Airline-security incidents seen as terrorist feints

Washington, Sep 4 (UNI) The rash of airline-security incidents since the London terror arrests, which had diverted or delayed more than 20 flights all over the world, had more to do with flukes, terrorist probes than with actual, imminent threats, the Washington Times quoted intelligence observers and security officials as saying.

''Alarms were triggered by a range of things: disruptive passengers, suspicious smells, bomb threats that were scribbled on air-sickness bags and anonymous phone calls alleging bomb threats,'' the paper quoted Douglas Hagmann, Director of the Northeast Intelligence Network as saying.

''We are constantly being probed by terrorists,'' Mr Hagmann said, adding, ''We are going to have a limited number of incidents that are just a ploy, a nonevent as a result of misunderstandings or innocuous activity. One can expect that and factor that in. But the extent we are seeing today -- the numbers are well beyond the norm.'' At least 23 incidents worldwide since the August 10 arrests of two dozen suspects have led to 11 emergency landings or flight diversions, four of them escorted by military jets, and 16 arrests.

The majority of disruptions occurred on domestic and inbound international flights. The number of publicly reported security incidents peaked on August 25, with eight incidents on that day, Mr Hagmann said.

One passenger was removed from an international flight after it was diverted to Bangor, Maine, when his name reportedly was discovered on a terrorist or no-fly watch list. A Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to India returned midway, escorted by a military jet, and 12 Muslim men were arrested but released.

The men boarded moments before takeoff and immediately began passing around cellular phones. The disruption frightened passengers, and the men were subdued by US air marshals.

Ms Laura Mansfield, a counterterrorism consultant and Arabic translator, said many of the incidents involve terrorist sympathisers hoping to divert attention from actual terrorists moving forward with real plots.

The aviation threat level in the US went to Code Red, or severe, after the Britain arrests and today remains on Code Orange, or high.

Although the terrorists pay no attention to anniversary dates, recent activity and the release of several tapes indicate that Islamic militants want badly to strike the US before September 11, the Times report quoting Ms Mansfield said.

A Pakistani woman was detained by screeners on August 17 at a West Virginia airport after baby formula tested positive for explosives. The airport was closed for several hours while the FBI searched her home, where explosives residue was detected.

Meanwhile, Dave Mackett, an airline pilot and President of the Airline Pilots Security Alliance, said the diversions are costing airlines millions and leaves the industry vulnerable to lawsuits.

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