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Hoax probe on airliner to Pakistan
Source: Agencies |
September 26, 2010, Sunday
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SWEDISH police evacuated 273 people from a Pakistan International Airlines jet diverted to Stockholm due to a bomb alert yesterday and detained a passenger on suspicion of preparing aircraft sabotage, officials said.
However, no explosives were found on the man or on the Boeing 777, and all passengers -- except the suspect -- were allowed back on the plane nine hours later. It took off for Manchester, England, from where the passengers would continue their journey to Karachi, said Jan Lindqvist, a spokesman for airport operator Swedavia.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said it was investigating whether the incident was a "terrorism hoax."
The plane was traveling from Toronto to Karachi when the pilot asked to land after Canadian authorities received a tip that a passenger was carrying explosives.
A SWAT team detained the suspect as he was evacuated from the aircraft along with the other passengers.
Police described the suspect as a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, aged about 30, but said they had not confirmed his identity.
A spokesman for Pakistan International Airlines said the suspect was a 25-year-old Canadian national.
The tip was "called in by a woman in Canada," police operation leader Stefan Radman said, adding that Swedish police took the threat seriously.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokesman Sergeant Marc LaPorte said an anonymous caller called twice on Friday saying a man on the flight had explosives.
"The first call provided vague information. It did lay out that there was an individual on that specific flight in possession of explosives and then the second call provided more details with regards to the identity of the person," LaPorte said.
He declined to elaborate on the caller, saying there was potentially a criminal offense involved. Police said the man was not on any international no-fly lists.
However, no explosives were found on the man or on the Boeing 777, and all passengers -- except the suspect -- were allowed back on the plane nine hours later. It took off for Manchester, England, from where the passengers would continue their journey to Karachi, said Jan Lindqvist, a spokesman for airport operator Swedavia.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said it was investigating whether the incident was a "terrorism hoax."
The plane was traveling from Toronto to Karachi when the pilot asked to land after Canadian authorities received a tip that a passenger was carrying explosives.
A SWAT team detained the suspect as he was evacuated from the aircraft along with the other passengers.
Police described the suspect as a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, aged about 30, but said they had not confirmed his identity.
A spokesman for Pakistan International Airlines said the suspect was a 25-year-old Canadian national.
The tip was "called in by a woman in Canada," police operation leader Stefan Radman said, adding that Swedish police took the threat seriously.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokesman Sergeant Marc LaPorte said an anonymous caller called twice on Friday saying a man on the flight had explosives.
"The first call provided vague information. It did lay out that there was an individual on that specific flight in possession of explosives and then the second call provided more details with regards to the identity of the person," LaPorte said.
He declined to elaborate on the caller, saying there was potentially a criminal offense involved. Police said the man was not on any international no-fly lists.
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