'Mideast' men who sought plane in custody

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | February 14, 2003 | WorldNetDaily.com

[Dubya]

Anti-terror unit probed alleged inquiry about 'crop-duster' near Boston

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: February 14, 2003 8:43 p.m. Eastern

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © 2003 WorldNetDaily.com Amid the nation's heightened terror-alert status, an alleged attempt by two "Middle Eastern-looking" to purchase a crop-duster has resulted in the detention of two Brazilians by Immigration and Naturalization Service agents.

The Salem News reported yesterday that men with "thick accents" asked for a crop-duster last Tuesday at a flight school at the Beverly, Mass., airport, about 18 miles north of Boston. After a report to local police by the flight school's owner, Massachusetts state police and the FBI were brought into the investigation, prompted by suspicion of a connection to terrorism.

Shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the FAA grounded thousands of crop-dusters across the country for fear they could be used in a biological or chemical attack. Hijacker Mohammad Atta reportedly made numerous trips to rural airports to learn about crop-dusters, and a crop-duster manual was found in the possession of "20th hijacker" Zacarias Moussouai.

The two unidentified Brazilian nationals were taken into custody about 7 p.m. yesterday, the Boston Herald reported.

Massachusetts state police Sgt. David Paine confirmed that the men are being held in connection with an unsolicited offer last week to buy a vintage banner-hauling Piper Pawnee plane.

"At this time, it is not believed there is any link to terrorism involved," he said.

The Herald said state police are investigating the matter along with the INS, the Joint Terrorism Task Force and police from the Boston-area cities of Beverly, Hudson and Marlboro.

Authorities insisted that the airplane is not a "crop-duster" that could be used for chemical warfare, the Herald said.

The plane's owner, Steve LeBel said the 42-year-old Piper is used to tow advertisements

"Saying this could be a crop-duster is like saying a pickup truck could be a rocket launcher,'' he told the Herald.

The owner of the Beverly airport's General Aviation Services, Victor Capozzi, said he called local police Wednesday to tell them that on Feb. 6 he had been called upon by two seemingly Middle Eastern men with "thick accents,'' who were asking about airplanes and flying lessons, the Herald reported.

Capozzi said a man whose face was badly pock-marked "did all the talking,'' while a second man with "big, spooky eyes'' never opened his mouth.

He said he didn't notify authorities at the time because, "I wasn't thinking terrorists. That's just not right. There's a lot of good people out there.''

[livius]

two unidentified Brazilian nationals

Brazil, hmm? From the Triple Border area? (Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina - a no-man's land infested with ME types, particularly those with terrorist connections...)

[blam]

"He said he didn't notify authorities at the time because, "I wasn't thinking terrorists. That's just not right. There's a lot of good people out there.''"

I wonder what got him thinking 'terrorists?'

[Lion's Cub]

I see we are still playing the denial game. God forbid we offend any of our enemies.

How can these idiots ask for my trust when they lie through their teeth every day? We are being played for fools by our own government.

[holyscroller]

No aircraft sales to any foreigners. Period! Why would a foreigner in the US need to rent or purchase a plane. Sorry Mohammed, no can do!

[coloradan]

FYI

[_Jim]

How did this story, which opened this way:

an alleged attempt by two "Middle Eastern- looking" to purchase a crop-duster

turn out to be this instead:

Authorities insisted that the airplane is not a "crop-duster" that could be used for chemical warfare, the Herald said.

The plane's owner, Steve LeBel said the 42-year-old Piper is used to tow advertisements

Is World Net Daily slipping cogs or something?

[Semper911]

"I wasn't thinking terrorists. That's just not right. There's a lot of good people out there.''

That is so September 10.

[Palladin]

Authorities insisted that the airplane is not a "crop-duster" that could be used for chemical warfare, the Herald said.

Authorities insisted that hijacked airliners could never be used to take down the World Trade Center towers.

[Dubya]

You got it right.

[_Jim]

Authorities insisted that hijacked airliners could never be used to take down the World Trade Center towers.

So apples are pears are peaches - huh?

A banner tow-plane is NOT equipped with a sprayer apparatus -

- is this the subtle point you might be missing here?

[Travis McGee]

"Brazilians" my a$$.

Did you know that the "Venezuelan" found with the live grenade at Heathrow had a Koran in his carry on?

Some how the media "missed" that fact.

[L`enn]

Also yesterday the grenade guy from Colombia-Venezuela at the GB Airport.

[riri]

Anyone hear about the backback found on the Az/Mexico border than contained a journal in Arabic.

[Palladin]

What if they intended to fly this type of plane loaded up with ricin or anthrax or smallpox into a football or baseball stadium?

I'm with the poster who said above we should not be renting ANY type of aircraft to ANY type of foreigner.

Al Q'aeda think outside the box. They will try anything to kill us. They believe Allah will give them success in schemes that may seem totally nuts to us.

Who would ever have thought that their ridiculous scheme to hijack three fully fuel-loaded passenger airlines and crash them into the Towers and the Pentagon would have resulted in the deaths of 3,000 American citizens?

In fact, in the days immediately following 9-11, one of the biggest fears was that some type of chemical or biological agent had been brought aboard the crashed planes by the terrorists and had been released into the environments of NYC and DC.

[_Jim]

What if they intended to fly this type of plane loaded up ...

So peaches *are* apples *are* pears!

With YOUR logic - WHY NOT just rest a convertible from Hertz and rip down the road sowing those poisons!

[_Jim]

just rest ==> just rent ...

[twntaipan]

Where did you get the info about the Koran in the Venezualan's carry-on?

[VaBthang4]

"The owner of the Beverly airport's General Aviation Services, Victor Capozzi, said he called local police Wednesday to tell them that on Feb. 6 he had been called upon by two seemingly Middle Eastern men with "thick accents,'' who were asking about airplanes and flying lessons..."

Good man.

[Palladin]

You're a real winner.

Go stick your head back in the sand.