F-16s escort Northwest jet back to Schiphol

[Yarrah]

I just got a 'breaking news alert'. I wonder if this is another false alert though.

F-16s escort jet back to Schiphol

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) -- Dutch F-16s escorted a Northwest Airlines flight bound for India back to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on Wednesday, and authorities later detained several passengers for questioning, an airport spokeswoman said.

Spokeswoman Mirjam Snoerwang said she had no further details on the reason for the incident, but the passengers had been escorted from the plane by customs police after the plane landed safely.

"A number of suspects were taken off the plane -- I don't know how many. They're undergoing questioning now," Snoerwang said.

The Dutch broadcaster NOS said the office of the National Terrorism Coordinator had been informed, but there was no immediate reason to impose extra security measures.

The coordinator's office could not immediately be reached for comment

[Brent]

Reuters is reporting that TWELVE passengers have been arrested. That's an awfully high number for one plane. Apparently there were Air Marshalls onboard since it was a U.S. airliner.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14477489/

[LAwxrgal]

MSNBC is reporting this also. Twelve passengers were arrested from a plane bound from Amsterdam to Mumbai, India...there's still no reason that's been given why all these passengers would be arrested.

[sunny]

I saw this - wondered what this is about.

[Yarrah]

12 out of 149 passengers. Smells a bit suspicious.

Too bad the marechaussee won't tell us why plane had to be escorted back until they are finished questioning the suspects. Only thing I know is that one of the pilots told that he wanted to go back because of 'security reasons'.

[fwbbreeze]

communications between ATC, NW DC-10, and 2 escort Dutch F-16's

http://fmc.dotnet-services.nl/waves/nw42_intercept.wav

fwbbreeze

[gtalum]

Probably just another paranoid overreaction.

[gtalum]

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (CNN) -- Dutch police said Wednesday that 12 passengers were in custody after a Northwest Airlines flight bound for Mumbai, India, returned to Amsterdam when several people on board aroused concern.

No formal charges have been laid, police said.

A U.S. government official said that some of the passengers had pulled out cell phones during the flight, and that some appeared to be trying to pass the cell phones to other passengers.

In addition, some passengers unfastened their seatbelts while the light requiring they be fastened was still illuminated, the official said.

As expected, a big stupid overreaction. The passengers aren't arrested, they're "in custody" or "talking to police" depending on which story you read. They had their cell phones out and som ehad their seat belts off. We have really become a society of wimps.

The US Air Marshals are incompetent and are a detriment to the aviation industry.