Substance in shoe of passenger on flight diverted to Boston tests positive for explosives

AP ^ | 12-23-01

[Oldeconomybuyer]

BOSTON (AP) -- A substance in the sneakers of a passenger whose attempts to ignite them forced a jetliner to land in Boston has tested positive for explosives, The Associated Press has learned.

The man on Paris-to-Miami-bound American Airlines Flight 63 had tried to light an "improvised explosive" in his shoes Saturday, but flight attendants and fellow passengers subdued him, witnesses and authorities said. The Boeing 767, escorted by military jets, landed safely in Boston.

[MizSterious]

This morning on Fox News Sunday, they seemed to be hinting that the substance wasn't an explosive at all--I'm wondering why all the differences.

[coloradan]

Probably just a dog training exercise. At least, that's how they explained the contradictory tests of explosives found, and then not found, on TWA 800.

[Labyrinthos]

Probably just a dog training exercise. At least, that's how they explained the contradictory tests of explosives found, and then not found, on TWA 800.

And if AA Flight 63 had gone down, the official explaination would have had something to do with engine wake from a another jet 25 miles away.

[jlogajan]

I'm thinking his primary detonator, the wired version, failed, and he was improvising a way to set off the explosives when he lit the match. Just a guess.

[Semper Paratus]

He followed his intruction booklet but didn't get to the part for manual detonation.

[Catspaw]

This morning on Fox News Sunday, they seemed to be hinting that the substance wasn't an explosive at all--I'm wondering why all the differences.

The term "improvised explosives" is a term that is used when the plastic explosives--C4, Semtex--aren't from a military source. This stuff may have been home-cooked.

It doesn't really matter. The guy's in deep doo-doo.

[ar10]

This is a perfect example of where profiling would have worked. He was using a British sounding name on his fake oassport. That should have rung a bell, since he looked so dark. Did you see the pictures of him on TV, very evil looking, they should have given him a second search. I'm flying to Europe today, wish I could take my Glock.

[hgro]

Looks like the "Frenchies" are exporting terrorism to the U.S.A. doesn't it?

[Catspaw]

This is a perfect example of where profiling would have worked. He was using a British sounding name on his fake oassport. That should have rung a bell, since he looked so dark. Did you see the pictures of him on TV, very evil looking, they should have given him a second search. I'm flying to Europe today, wish I could take my Glock.

What should have had the sirens go off is that he had no luggage AND American Airlines would not let him on the same flight the day before. It's not what he looked like (if I'd been fighting with crew and passengers, drugged not once, but three times, I would not have looked my best), but the other circumstances, including a very shaky passport (issued three weeks before). He most certainly should have been flagged by AA yesterday for a complete search--INCLUDING shoes before he got on the plane.

As far as his "darkness" goes, if you'd see me in August, I'm a lot darker than he is.

[Travis McGee]

That's possible, also I would look at this guy's actions as a possible diversion to permit a hijack team to rush the cockpit.

[tubebender]

Probably just a dog training exercise. At least, that's how they explained the contradictory tests of explosives found, and then not found, on TWA 800.

BIDDA BING BIDDA BANG! Good memory CD...

[ar10]

I should have said his middle eastern look. The feds racially profile me in contracting why shouldn't they be able to do it for security?

[Catspaw]

I should have said his middle eastern look.

They're supposed to--but they have a long checklist of things they're supposed to check--and my gut says he bought a one-way ticket with cash, too.

[meenie]

Metal detectors are useless on plastic explosives. There are more common and dangerous explosives than C-4 which I won't describe here. A determined terrorist is almost impossible to deter, especially when he has no regard for his own life.

[Catspaw]

Metal detectors are useless on plastic explosives.

Yes, metal detectors are useless on plastic explosives. But had he been searched, as I suggested, including his shoes, someone may have noticed wires sticking out of his high-toppers.

[KC_for_Freedom]

That should have rung a bell, since he looked so dark.

More to the point, it looks like the French authorities did use profiling, the day before. They stopped and questioned him for so long that he missed his intended flight. Why they were not able to verify that his passport was fake is beyond me. Unless he was questioned by Cousteau.(aka P. Sellers)

[sweetliberty]

Well, its obvious we have to ban shoes now. All passengers must fly barefooted.

[thucydides]

This may have been an Al Qaeda experiment. Had the plane disappeared, no one but them would have known the cause, and they could dispatch a group of Islamakazis with C4 in their shoes.

[Mark17]

And if AA Flight 63 had gone down, the official explaination would have had something to do with engine wake from a another jet 25 miles away.

Either that, or the centerline tank. BTW, wake turbulence comes from the wing tips.