American Airlines plane en route from Paris to Miami was diverted to Boston on Saturday after a passenger tried to ignite what's being called an “improvised explosive," reported AP, quoting Thomas Kinton, an official with the Massachusetts Port Authority. A flight attendant was drawn to the passenger by the smell of sulfur from a lighted match, Kinton said. The attendant then challenged the man as to what he was doing.
Media reports said passengers helped to control the man, who became violent when confronted. In order to do so, some of the passengers used their belts, where two doctors sedated him.
According to the BBC, this latest incident will intensify US and British fears that so-called "sleepers" working for Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network are planning to follow up the 11 September attacks with more atrocities. Meanwhile, US authorities are investigating whether the man was of Middle Eastern origin and said he was travelling on a false British passport, issued in the name of Richard Reid in Belgium three weeks ago. (Albawaba.com)
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