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California teen in custody after plane incident
The wire was buzzing this morning with the tale of a Los Angeles teenager who was arrested for plotting to hijack a flight and -- I'm not joking here -- crash it into a Hannah Montana concert in Lafayette, Louisiana. I swear I'm not making this up.See for yourself: LA teen in custody after plane incident
The teen was pulled off of Southwest Airlines flight 284 -- without incident -- on Tuesday night with a bag full of handcuffs, rope and duct tape. How does a kid get through security with a bag of handcuffs? A search of his home back in California revealed a mock cockpit, but authorities are confident "his plan had a low probability of success."
Update: The FBI is now dismissing reports that the teen planned to crash the plane into a Hannah Montana concert. (Thanks, Melinda!)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Julia Rosien Jan 25th 2008 2:58PM
Kinda makes it hard to have faith in security when something like *this* happens.
It also makes you wonder why his mom only did something when stole her credit card - sounds like maybe he cleaned his own room???
http://www.gogirlfriend.com/travel-news/teen-tries-hijack-plane-6180
a.g. Jan 27th 2008 2:31PM
OK, so airport security in LA lets a teenager get on a plane with a bag full of handcuffs, but Houston Hobby won't let a vegan take a prepackaged container of peanut butter that's less than 3 oz. because (and I quote the TSA agent directly) "it's a gel". It wasn't even allowed if I fit it in my alloted Ziploc bag with my other "gels" that ARE allowed. Personally, I think this chick wanted a snack. That does it, I'm moving to LA :-)
thabeezkneez13 Jan 27th 2008 5:52PM
Um wow, so a kid got past security with all that, and I can't even get past security without having mu albuterol asthma rescue inhaler disassembled and my nebulizer [breathing machine] checked for explosives? wtf? I think LA needs to check up on their security procedures
Chris Jan 27th 2008 3:52PM
How much does this guy hate Hannah Montana?! I don't like the girl, but I'm not gonna try to crash her concert (literally). What are we teaching our youth, if they think that something like this is ok?
Mike Jan 27th 2008 3:32PM
Too many chemicals, not enough discipline.
mudskelly Jan 27th 2008 3:37PM
a.g.
I agree. What's up? My husband & I travel extensively & I am always surprised at which items they deem "dangerous" and the others that are on "the list" that I forgot about in my purse that get through screening! This is security??? I don't believe so.....
totalconfusion Jan 27th 2008 3:39PM
a.g.
I agree. What's up? My husband & I travel extensively & I am always surprised at which items they deem "dangerous" and the others that are on "the list" that I forgot about in my purse that get through screening! This is security??? I don't believe so.....
Amanda Jan 27th 2008 3:50PM
Hmmm, why the Hanna Montana concert? Was he jealous that he didn't get a ticket or something?lol Wow,security sux in Cali,hope they fire the people who didn't check properly,they're the reasons why hijackers have weapons aboard..slackers=/
Drewzone Jan 27th 2008 4:15PM
Stupid kid
LJ Jan 27th 2008 4:39PM
The solution is to prohibit ANY carry on items. Medications or baby diaper items that people MUST have, could be placed in an approved clear plastic gallon zip lock bag. End of problem. Its only a few hours folks. How about we try to "rough it"?
a.g. Jan 27th 2008 4:41PM
Oh, and I forgot to mention that in Orlando - miniature SNOWGLOBES are on the restricted list. Makes me chuckle...
No, sir I'm sorry you can't take your DisneyWorld mini snowglobe onboard - oh, no, don't worry - the handcuffs, rope, and duct tape are OK. Have a nice flight :-)
thepugpieper Jan 27th 2008 4:51PM
Humm...maybe if it had succeeded we could have made this guy a national hero for getting rid of this pest and the pricey concert ticket problem parents have to deal with.
It's out of hand...Parents go nuts over this kid, worse than their own kids..
So..maybe this kid was trying to save the world??
Ike Jan 28th 2008 10:16PM
So where was this kid when Yanni was playing?
Ike Jan 30th 2008 10:41AM
So where was this kid when Kenny G was playing?
Chuck Jan 27th 2008 5:44PM
I have been reading posts on this site recently, these comments astound me more than the stories do, i mean get real people.... do you not think there is a problem with a 15 year old boy when his little mind is focused on hijacking a plane? Forgetting why, how, where, or when, he wants to takeover a plane... isnt there something wrong with that? especially in a democratic country? shouldnt we be fearful of that?? not miley who just wants to sing,, not airport secuirty who gets paid a measly salary to try to protect a whole country, not the parents who probably have no idea what to do about their son,, but about a teenagers mind!!!
what about that???
Joe Papierz Jr Jan 27th 2008 5:56PM
To #12 Chuck: Hopefully they will have plenty of time to study this jerks mind while he sits in jail for a looooooooooong time.
Heather Jan 27th 2008 5:56PM
ok, so it takes like an hour if you're lucky to get through air plane security, but some kid with handcuffs managed to get through? i mean, the things they outlaw on air planes are mostly pointless, yet almost anyone can get through with anything they want other then hair gel & water bottles
Chuck Jan 27th 2008 6:18PM
to joe,
brilliant response, ill hire you to do the study, i have a feelin ull be his "cellie" ;-)
Bobby Jan 27th 2008 6:22PM
To # 15 Heather: the items they outlaw may seem pointless to the general public but I would bet a great deal of thought about how a "terrorist" thinks is put into rejecting what we carry onboard. Someone said that in Orlando 'snow globes' were scrutinized. An object like that would be a clever coverup for a liquid explosive. This is the way it's going to be possibly forever & we all may as well get used to the absurdity of it all. Our civil rights may be at stake but I'll waive mine for a little inconvenience & the energy it takes to question it all...
Martin Jan 27th 2008 6:30PM
How about this? Instead of the current TSA 'rent-a-cop' types, the Federal Government takes over completely and turns over security to those who know how to achieve security - the U.S. military or CIA?
I doubt they'd confiscate peanut butter or hairpins. And I also doubt, they'd have let a whack-job like this wanna-be hijacker anywhere near the plane.