Posted on 04/22/2006 3:38:50 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
April 22, 2006 (by Lieven Dewitte) - A passenger who claimed to have a bomb aboard a United Airlines flight was subdued by passengers as the California-bound plane was diverted to Denver International Airport. Two F-16 fighter jets from Buckley Air Force Base scrambled to escort the plane.
The A-320 Airbus heading to Sacramento, Calif., from Chicago flew into Denver Friday. The F-16s followed to make sure nothing untoward was going to happen.
Jose Manuel Pelayo-Ortega tried to open an door on the Airbus A-320 en route from Chicago to Sacramento, Calif., and then claimed to have a bomb forcing the emergency landing in Denver.
The guy was arrested after the plane landed around 16.30h.
Fellow passengers on the plane subdued the man and three Secret Service agents on board heading between assignments helped detain him.
After the airliner landed, it taxied to a remote part of the airport where the passengers got off and were taken to the terminal.
None of the 138 passengers or six crew members was injured.
Authorities searched the aircraft for explosives and re-screened luggage and passengers before they reboarded the plane, which took off for its original destination around 19.30h.
The apparatus that could ultimately have lead to the plane with 138 passengers and six crew members being shot down - put in place after 911 - was fully operational Friday, with agencies that included the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Homeland Security on an open phone line monitoring the flight.
Had the plane "been judged as a threat by the highest levels of our government, they could make the decision to have the plane shot down," said Lt. Commander Sean Kelly, a spokesman for NORAD, a U.S.-Canadian military command based outside Colorado Springs that monitors missiles, aircraft and space objects and warns of threats.
President Bush would ultimately make the decision.
A "shoot-don't shoot" scenario didn't develop because the plane was following all FAA instructions. One of the last resorts would have included the fighter pilots either talking to or attempting to talk to the pilot of the airliner, which didn't happen Friday, Kelly said
Since Sept. 11, fighters have been scrambled or if already airborne diverted 2,300. The Transportation Security Administration said it did not have numbers on how many flights have been diverted.
Think this moron is in some trouble?
Just making threats that Americans are no longer willing to make?
Too bad an air marshal didn't shoot him.
Subdued by passengers. "LET"S ROLL". I love it.
Take the border trolling to the thousands of threads already devoted to it.
If I'm ever on an airplane and someone makes a threatening move, I'll probably kill the bastard. I'm neverous enough flying as it is.
No kidding. I'm flying from NY to Seattle next summer with the family and if anyone even looks funny I'll be ready to snap their necks.
He's better off just hanging himself in his cell
Whats with the blood lust to see a kooknut smashed to pieces? Sheesh, bunch of fraidy cats on this thing!
Save your rage for a real terrorist. Ride the NYC subway for a year, you'll learn to sort who's who.
After you associate with airline pilots, you'll reconsider.
I do not enjoy the censors around here. I will also say that this kiond of compartmentalized thinking is what has brought us to the point where people don't know their neighbors and think immigration is not their affair. It is something to be handled by Washington.
I have no reason to ever fly again and won't. If I ever hear a loud noise coming down towards me I'll take as much evasive action as I can. ;-)
His actions absolutely terrorized the passengers on the flight. He is a terrorist.
To anyone and particularly moslems and nutjobs: Let it be known that we passengers will hurt you real bad and possibly kill you if you terrorize a flight.
Jesus Christ, lighten up!
LOL!!!
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