Plane Bomb suspect released
Plane Bomb suspect released
Sun, 2010-09-26
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Passengers are evacuated from a Pakistan Airlines jet that landed at Arlanda Airport near Stockholm following a bomb threat on Saturday
The Pakistani suspected of carrying explosives in a Pakistan International Airlines forcing its diversion to Stockholm, was released on Saturday after questioning, Swedish police revealed here. Earlier authorities in Stockholm Arlanda airport evacuated the 273 people from a PIA flight diverted to Stockholm due to a bomb alert and detained a passenger on suspicion of preparing aircraft sabotage, officials said.
However, no explosives were found on the man or on the Boeing 777, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said it was investigating whether the incident was a "terrorism hoax," The Associated Press reported.
All passengers — except the suspect — were allowed back on the plane nine hours later. It took off for Manchester, England, from where the passengers would continue their journey to Karachi, said Jan Lindqvist, a spokesman for airport operator Swedavia.
Stockholm police spokesman Kjell Lindgren said a prosecutor later decided to release the man after questioning.
"No explosives were found on the plane or on the man. The passengers and crew are put back on the plane and it took off again," a spokesman for Stockholm district police said.
Asked if the police were treating the incident as a hoax, he only said the authorities have to take the threat seriously.
In Canada, an RCMP spokeswoman said investigations were ongoing.
"If it's judged to be a hoax, the person who called can be charged with public mischief," Sgt. Juli Gagnon told Reuters. She had no information on the identity of the caller.
The plane was traveling from Toronto to Karachi when the pilot asked to land after Canadian authorities received a tip that a passenger was carrying explosives.
A SWAT team detained the suspect as he was evacuated from the aircraft along with the other passengers.
The tip was "called in by a woman in Canada," police operation leader Stefan Radman said, adding that Swedish police took the threat seriously.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokesman Sgt. Marc LaPorte said an anonymous caller called twice Friday saying a man on the flight had explosives.
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