The Break For 4/7/07: Qatar Diplomat Arraigned On Suspected Case Of Containing Explosives, Turn Out He Was Smoking
Federal air marshals subdued a man who authorities say attempted to "light his shoes on fire" on a United flight from Washington Reagan to Denver Wednesday night, federal law enforcement officials told ABC News.
Authorities say an explosive team is on the way to the airport, and that while the presence of explosives has not yet been confirmed, they believe it was an attempted "shoe bomb."
The suspect was identified by authorities as a diplomat in the Qatar embassy in Washington, Mohammed al Modadi. The FBI said the man had full diplomat immunity as the 3rd secretary and vice-consul.
Authorities said two jet fighters were scrambled from Buckley Air Force Base to accompany United flight 663, a Boeing 757, as it flew the final 40 miles to Denver where it landed safely.
Authorities said the man, identified as from Qatar, was restrained by the air marshals who were on the flight.
The United jet was reportedly being directed to a remote location at the Denver airport.
A spokesman for the FBI in Denver declined to comment.
Update: Worse....This guy was a diplomatic (thanks socratic):
The suspect was identified by authorities as a diplomat in the Qatar embassy in Washington, Mohammed al Modadi. The FBI said the man had full diplomat immunity as the 3rd secretary and vice-consul.
Update 2: It is appearing that al-Modadi actually feigned in anger that he had a shoe in his foot, and it seems that there was no explosive on this man.
If that is true, that is first a huge sigh of relief for everyone, and second, placing al-Modadi as one of the dumbest individuals in human history.
Update 3: Fox News has confirmed there are no explosives
Update 4: Now it really has gone nuts, but in a good way of nothing real serious here. The diplomat was apparently smoking as the latest reports indicate, and that concerned the stewardess or whoever so much that, well, we have what we have now.
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