US asks France to hunt airline terror suspect

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, January 08, 2004

US asks France to hunt airline terror suspect

France said it was hunting on Wednesday for a suspect sought by the United States over a security scare that forced a spate of airline cancellations and delays to U.S.-bound flights in December.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

France said it was hunting on Wednesday for a suspect sought by the United States over a security scare that forced a spate of airline cancellations and delays to U.S.-bound flights in December.

A judicial source said France's DST state security office was looking for an Afghan listed in the United States as a terrorist and suspected of preparing an attack against a canceled December 24 flight from Paris to Los Angeles.

"I confirm that we are looking for someone. I cannot tell you anything more," French Justice Minister Dominique Perben told RMC radio.

Despite the fresh jitters, European airline stocks surged as strong traffic and earnings figures from British Airways offered signs that passenger safety worries were easing.

The U.S. television channel ABC reported on Tuesday the man, a passenger who failed to show up for the flight, was suspected of links to the militant al Qaeda network and might have a small bomb to attack planes.

The French interior ministry said intelligence services were unable to confirm the report and a U.S. law enforcement official said idea the suspect was Afghan was "definitely not right."

A U.S. intelligence official, commenting on the ABC story, said: "There is no big manhunt going on for someone considered a terrorism suspect who may be carrying a bomb and who was supposed to be on a canceled flight."

He added: "They may be searching for somebody, it's not someone of significance."

The French judicial source, who requested anonymity, gave the name of the suspect as Abdu Hai. The source said his name did not appear on French files of suspects and that a formal anti-terrorist probe had not been launched for the time being.

There was no immediate word on his possible whereabouts. ABC said the suspect had a French passport and his details had been passed on to security officials at London's Heathrow Airport. In Washington, a CIA spokesman dismissed the ABC report.

Source: China Daily

Questions?Comments? Click here

US tightens security for Rose Parade on New Year's Day

Britain may put air marshals on flights this week

Terrorism alerts for British flights possible for years: official

Exploration rover "Spirit" lands safely on Mars ( 9 Messages)

Two major state banks to pilot joint-stock system ( 3 Messages)

China pondering its own "green card" system ( 16 Messages)

Roaring BMW: Was it "road rage" or an accident? ( 2 Messages)

Beijing's traffic no longer a headache by year 2008 ( 5 Messages)