The ESL Free Press

Passenger Arrested for Bomb Threats Says He Has Secret Documents

A passenger on a flight from Paris to Atlanta, USA, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with making bomb threats. He has told a strange story to explain what he did.

The charge says Derek Stansberry gave a flight attendant a note. It said he was not a U.S. citizen (not true) and not using his real name or ID. It also said, "Please let my family know the truth."

The charge also says: The flight attendant gave the note to the plane's air marshals. They questioned Stansberry, who said he had explosives in his boots and laptop. The marshals took away these things. The plane was diverted (taken off course) to Bangor, Maine. It was cleared and searched.

Stansberry was searched and questioned. The charge says he then said he had never really had bombs -- he had secret government documents. He claimed he had made the threats to distract people from the documents, it says. Although no one on the plane had spoken to him, he believed they were making fun of him and trying to get information from him, it says.

Stansberry also said he had taken prescription drugs recently.

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Air Passenger Charged

An Alabama man is charged with interfering with an air crew -- and assault.

Robert Wade Prince was flying from Amsterdam to Houston on Saturday. The woman next to him complained he was touching her and shouting.

A flight attendant asked an air marshal to change seats with the woman. Then more trouble began. The complaint says Prince:

• tried to stop the air marshal from sitting down

• hit the air marshal after finding out who he was

• abused him verbally (with words)

• grabbed a flight attendant by the arm.

Prince was taken to the crew area of the plane. He was arrested when it landed in Houston, and has stayed in jail.

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Printable: Download air passenger charged.pdf (19.4K)

Another Problem Passenger -- More Warplanes

Last week, an airline flight turned back because a passenger made trouble, and warplanes were called out.

On Friday, it happened again.

A flight from Atlanta to San Francisco reported an "unruly" passenger. F-16 fighter planes met the flight at Colorado Springs airport. It landed safely there -- and was met by police.

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Printable:Download another problem passenger, more warplanes.pdf (19.1K)

Obama Reviews Christmas Bombing Attempt

President Obama spoke on Thursday about what the U.S. has learned since the failed attack on Christmas Day.

He said, again, that the U.S. had information on the bombing suspect -- but did not follow up on it enough. He has ordered agencies to make reports more quickly, so information gets to those who need it.

Obama also said that airport security cannot find all possible dangers. For example, "He [the suspect] passed through a metal detector.  But a metal detector can't detect the kind of explosives that were sewn into his clothes."

He said he did not want to blame anyone for not preventing the attack. He also said he did not want to take away Americans' freedoms to keep them safe.

Obama said the U.S. must tell Muslims everywhere that "Al Qaeda offers nothing except a bankrupt [poor, empty] vision of misery and death –- including the murder of fellow Muslims".

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Printable: Download Obama Reviews Christmas Bombing Attempt.pdf (20.9K)

Warplanes Called Out During Trouble on Airline Flight

A  flight from Portland, Oregon, to Hawaii turned back on Wednesday because of a passenger's behavior. Two F-15 fighter planes met the plane and flew back with it.

The FBI says the man was acting in a way that made the crew "concerned". The pilot decided to turn back.

The man and a woman traveling with him were taken off the plane. They were questioned by police and the FBI. But they were not charged with any crime.

The F-15s belong to the Oregon Air National Guard. It guards the air from Northern California to Canada.

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Printable: Download Warplanes Called Out During Trouble on Airline Flight.pdf (23.6K)

Obama Announces New Security Plans

President Obama spoke yesterday about the bombing attempt on Christmas Day. He said the U.S. government had the information it would have needed to prevent the attack. But that information was not used.

Obama also announced how the U.S. will try to stop future attacks:

• More people have been added to the "no-fly" list.

• The State Department will keep track of visas held by people with possible terrorist connections.

• People traveling from or through "countries of interest" or "state sponsors of terrorism" will be screened more carefully.

• No more prisoners from Guantanamo will be released to Yemen.

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Discovery is Back

The space shuttle Discovery landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on Friday night. It had been gone for 14 days.

 

On this mission, Discovery took a new crew member to the International Space Station. It also delivered:

 

• Lab equipment
• An air cleaning system
• A sleeping compartment
• A treadmill (exercise machine) named after the comedian Stephen Colbert

 

Discovery brought back a Buzz Lightyear toy. It had been on the ISS since May 2008 – longer than any human astronaut.

 

Source

Printable:Download discovery landing.pdf (21.1K)