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CNN Sunday Morning

Unknown Whether Suspect on Flight 63 Had Functional Explosives

Aired December 23, 2001 - 10:02   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get more now on that harrowing Atlantic flight and haunting question, was an American Airlines passenger trying to ignite explosives hidden in his shoe? The flight en route from Paris to Miami when the man tried to set fire to the shoelace, that ignited a brawl, and U.S. fighter jets then scrambled to accompany the flight to a quick landing in Boston.

CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us again from Boston's Logan International Airport. She's been following this story.

What's the latest, Kathleen?

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, the latest is that some sketchy and sometimes conflicting information is emerging about the identity of this passenger.

According to the French Foreign Ministry, he is indeed a British citizen, traveling on a British passport. His name is Richard Reed, however, the French Minister of the Interior says he changed his name to Abdul Raheem when he converted to Islam.

Now that comes out while The Associated Press in Paris is reporting that he is actually a Sri Lankan national. So we're trying to sort all that out right now.

But apparently what happened is after this flight departed Paris sometime while it was over the Atlantic, a very alert flight attendant smelled something odd that smelled like sulfur, and she spotted this passenger, a very tall man about six-foot-four in Row 29 of this 767, trying to light his shoes on fire.

And passengers we spoke to, both here in Boston and in Miami, where they ended up eventually later on this morning, said that they all sprang into action to actually tackle the man.

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THIERRY DUGEON, PASSENGER: I think that the guy was trying to light up matches and first he tried and one of the stewardesses was told, came and asked him to put it out, that he could not do that on the plane.

The guy said "OK" and then the stewardess left and a couple of minutes later, he did it again and then she tried to stop him and then there was the fight.

Apparently he was trying to light up his own shoe, which apparently I've been told was containing C-4 explosives. But I'm not sure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEANORD BOLANDS, PASSENGER: I was about six or seven seats back from the culprit, and I was just reading a book and all of a sudden I heard screaming. The flight attendant was screaming for help, and then I looked up and I saw her struggling with this guy.

He was about six-six. He had curly black hair, tied in the back, and then it seemed like ten seconds went by before like three or four other guys got up and like launched themselves towards the suspect, I guess and they pinned him down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Apparently the passengers were able to subdue the man, that they used belts and other articles of clothing to actually tie him to a chair, and there were a couple of physicians on the flight who were able to sedate him and did that three times to keep that passenger, the suspect, calm during the remainder of the flight.

Now after the plane landed, the suspect was taken into custody by the FBI. He's being held here in the Boston area at an undisclosed location.

We're expecting to hear later on this morning from the U.S. Attorney's Office, about what charges might be brought against the man, and also what tests are showing about the contents of his shoes.

Apparently an X-ray of the shoes showed that some holes had been drilled in the heels and that there was some sort of substance that resembled C-4 plastic explosives in the heel as well as some detonating wire. So they're trying to sort all that out right now.

During the scuffle on the plane, a couple of flight attendants were injured. Apparently one of them did seek medical treatment upon arrival here at Boston. Apparently she was bitten on the hand.

But at this point, everyone has proceeded on to their destinations and we're just waiting to hear from law enforcement authorities about what they're going to be doing with the suspect. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Kathleen Koch, thank you so much.

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