the FBI said that NORAD scrambled F-16 fighter jets to shadow the plane "out of an abundance of caution." The plane was searched and nothing was found, the FBI said.
American Airlines passenger Steven Ciobo said nothing seemed amiss on the flight until he saw police lights on the runway after the plane landed. He looked out the window while still in flight and didn't notice anything.
When the plane landed, he said, the airline workers told them to remain seated and that the authorities would meet the plane. Everyone was quiet as air marshals got on board and headed for the back of the plane.
"To be honest, I think it's reassuring that there was such a great response from the authorities," Ciobo said. "If there are people that are stupid enough to do those things on today of all days you wonder what's going on through their heads. But the fact that there were so many authorities there ... and that it all went so smoothly, I think they did a good job.
The jets intercepted the flight about 100 miles west of New York and shadowed it until it landed, Cornelio said. He also described the measure as precautionary.
American Airlines is a subsidiary of AMR Corp. Frontier is a subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings Inc.
[/quote]
[url]http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=140382170[/url]
Oh, you had to shat for 3 long times on the plane, you must be a terrorist!
Look how paranoid people have become.
The best story from yesterday was the poor guy who got his luggage 'opened with a waterhose', even the bags the airline had already checked! It is mentioned in this source:
[url]http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/09/11/flight.security.disturbances/index.html[/url]
Nothing like everything you have being sprayed down in front of a lot of people, and then finding nothing. I love this state of fear we are living in. It's disgusting that these people were 'escorted off the plane in handcuffs' just because a couple members of the crew found them suspicious.
I guess the terrorists suceeded.
Lol America being overly paranoid.
Why do Americans not realize they're helping the terrorists by being so afraid?
Wow, when I look at this I laugh and become sad because I never even think anything will ever happen on the next 9/11's and watch my country become paranoid.
If there were any terrorists they'd be acting normal and following the crowd, while some poor guy who's constipated causes fighter jets to escort planes :V
It would be quite awesome to be in those planes though, seeing jets escorting you.
[QUOTE=Rapist;32251914]It would be quite awesome to be in those planes though, seeing jets escorting you.[/QUOTE]
I dunno about that. One blown fuse in the cockpit radios and they assume the plane has been hijacked and blow it out of the sky.
Edit
Before any of you go off on a tangent about America becoming paranoid, there was a credible threat of another attack.
Well considering everything I think that the terrorists have done their work in making us fear about everything related to air travel and basic life interactions. Really if Al Quaeda had anything in their arsenal to do something then they would have already.
-
I dont get people who say this is the terrorists "winning" somehow. What sort of lame terrorist plot has a goal of making the enemy more careful. Seriously, I dont think suicde bombers or hijackers would do what they do in the name of increased airport security and i strongly doubt that any Al-Quieda leader has the evil plot to inconvienience middle america on his wall.
If you think THIS is the master plan of terrorists then you are either seriously naive or just plain stupid.
[QUOTE=Killoch0;32252561]I dont get people who say this is the terrorists "winning" somehow. What sort of lame terrorist plot has a goal of making the enemy more careful. Seriously, I dont think suicde bombers or hijackers would do what they do in the name of increased airport security and i strongly doubt that any Al-Quieda leader has the evil plot to inconvienience middle america on his wall.
If you think THIS is the master plan of terrorists then you are either seriously naive or just plain stupid.[/QUOTE]
Al-Quieda? And it is the terrorists winning when innocent people get hurt by things that are supposed to keep us safe.
[QUOTE=shian;32251700][url]http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=140382170[/url]
Oh, you had to shat for 3 long times on the plane, you must be a terrorist![/QUOTE]
They were probably masturbating.
So there are fighters to shoot down the plane if it gets hijacked?
On the bright side this guy will have the best story to tell for the rest of his life
"Son, let me tell you about the time I shit so hard two F-16 Fighter Jets had to be scrambled"
[QUOTE=Used Car Salesman;32251946]I dunno about that. One blown fuse in the cockpit radios and they assume the plane has been hijacked and blow it out of the sky.[/QUOTE]
I'm pretty sure that's not what they're supposed to do in case the plane has been hijacked.
[QUOTE=Laserbeams;32253467]I'm pretty sure that's not what they're supposed to do in case the plane has been hijacked.[/QUOTE]
THE SECURITY OF THE NATION COMES BEFORE EVERYTHING.
TAKE THOSE TERRORISTS OUT BY AL MEANS NECESSARY!!!1
[QUOTE=DrLuke;32251765]I guess the terrorists suceeded.[/QUOTE]
This, but unironically.
Al Qaedas goal on 9/11 was to destabilize the west and literally cause this kind of paranoia.
[editline]12th September 2011[/editline]
Let me guess, the people using the bathroom we're brown, weren't they?
[QUOTE=Shotacon;32253688]This, but unironically.
Al Qaedas goal on 9/11 was to destabilize the west and literally cause this kind of paranoia.
[editline]12th September 2011[/editline]
Let me guess, the people using the bathroom we're brown, weren't they?[/QUOTE]
Afterwards, maybe.
[QUOTE=DrLuke;32251765]I guess the terrorists suceeded.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Miskav;32251857]Lol America being overly paranoid.
Why do Americans not realize they're helping the terrorists by being so afraid?[/QUOTE]
So what did you expect the US government to do? Just ignore the threats? Nobody is afraid, and nobody is destabilized, the army just took some measures to prevent civilians dying. Better safe than sorry.
In the war against terrorism, we sure are losing don't yea think? Terrorism is the act of causing great fear. Well ten years later people are so paranoid that they call for fighter jet escorts on two flights because passengers were suspiciously taking a shit. I think terrorism won.
[QUOTE=Shotacon;32253688]Let me guess, the people using the bathroom we're brown, weren't they?[/QUOTE]
[quote]Two of the men were Israeli and one was Russian[/quote]
Uh they where escorting the planes because of some viable information about attacks on 9/11. They don't usually just escort planes. They didn't do it a whole lot 10 years ago. So something must have been up.
Also all you guys are idiots, everyone is like Durhurrrrr America so paranoid and making fun of it. But if they didn't do it and something happened everyone would be like "durhuur what the fuck is america doing, it should have known something might have happened. It is so close to 9/11"
There is nothing wrong with being safe, it is like being safe at work. It does not mean you're paranoid when you're taking safety precautions with using heavy equipment or something. It's about preventing and saving lives. It isn't stupid to be safe, if anyone says otherwise is a idiot. It's people that make stupid comments about being safe is stupid are the ones that usually get hurt.
[QUOTE=SilentOpp;32251761]The best story from yesterday was the poor guy who got his luggage 'opened with a waterhose', even the bags the airline had already checked! It is mentioned in this source:
[url]http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/09/11/flight.security.disturbances/index.html[/url]
Nothing like everything you have being sprayed down in front of a lot of people, and then finding nothing. I love this state of fear we are living in. It's disgusting that these people were 'escorted off the plane in handcuffs' just because a couple members of the crew found them suspicious.[/QUOTE]
How is this not illegal?
[QUOTE=MR-X;32255764]Uh they where escorting the planes because of some viable information about attacks on 9/11. They don't usually just escort planes. They didn't do it a whole lot 10 years ago. So something must have been up.
Also all you guys are idiots, everyone is like Durhurrrrr America so paranoid and making fun of it. But if they didn't do it and something happened everyone would be like "durhuur what the fuck is america doing, it should have known something might have happened. It is so close to 9/11"
There is nothing wrong with being safe, it is like being safe at work. It does not mean you're paranoid when you're taking safety precautions with using heavy equipment or something. It's about preventing and saving lives. It isn't stupid to be safe, if anyone says otherwise is a idiot. It's people that make stupid comments about being safe is stupid are the ones that usually get hurt.[/QUOTE]
No, the jets escorted the planes because someone took too long in the shitter.
Why the hell would terrorists do the same attack twice?
[QUOTE=carcarcargo;32256560]Why the hell would terrorists do the same attack twice?[/QUOTE]
Uh they do it all the time, ever heard of suicide bombers? These guys have nothing to lose and don't fear death, they'll do anything to attack.
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