U.S. bars KLM flight entry into airspace. Names of 2 passengers appear on 'no-fly' terrorist list

CNN ^ | April 10, 2005 | CNN

[FairOpinion]

U.S. authorities refused to allow a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines 747 to fly over the United States, officials said Sunday.

Flight 685 from Amsterdam to Mexico City was denied permission to fly south across the Canada-U.S. border on Friday because the names of two passengers aboard were included on a U.S. "no-fly" terrorist watch list, KLM spokesman Bart Koster said.

The flight, carrying 278 passengers, returned to Amsterdam, Koster said. He told The Associated Press that on Saturday, a flight without the two listed passengers departed Amsterdam and arrived in Mexico City.

[FairOpinion]

That's good. I think we asked Europe to provide us with the passenger list 24 hrs in advance, apparently they aren't doing it, then we just won't let them overfly us.

Maybe they'll learn.

"Koster said the two listed passengers -- who he said were not Dutch citizens -- returned to their home countries. Citing privacy concerns, Koster wouldn't disclose any other information about the two passengers."

WHY didn't the Dutch authorities detain them????!!!

[Fast1]

Good now kick them out at 35,000 feet and continue on!

[conshack]

It's ironic that they were headed to Mexico CityI'd imagine they would be making that trip to Texas or Arizona shortly after their arrival had they been allowed to stay on the plane. I guess the Dutch didn't consider them a threat, since they released them.

[blam]

How do we know who is on that flight when the destination is not the US?

[AmericanDave]

You guessed that right, Lots of terrorists in the Netherlands now; remember the Van Gogh murder for speaking out against Muslim extremists? And the gov't there is running scared...... so no detainments.

[river rat]

Perhaps we require the list for any plan entering our "air space".....

At least, I would HOPE we do.

There is nothing preventing an Islamist lunatic (forgive the redundancy) from purchasing a ticket in Holland or Canada -- for a trip to Mexico, over America ---- take charge mid-flight and attempt to crash into something.

We certainly can't rely upon the Canadians or Dutch to screen carefully enough to ensure OUR safety...

Semper Fi

[Mears]

Man,those Dutch are having problems.

Goodby tulips and little wooden shoes. Hello Islam!

[upchuck]

U.S. authorities refused to allow a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines 747 to fly over the United States, officials said Sunday.

They go to all this trouble about a plane flying over the US? And won't lift a finger to stop the hundreds of criminal aliens invading our country on a daily basis.

Makes no sense to me.

[FairOpinion]

I think we have an agreement with Europe and presumably other countries as well, that they let us know the passenger list of any flight that either has a destination in the US or flies over the US.

I think the reason we want to know the flyovers too, because the terrorists could hijack a plane once in US airspace and fly it into a building, a nuclear plant or whatever.

[conshack]

And the gov't there is running scared...... so no detainments.

From what I've been reading, the gov't is cracking down and the people are quite upset. It's interesting that they didn't lock them up, but did notice that they shipped them out of the country.

[Americanexpat]

I´ll bet the other 276 passengers were ready to kick some butt when they got back to Amsterdam.

[B4Ranch]

>>They go to all this trouble about a plane flying over the US? And won't lift a finger to stop the hundreds of criminal aliens invading our country on a daily basis.<<

What you are seeing here is the same difference between wasps and termites. Wasps are out in the open where everyone can see them and stands a chance of being stung while termite are concealed in their mud tunnels.

Yes, the termites will do more damage, they are eating the foundation out from under us not causing a sting that will subside in a while.

[eastforker]

A good point. This is the first time I have sounded out about this situation. I can only hope that GW has a plan in place that he will reveal later, sort of like on 24, but, I'm kinda losing faith, someone tell me I am wrong.

[AmericanDave]

From what I've been reading, the gov't is cracking down and the people are quite upset. It's interesting that they didn't lock them up, but did notice that they shipped them out of the country."

Glad to hear it. The Dutch have a real problem.

[lawdude]

"WHY didn't the Dutch authorities detain them????!!!"

Based on what charges?

[lawdude]

"...but did notice that they shipped them out of the country. "

Where did you see that information? The article only mentioned that they had 'returned' to their own country.

[BluH2o]

Flight path from Amsterdam (AMS) to Mexico City (MEX) takes the KLM flight in close proximity to Boston, NYC, Washington, DC, west of Atlanta and just east of New Orleans. A target rich great circle route.

[Mr Dutch]

These guys where not arrested because the US did not ask for it. It was the US list, so the US justice department had a case? They where free to leave and went to London to fly to I believe Saudi (that makes you think!). I think KLM is right to be mad! There did not have a non-passenger
flightlist and there was only a landing agreementlist. So that went to Mexico and Mexico sended to the US. If I would have been a passenger on that flight I would really be pissed on the us government. 16 hours in a plane for nothing..pfffffff. Although there is no legislation concerning passengerslists with the US and Europe, KLM will hand all lists, including the fly-overs, to the US, because they don't want this to happen again. The Dutch are an very old friend of the States, we even sold you Nieuw Amsterdam (New York) long ago, we had troups in Iraq and still in Afghanistan, the Head of NATO is a Dutchman, so as Allied I think we should get a litle bit more respect than what happend on that KLM flight which included 15 horses by the way.

[TheUnspokenTruth]

I happen to know both of these guys. One of them actually lived here in the US till sep 11. Half of the things in the news don't have any real bases. why does everyone automatically assume they are terrorists. The facts are, they had valid visas to all concerned countries, they were investigated by us authorities and never accused of anything. Look at at it another way, they were allowed to return home, no one on the plane was harmed and returned home safe. But what was accomplished was to foil an innocent plan of 2 people that wanted to visit their sick father. I call this the bush effect. who cares about the truth when the imagination can produce more interesting stories to entertain us.