(Qatari) Diplomat in plane scare being sent home

[sabra]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN) -- The Qatari diplomat involved in a security scare aboard a Colorado-bound flight will be sent home, two State Department officials said.

The State Department and Qatari government agreed that was the best way to handle the matter, the sources said.

Mohammed al-Madadi had been en route to Colorado for a series of consular visits, including a visit with a convicted terrorist at a federal facility, on Wednesday night, a spokeswoman for the Qatari Embassy said.

Two F-16 fighter jets escorted his flight to Denver after reports that he may have attempted to set a shoe on fire -- a report that may have stemmed from what one U.S. official called an "unfortunate comment" by the diplomat.

The U.S. official said that al-Madadi was in a lavatory for a long time and may have been smoking. Air marshals questioned him aboard the United Airlines plane, and the FBI spoke to him once the plane landed.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/04/09/airliner.disturbance/index.html?hpt=T2

[onehandle]

1. Goodbye, idiot.

Diplomat is not Latin for common sense.

[rocktivity]

2. And all because he just HAD to have a ciggie

Would referring to smokers as "nicotine addicts" help?

:eyes:
rocktivity

[Gormy Cuss]

3. Please send him home on a boat, not a plane. n/t

[madmom]

4. How is this KID a diplomat? What is he 18-19?

[The Stranger]

5. "We got us here an A-Rab -- scramble the fighter jets!"

Geez, he has diplomatic credentials, and still the bigots think he's a terrorist?

[keopeli]

6. Um...have you read up on what actually happened? The guy was foolish and broke the law.

This 27 year old diplomat, whatever his race, decided he would smoke in the bathroom, though he was well aware that smoking is prohibited on US flights. His diplomatic immunity prevents charges from being filed against him; perhaps this knowledge lead him to believe he could get away with it. After an extended period of time in the bathroom and, I would assume, smoke detectors alerting flight attendants, the man emerged and was confronted by airline personnel (presumably for producing smoke in the restroom after an extended period of time which, by any account, is suspicious behavior and warrants both questioning and law enforcement response). Incredulous as to why his behavior would cause such an uproar, the 27 year old said, "I was trying to light my shoes on fire," in a reference to the shoe bomber case. Of course, flight personnel at 30,000 feet have no choice but to take his words seriously and they call in the potential threat. The only reason the guy isn't in jail is because of his diplomatic immunity. To top it all off, it turns out he was due to pay a visit to a convicted terrorist in a Colorado Super-max Security Prison.

So, I ask you, what part of that story had anything to do with "A-rabs" or race in general? None.

[eilen]

7. He's an arrogant asshole and I'm glad

that even though we can't charge him, he can be sent packing. No re-entry.

[Paladin]

8. Adios, Shit-For-Brains. (n/t)

[Honeycombe8]

9. And don't let the door hit you on the way out! You think it's funny to pretend to be a terrorist?

We'll show you funny.