rockin'robin
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Air Marshals On Board Suspects' Flight to Amsterdam
The arrests of two men in Amsterdam for questioning in a terrorism investigation comes at a time U.S. law enforcement officials have been on a heightened state of alert to a possible hijacking of U.S. carrier flights from the Middle East, according to one senior U.S. official. In response , in the past several weeks, authorities have greatly ramped up the number of Federal air marshals on overseas flights, especially to Dubai, the official said.
As a result, air marshals were onboard a Chicago-Amsterdam flight yesterday and kept a close watch on two suspicious passengers who had triggered security alarms, but were allowed to travel for "investigative purposes," law enforcement sources told ABC News.
Ahmed Mohamed Nasser al Soofi and Hezem al Murisi were taken off the United flight in Amsterdam by Dutch officials who detained them at the request of the U.S. government for questioning in a terrorism investigation. Passengers on the flight recorded a cell phone video of the two men being taken into custody.
U.S. officials said the two appeared to be travelling with what were termed "mock bombs" in their luggage. "This was almost certainly a dry run, a test," said one senior law enforcement official.
Airport security screeners in Birminghamn, Alabama first stopped al Soofi and referred him to additional screening because of what officials said was his "bulky clothing," which can be seen on security camera photos obtained by ABC News.
Officials said al Soofi was found to be carrying $7000 in cash, and a check of his luggage found a cell phone taped to a Pepto-Bismol bottle, three cell phones taped together, several watches taped together, a box cutter and three large knives. Officials said there was no indication of explosives and he and his luggage were cleared for the flight from Birmingham to Chicago O'Hare.
The two man attracted further suspicion in Chicao when al Soofi checked his lugage on a flight to Washington's Dulles Airport but boarded a different flight to Dubai. It is not known if al Soofi or United Airlines was responsible for the change in flights.
At a press conference this morning, the Dutch public proscutor's office said al Soofi and al Murisi "are held in custody on suspicion of a conspiracy to a terrorist criminal act. In a few days it will be made public if they will be charged."
Friends of al Soofi who spoke to ABC News yesterday say he had left the Detroit area several years ago and was most recently living in Tuscaloosa, Alabama working at a small grocery store.
"He did not do anything wrong, he never did anything wrong in his life," a former Detroit neighbor who identified himself as Al Nasir said. Another friend, Abdul Soofi, said al Soofi is not capable of any plot.
"I think he's very honest," Soofi said. "You know, I think it was a mistake here or there and, the way I know him, he has family. He came [to the U.S.] for a reason – to work here and work hard and try to feed his family."
They said Soofi, originally from Yemen, has a wife and children overseas.
An attorney for Hezem al Murisi, Klaas-Arjen Krikke, said, "I am disturbed by the fact that so much information is being made public that is being withheld from the defense. We must prevent my client being found guilty in the court of public opinion."
In a statement yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security said, "Suspicious items were located in checked luggage associated with two passengers on United Flight 908 from Chicago O'Hare to Amsterdam last night. The items were not deemed to be dangerous in and of themselves, and as we share information with our international partners, Dutch authorities were notified of the suspicious items. This matter continues to be under investigation."
A Yemeni embassy official told ABC News Yemenis coming from and going to the U.S. have been known to smuggle cell phones in quantity.
High Alert for Possible Plane Hijacking - ABC News
The arrests of two men in Amsterdam for questioning in a terrorism investigation comes at a time U.S. law enforcement officials have been on a heightened state of alert to a possible hijacking of U.S. carrier flights from the Middle East, according to one senior U.S. official. In response , in the past several weeks, authorities have greatly ramped up the number of Federal air marshals on overseas flights, especially to Dubai, the official said.
As a result, air marshals were onboard a Chicago-Amsterdam flight yesterday and kept a close watch on two suspicious passengers who had triggered security alarms, but were allowed to travel for "investigative purposes," law enforcement sources told ABC News.
Ahmed Mohamed Nasser al Soofi and Hezem al Murisi were taken off the United flight in Amsterdam by Dutch officials who detained them at the request of the U.S. government for questioning in a terrorism investigation. Passengers on the flight recorded a cell phone video of the two men being taken into custody.
U.S. officials said the two appeared to be travelling with what were termed "mock bombs" in their luggage. "This was almost certainly a dry run, a test," said one senior law enforcement official.
Airport security screeners in Birminghamn, Alabama first stopped al Soofi and referred him to additional screening because of what officials said was his "bulky clothing," which can be seen on security camera photos obtained by ABC News.
Officials said al Soofi was found to be carrying $7000 in cash, and a check of his luggage found a cell phone taped to a Pepto-Bismol bottle, three cell phones taped together, several watches taped together, a box cutter and three large knives. Officials said there was no indication of explosives and he and his luggage were cleared for the flight from Birmingham to Chicago O'Hare.
The two man attracted further suspicion in Chicao when al Soofi checked his lugage on a flight to Washington's Dulles Airport but boarded a different flight to Dubai. It is not known if al Soofi or United Airlines was responsible for the change in flights.
At a press conference this morning, the Dutch public proscutor's office said al Soofi and al Murisi "are held in custody on suspicion of a conspiracy to a terrorist criminal act. In a few days it will be made public if they will be charged."
Friends of al Soofi who spoke to ABC News yesterday say he had left the Detroit area several years ago and was most recently living in Tuscaloosa, Alabama working at a small grocery store.
"He did not do anything wrong, he never did anything wrong in his life," a former Detroit neighbor who identified himself as Al Nasir said. Another friend, Abdul Soofi, said al Soofi is not capable of any plot.
"I think he's very honest," Soofi said. "You know, I think it was a mistake here or there and, the way I know him, he has family. He came [to the U.S.] for a reason – to work here and work hard and try to feed his family."
They said Soofi, originally from Yemen, has a wife and children overseas.
An attorney for Hezem al Murisi, Klaas-Arjen Krikke, said, "I am disturbed by the fact that so much information is being made public that is being withheld from the defense. We must prevent my client being found guilty in the court of public opinion."
In a statement yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security said, "Suspicious items were located in checked luggage associated with two passengers on United Flight 908 from Chicago O'Hare to Amsterdam last night. The items were not deemed to be dangerous in and of themselves, and as we share information with our international partners, Dutch authorities were notified of the suspicious items. This matter continues to be under investigation."
A Yemeni embassy official told ABC News Yemenis coming from and going to the U.S. have been known to smuggle cell phones in quantity.
High Alert for Possible Plane Hijacking - ABC News