"Reagan National Concourse Evacuated"

Saturday, August 14, 2004

United flight delayed, airport searched after passenger leaves plane
By Ben Bradley
ABC7 Chicago (IL)


Chicago - A United Airlines flight from Washington, D.C. to Chicago was
delayed Saturday night because of a passenger acting suspiciously. Then
a terminal at Reagan National Airport was evacuated.
 
The concern started before wheels up in Washington. United Airlines
flight 627 was about to push back from the gate when, without
explanation, a man gathered up his belongings and walked off the plane. 

The Transportation Security Administration tells ABC7 News this was a
man who appears to be of Middle Eastern descent. 

When federal agents caught up to him after he got off the plane, they
say he didn't speak English so they couldn't get an explanation of why
he decided to leave. 

As a precaution, the TSA asked everyone to get off that United Airlines
flight. Then agents evacuated an entire concourse at Reagan National
Airport. 

"He just walked on the aircraft and walked off. He walked to the back of
the aircraft, to about row 20, left the aircraft, and the flight
attendants were unable to stop him because he did depart rapidly," said
Judy Roberts a passenger on the flight. 

"I saw the back of him when he was putting his jacket on to leave. But
really that's all that we knew. We just saw him leave the plane," said
Michelle Spinello. 

"I saw the dogs come in, I assume the sniffing dogs to sniff down the
plane. They had to clear out the whole concourse. Eventually they let us
come back on," said Stu Browne. 

"It was an hour and 45 minutes delay. That's the way it is," said Mike
Toddman. 

Federal agents with bomb-sniffing dogs found nothing on that airplane of
suspicion. It landed safely at O'Hare airport Saturday night. 

Late word out of Washington indicates that the man in question paid cash
for his ticket. That in and of itself raises alarm bells with federal
agents. 

At last word from Washington, they were continuing to try to interview
the man.


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