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CNN Live At Daybreak

Passenger Reactions To Explosive Shoe Suspect

Aired December 24, 2001 - 06:31   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SACHI KOTO, CNN ANCHOR: Several passengers on the Paris to Miami flight that was diverted to Boston helped subdue the explosives- carrying suspect.

CNN's John Zarrella has reaction from those who were near the struggle.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Early Sunday morning, thankful to be on the ground and alive, passengers from the diverted Paris-Miami American Airlines flight finally made it to their final destination.

The story they tell of what happened over the North Atlantic is both heroic and chilling.

This man, identified by the French Ministry from his British passport as Richard Reid, was apparently attempting to ignite an explosive in his shoes. A flight attendant caught him in the act.

NICHOLAS GREEN, PASSENGER: She screams and was pushed away and then she yelled "help me," at which point somebody from behind the person pulled his hair from behind. He had very long hair, and the stewardess once again tried to jump on the person to stop him.

ZARRELLA: During the struggle the flight attendant was bitten on the hand. The 767 300-series is configured with seven seats across in coach -- two on the left, three in the middle, and two on the right. Nicholas Green was sitting in row 34 in the center section. The suspect, Green says, was seated a few rows in front of him on the right.

GREEN: Then very quickly two people who were seated opposite the person in question jumped on top of him.

PETER EMSINK, PASSENGER: First they hit him over the head with -- or something, you know with the fire extinguisher to kind of knock him out a little bit and then they sedated him afterwards.

ZARRELLA: Maja Karazawi was seated a couple of rows in front of the suspect in seat 27G. She says the struggle with Reid lasted less than a minute. MAJA KARAZAWI, PASSENGER: One of the passengers jumped to help the stewardess, they got him -- got him tied down, were handing those ear phones and belts and stuff like that so they could tie him down. And then there were passengers watching him all the way to Boston -- it was rotating. There were three or four guys all the time watching.

ZARRELLA: The suspect was unbelievably strong, even for six- foot-eight basketball player Kwame James, who held Reid down. James says when Reid was asked why ...

KWAME JAMES, PASSENGER: He said you'll see. You know, you will all see.

ZARRELLA: Most of the passengers on the flight knew something had happened, but didn't know the details.

GOEFFRY BESSIN, PASSENGER: They just said that a gentleman had a match. We don't know why he's been subdued. Get to know your neighbor, just to be sure that there's nobody else on the plane that might want to do something.

ZARRELLA: Passengers close enough to the struggle who know what had happened say their hearts raced the remainder of the flight.

KARAZAWI: two hours, 40 minutes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: More.

KARAZAWI: More. It's the longest two hours and 40 minutes of my life.

ZARRELLA: Finally, under jet fighter escort, the plane landed without further incident in Boston.

John Zarrella, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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