New York-WABC, February 12, 2003) — A Manhattan man remained in federal custody Wednesday, five days after his arrest at Newark Liberty Airport for trying to board a Hawaii-bound plane with a ceramic knife and piano wire in his carry-on luggage, a law enforcement source said.

The man, whose identity was not released, was taken into custody after a carry-on baggage check at the gate where he was boarding the flight on Saturday, the source said.

Port Authority police initially took the man into custody, but he was transferred to federal authorities, according to the source. No charges against the man were made public.

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/WAB...ortarrest.html

Isn't this the longest domestic flight in the USA? So it would have the most jet fuel too right?

[This message has been edited by benoit (edited 02-13-2003).]

59 yrs old.

Business owner.

Not your typical terrorist profile (if there is such a thing).

There could be an innocent explanation. Perhaps he is a piano tuner. Ceramic knives are quite common in cooking and also sold in wilderness stores. Who knows.

Look for 'piano wire' to be added to your Official TSA List of Sharp, Pointy, and Otherwise Very Bad Things by the time the month is out.

How about ANY kind of wire? I could probably strangle someone with a power cord if I were so inclined. Inevitably, we will have to fly naked with no luiggage at all, checked OR carry-on. That will do wonders for flying, won't it?

Bruce

Finally a reason to fly!



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"A day without Points is like a day without SUNSHINE"

Indeed, American actually provides you with the power cord on int'l flights on their 763's. A cord is a cord, if you wanted to strangle someone with it you could.....

Ohh... But because you would more slowly strangle someone with it, it must be ok.

Anyone care to wager that this 'enemy of the state' is also not a terrorist, just like the other dozens of non-terrorists that have been apprehended in our TSA's sweep of the skies?



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"Give me Liberty or give me Death." - Patrick Henry

"A wealthy Manhattan real-estate investor is under investigation for ties to Osama bin Laden’s family after he tried to board a plane at Newark Airport with piano wire and a plastic knife, sources said yesterday.

Peter Williams, described by neighbors as a hot-tempered eccentric who conducts business from a bunker-like office, was busted Saturday as he was heading for a plane to Hawaii, the sources said.

The wire and knife were in his carry-on bag.

Following his arrest, investigators found that Williams had made several calls to a New Hampshire phone number that had been used to make calls to members of bin Laden’s family, which runs a $5 billion construction empire.

Members of the FBI-NYPD Joint Terrorist Task Force were questioning Williams, but hadn’t charged him with any federal crime or connection to terror plots, the sources said.

“We still don’t know why he was heading to Hawaii with piano wire and a plastic knife,” a source said. [...]

He has a pilot’s license and owns his own plane, the sources said.

Neighbors said Williams has a hot temper and a cement-walled, windowless office at 33 Crosby St.

Since Williams is in real estate, it would not be unreasonable for him to have contacted members of bin Laden’s family, which owns the Saudi Binladen Group, a construction giant.

http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/54435.htm

How about rope? How about shoelaces?

How about the pilots just keep the cockpit door closed and locked! Doors on DL look like the doors to Ft. Knox now. IMO, of all the things that have been done in the name of aviation security, reinforcing and locking the cockpit door is the single meaningful action.

I totally agree. Most of the rest is expensive nonsense -- and WE pay the bill!

Bruce

I couldn't agree with you more.