Police Surround UPS Planes

[Masochist]

Police Surround UPS Planes
Report: Potential Bomb Found On Plane In England
Updated: Friday, 29 Oct 2010, 10:58 AM CDT
Published : Friday, 29 Oct 2010, 9:58 AM CDT

MYFOXNY.COM STAFF REPORT

MYFOXNY.COM - A suspicious package in the United Kingdom has prompted searches of cargo planes at Newark Liberty International, Philadelphia International and a UPS truck in Queens.

Homeland Security is conducting sweeps on the planes. DHS investigating suspicious packages reported on the cargo planes after a potential explosive device was found aboard UPS flight in Birmingham, England.

An FBI source said officials found something suspicious on a Chicago bound cargo plane in Birmingham but test results for explosives were negative, according to SkyNews.com . The Associated Press reports U.K. officials discovered that a toner cartridge on the plane had been manipulated and found wires attached to it and white powder.

Homeland Security officials said one of the crew on the cargo plane from Paris, France, landing at Philadelphia around 9 a.m., called authorities thinking a package aboard the plane could have a radioactive makeup, according to MyFoxPhilly.com .

Live video from SkyFoxHD shows about a dozen emergency vehicles on the scene at the Newark airport. An security worker was seen walking into an adjacent UPS building with a "blast suit". It was unclear if any suspicious packages were also believed to be inside of that building.

All of the planes had taken off from Yemen according to Fox News.

The Transportation Security Administration says the flights landed safely and are being swept by law enforcement. The planes were moved away from other airlines and air traffic continues at both airports.

A UPS spokesperson released a statement saying, "There are two UPS planes with "questionable shipments" at Philadelphia Airport and one plane with a "questionable shipment' at Newark airport. We are working with authorities in this investigation."

A UPS truck in Queens was also being swept for a possible device. There was believed to be law enforcement activity in Brooklyn associated with the investigation but it was unclear how it was related.

The Portland, Maine Police Department was also conducting a related investigation, according to a statement given to Fox News.

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpps/news/lo...01029_10357021

[mark46th]

It doesn't sound like an actual device, from what I have heard on the radio. The package supposedly originated in Yemen. It sounds like a dry run/decoy. They should have kept it quiet and stomped the guys that sent it...The package supposedly originated in Yemen.

[Mycroft]

Stratfor is lighting up with reports on this, looks like AQ in Yemen.

Also, a passenger craft originating in Yemen just got intercepted as well. (unverified, will post viable source when located.)

Unverified source: http://www.nowpublic.com/world/suspi...k-2710704.html

They (the UPS packages) do not appear to have been explosive devices, or if they were, they don't have the explosive materials on board... Possibly a test run. (from stratfor)

EDIT: Stratfor just confirmed the intercept. United Arab Emirates Flight 201.

EDIT2:

http://www.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/Index
Obama to Address Terror Threats 4:15 p.m. EDT 10/29/10

[Mycroft]

An anonymous source according to stratfor states the plane had an explosive device aboard.

CNN live update feed on this event:

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/29...lphia-airport/

Last 3 items:
[Update 3:36 p.m.] Emirates flight 201 lands at New York's JFK airport escorted by fighter jets.

[Update 3:11 p.m.] NORAD is escorting a passenger flight from the United Arab Emirates to New York's JFK airport “out of an abundance of caution,” a NORAD spokesman said.

Two Canadian CF-18s began to track a civilian aircraft that was “determined to be an aircraft of interest” as it flew over Canadian airspace, spokesman John Cornelio said.

EDIT:

An FBI Spokesman now says there is no known threat on the plane, the escort was solely due to its point of origin.

Two US F-15s then picked up the escort to JFK, which is ongoing.

A law enforcement source says that the flight being escorted is Emirates 201. The flight originated in Sanaa, Yemen, yesterday and is en route from Dubai to JFK, according to Emirates Airline

The FBI and Port Authority Police are scheduled to meet the fight, FBI Special Agent Richard Kolko said.

"This is only because there is cargo from Yemen on the flight. There is no known threat associated with this cargo or this flight,” he said.

[Update 2:25 p.m.] "Since two of the suspicious packages that were intercepted were addressed to religious institutions in Chicago, all churches, synagogues and mosques in the Chicago area should be vigilant for any unsolicited or unexpected packages, especially those originating from overseas locations," FBI Special Agent Ross Rice said.

EDIT:

[Update 4:00 p.m.] Emirates Airline has issued a statement regarding the origin of the flight:

"Emirates Flight EK201, which has just landed at JFK, originated in Dubai not in Yemen, as reported in the US media. More information will follow as soon as we have it. Emirates is co-operating fully with the US authorities."

[Mycroft]

Since this is mentioning UPS as a threat vector, here is a recent article that may be related:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11183476

UPS cargo plane crashes in Dubai, killing two
September 2.

[BigJimCalhoun]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

were addressed to religious institutions in Chicago, all churches, synagogues and mosques in the Chicago area should be vigilant for any unsolicited or unexpected packages, especially those originating from overseas locations," FBI Special Agent Ross Rice said.
."

I read the above also. Does this statement from the FBI smell fishy to anyone else? Given that the origin was Yemen, I speculate that the mosques in Chicago are probably not targets.

[Mycroft]

Probably mechanical failure, but:

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=12006127

Hole Found in Plane That Took off From Miami

Investigators are looking into what caused a hole to rip open in the fuselage of an airline jet as it cruised at 31,000 feet, causing a loss of cabin air pressure and forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing.

The 1-foot-by-2-foot hole opened in the roof shortly after American Airlines Flight 1640 took off from Miami bound for Boston on Tuesday night.

[Mycroft]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/...n7003334.shtml

The Explosive used in the original device has been confirmed to be PETN.

UPS has suspended all shipments from Yemen.

The Yemeni government has pledged full cooperation in the investigations to occur.

[The Reaper]

DOJ is probably trying to figure out how those Christian right-wing, gun-owning, former military, Tea Party types got those packages shipped out from Yemen.

TR

[GratefulCitizen]

Used to make the run up to the Flagstaff airport to pick up the next day air packages.
For several years, UPS has been very strict about package car security (controlling what packages go in/out) at the airports.

There are a number of ways packages could get slipped into the system.
We have layers of internal methods to control/verify what's getting into our system domestically.

Doubtful such measures are effective in Yemen (if they exist).

[Masochist]

Originally Posted by BigJimCalhoun

I read the above also. Does this statement from the FBI smell fishy to anyone else? Given that the origin was Yemen, I speculate that the mosques in Chicago are probably not targets.

CNN is reporting that the suspected targets were Jewish synagogues.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/10/29/ill...ewish.warning/

[Green Light]

Originally Posted by Masochist

CNN is reporting that the suspected targets were Jewish synagogues.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/10/29/ill...ewish.warning/

I thought this wasn't about religion, only oppressed, poor minorities. (Wait, aren't they majorities in the Middle-east?) I'm confused. [/sarcasm]

[dadof18x'er]

Originally Posted by Green Light

I thought this wasn't about religion, only oppressed, poor minorities. (Wait, aren't they majorities in the Middle-east?) I'm confused. [/sarcasm]

I'll be curious to see if al queda claims responsibility for this. If they don't I think the timing of this is HIGHLY suspect. Did you ever see President Bush make a nationally televised message over something this small? And the F-18's? Seems slightly overkill unless your trying to look like you sprouted a pair suddenly.

[Green Light]

Originally Posted by dadof18x'er

I'll be curious to see if al queda claims responsibility for this. If they don't I think the timing of this is HIGHLY suspect. Did you ever see President Bush make a nationally televised message over something this small? And the F-18's? Seems slightly overkill unless your trying to look like you sprouted a pair suddenly.

In fairness, those actions are part of the playbook and require no intervention by politicians. It happens more times than is reported: CF-18s tag along behind, then picked up by US aircraft. NORAD practices that hand-off often between the Canadian portion of NORAD and NORTHAF (typically Air Guard units).

[Masochist]

The day after it's announced Obama will waive sanctions against Yemen (among others) for using child soldiers, suspicious packages turn up from that AO.