Posted on 08/18/2006 6:42:54 AM PDT by Kieri
Suspicious liquid found in former Mich. woman's luggage 8/18/2006, 6:13 a.m. ET By SHAYA TAYEFE MOHAJER The Associated Press
CEREDO, W.Va. (AP) — A woman whose daughter's carry-on luggage caused a West Virginia airport to shut down for 9 1/2 hours says it was her ethnic background, not a few bottles of suspicious liquids, that set off security officials.
Initial laboratory testing by the FBI turned up no evidence of explosive materials in the bottles carried at Tri-State Airport by Rima Qayyum, a 28-year-old Pakistani woman dressed in the traditional Islamic headcover.
No charges were filed against the woman, who was never detained and was cooperative when interviewed by the FBI.
Qayyum's mother, Mian Qayyum of Jackson, Mich., told The Associated Press that her daughter is four months pregnant, lives in Barboursville and is innocent. Her daughter had moved to West Virginia from Jackson.
"It was not only a false alarm, it was racial discrimination because there was nothing," Mian Qayyum said. "They should clear her name and apologize on national TV."
The FBI did not return messages Thursday night seeking comment on the allegations.
A screener noticed a bottle in Rima Qayyum's carry-on bag as she was going through security before her 9:15 a.m. flight Thursday to Charlotte, N.C., airport authority president Jim Booton said.
The terminal was evacuated at 11:25 a.m. after two bottles of liquid in the bag initially tested positive for explosives residue twice, and a canine team also got a positive hit. Chemical tests of the bottles' contents later turned up no explosives, said Capt. Jack Chambers, head of the State Police Special Operations unit.
The woman had purchased a one-way ticket to Detroit by way of Charlotte on Wednesday. The flight eventually left for Charlotte without her.
Rima Qayyum planned to return to the airport Friday to take another flight, her mother said.
Rima Qayyum planned to return to the airport Friday to take another flight, her mother said. The airport resumed normal operations Friday morning.
"She just had water to drink because she is pregnant and she had a face wash that had a drop of bleach on it," Mian Qayyum said.
U.S. authorities banned the carrying of liquids onto flights last week after British officials made arrests in an alleged plot to blow up U.S.-bound planes using explosives disguised as drinks and other common products.
The TSA screening looks for a range of explosives residue, some of which can be found on common household items, said TSA spokesman Darrin Kayser.
"Anytime a prohibited item is brought to a checkpoint, then you are going to be immediately more interested in that bag," Kayser said.
Two airlines — Comair and US Airways Express — serve the airport. Commercial airline service was suspended, and about 100 passengers and airport employees were ordered to leave the terminal, Booton said.
After the evacuation, many passengers decided to stay and wait it out.
"We bought them pizza, soft drinks ... tried to make them comfortable as could be in this situation," said Larry Salyers, the airport's manager. "We had them in the parking lot, under trees, in conference rooms, the firehouse."
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Associated Press writer Kelley Schoonover contributed to this report.
GIVE THAT DOG A BISCUIT!
I don't fly that much but the last time the screener started wiping my carry on stuff with these round pads. I asked what he was doing. The guy stopped and kind of looked at me and then at the suit standing behind me and said they were testing for explosives. It's a small airport and no one was in line, so I said "cool" asked how it worked. I might as well have asked for the KFC receipt, the way they looked at me. He muttered something about the computer. When I asked if I could have one and try it too , I was told NO. Kept telling me, "don't touch, don't touch" I was just trying to help.
Michael Jackson has a line of cosmetics products?
Once, I was flying with my cat as cargo and my kitty got the round-pad treatment. lol!
I bet he liked that:')
I think they're skipping down the street somewhere in Dearbornistan.
Since when are Muslims a race?
I'm sure there are plenty of other "innocent" products that could be mixed with bleach to produce a nasty chemical reaction.
Don't pee in the toilet if you have bleach sitting in it...
yes and give her some money for retribution too. /s
According to Ask The Imam, it is permissible to bleach eyebrows
http://www.islam.tc/ask-imam/view.php?q=17404
Also
1. Is applying bleach on the face haraam?
http://www.islam.tc/ask-imam/view.php?q=6774
1. Bleach will be permissible if it doesn’t cause harm to the skin.
While it may be "acceptable" to use bleach on skin, it is probably not advised for pregnant women.
We'll apologize for stopping your daughter as soon as you apologize for your evil religion.
It takes every ounce of my Christianity not to wish ill upon people like this...
8-Ball alert...
NO. Large purchases of disposable cell phones are monitored just as sales of certain fertilizer and Sudafed are monitored.
They were arrested for lying about who they were (giving one name and a different ID).
Is it just a coincidence that the ratcheted up security measures have exceptions for pregnant women and then - LIKE MAGIC! - a pregnant Muslim chick who must have been living in a cave the last week just decides to pack water with bleach and go to the airport on a one-way ticket?
If there is a janitor's closet between the security screening and the boarding gate, it is still possible to pass such chemicals to a passenger (or even possible for someone to "find" some along the route).
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