"Shoe Bomber Alert Preceded Airport Shooting"

Wednesday, December 7, 2005

Shoe Bomber Alert Preceded Airport Shooting
Egyptian Man Had Been Stopped at New York Airport; Shoes Tested Positive for
Explosive
By BRIAN ROSS and CHRIS ISHAM
The American Broadcasting Company - ABC News


Federal law enforcement sources tell ABC News they had been on the alert for
a possible shoe bomber when a federal air marshal opened fire at the Miami
International Airport today. 

In today's incident, an agitated passenger claimed to have a bomb in his
backpack was shot and killed by a federal air marshal, officials said. No
bomb was found. 

Officials say a 50-year old Egyptian man was stopped six days ago at New
York's John F. Kennedy airport. Sources say he had a suspicious pair of
shoes that tested positive five times for the explosive substance TATP on
the interior of his shoes between the heel and sole. 

Federal officials say the man's shoes are remarkably similar to those used
by shoe bomber Richard Reid, who attempted to blow up an American Airlines
jet over the Atlantic four years ago. 

The Egyptian man's destination was Des Moines, Iowa, sources say, and he
claimed he was a student at Iowa State University, in Ames. 

Strangely, after holding him overnight, airport security in New York
released him. The FBI was notified after he was released. Now the FBI has
put out a nationwide alert. 

The man shot dead in Miami appears to have been deranged, but the missing
Egyptian may help explain why air marshals acted as they did.


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