| 2nd Nigerian held in incident on flight to Detroit |
Updated at: 0352 PST, Monday, December 28, 2009 ROMULUS: Federal officials today took a disruptive passenger into custody who arrived on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 out of Amsterdam -- the same flight on which officials responded to an attempted terrorist act on Christmas Day. But a spokeswoman for the FBI in Detroit said the incident was "non-serious" and an all-clear has been issued at the airport. Northwest Airlines alerted TSA to a disruptive passenger on board Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit, the Transportation Security Administration said in a statement. "The flight landed safely at Detroit Metro Airport at approximately 12:35 p.m. ... without incident. The aircraft was moved to a remote location for additional screening. TSA and law enforcement met the aircraft upon arrival and the passenger is now in custody." Delta Air Lines Spokeswoman Susan Chana Elliott said 254 passengers and 12 crew members were on board the plane. In a statement, the airline said a passenger became "verbally disruptive inflight and, out of an abundance of caution, the flight crew requested authorities meet the aircraft upon landing." FBI Special Agent Sandra Berchtold said the Joint Terrorism Task Force responded to the flight after "a passenger spent a lengthy time in the restroom." But investigation showed "this was a non-serious incident and all is clear at this point." Sara Kuban, press secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, said the passenger, a Nigerian national, was removed from the flight and interviewed by the FBI. Kuban said indications at this time show the individual's behavior was due to "legitimate illness" and "no other suspicious behavior or materials have been found." The aircraft was fully screened with negative results, and all baggage is being re-screened before the aircraft taxis to the gate, Kuban said. Passengers told media the man was Nigerian -- the same nationality as the man charged Sunday in connection with the Christmas Day incident -- but that could not immediately be confirmed. Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano said the man had made several trips to the restroom, and after one particularly lengthy visit, would not respond to requests from flight attendants to come out. "Of course, there's a real heightened sensitivity to things like this," Ficano said. A pilot of Northwest Airlines flight 253 requested emergency help, according to a spokesman for Detroit Metro Airport. White House spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement that the president was notified shortly after 9:00 a.m. Hawaiian time of the latest incident by National Security Council chief of staff Denis McDonough. |
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