Free Republic

MEDFORD, N.J. (AP) - Military jets Saturday diverted a small plane flying in temporarily restricted air space shortly before President Bush flew out of Philadelphia on Air Force One, a Secret Service spokeswoman said. Two F-16 fighter jets ordered the plane to land at Medford's Flying W Airport, and the president was never in any danger, Secret Service spokeswoman Ann Roman said. The fighter jets had to use flares to get the pilot's attention, said Lt. Col. Kacey Blaney of the Northeast Air Defense Sector. Usually pilots respond to radio contact or other signals, she said. The plane and pilot...

VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- Experts from the FBI, Scotland Yard and international civil aviation agencies met Friday on how to secure airports against shoulder-fired rockets that terrorists are trying to acquire. The closed-door talks at the Vienna headquarters of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe examined how to minimize the threat. "We know that al-Qaida has these weapons, we know that they've used them, and we know that they'll use them again," said Brian Woo, head of the OSCE's anti-terrorism unit. The experts declined to discuss specific measures being taken to safeguard airports and airliners, but credited tighter...

By Gina Holt Enquirer contributor A schnauzer who escaped from a travel kennel was shot as it ran across the runway at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport Tuesday night. The dog got out of its kennel, ran on the ramp and then out onto the runway about 5:20 p.m., said Ted Bushelman, director of communications for the airport. "We did everything to try to catch him," he said. "He was running toward the runway. We just can't let it out on the runway. That was our heaviest time for take-offs." Planes cannot take off when objects are on the runway...

WASHINGTON (AP) - The government told owners and operators of private planes Friday to strengthen security because terrorists may try to use general aviation aircraft to attack in the United States. "Terrorists who are no longer able to hijack commercial airliners because of increased security at commercial airports may turn to GA airports and aircraft to conduct operations," the alert said. The Transportation Security Administration said it had "credible indications" that terrorists were planning attacks, but did not know the specific targets or the methods to be used. The security agency asked private plane owners and operators to lock airplanes...