Caution Leads to False Alarms

10 of 11 held at airports released

This story was reported by Tom Brune, Joshua Robin, Sean Gardiner and Patricia Hurtado and was written by Hurtado.

September 15, 2001

Ten of 11 people detained at Kennedy and LaGuardia airports Thursday have been released, and federal officials said Friday that FBI agents will be stationed at area airports to quickly handle reports of suspicious people.

Barry Mawn, the head of the FBI's New York office, said the 11 people were detained as airline workers and law enforcement officials place passengers under extra scrutiny as the search continues for suspects and their accomplices in the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

"This activity will continue to occur," Mawn said. "All of the security departments of the various airlines are quickly reaching out for us in law enforcement if in fact there is any question as to identity. There is an overabundance of caution, which we are fine with."

Mawn's comments came a day after law enforcement officials detained 11 passengers at Kennedy and LaGuardia, setting off a panic that forced the closing of those airports, as well as Newark.

Mawn said despite Thursday's false alarm, airport personnel would continue to watch for individuals who may have relevant information about the attacks.

"The whole investigative effort of the Joint Terrorist Task Force is to identify the hijackers, their support system, where they've been since they've been in the country," Mawn said.

Mawn said the one person still in custody from Thursday's lockdown at Kennedy and LaGuardia was speaking to investigators "voluntarily."

Authorities in New York declined to discuss details of the incidents involving those who were questioned at the airports but said none had been carrying weapons or knives.

Mindy Tucker, a spokeswoman with the Department of Justice, gave the following details of the five incidents that triggered the airport closings:

A lone man believed to be of Middle Eastern descent with a fictitious driver's license was stopped by Port Authority police at Kennedy. He was questioned by the FBI.

On Tuesday after the attacks, a flight landed at an undisclosed airline terminal at Kennedy. Four men refused to leave the aircraft. The men were questioned by the FBI but later released.

A third incident occurred at LaGuardia, where five people were questioned after other passengers said the men carried what appeared to be crew-member tags on their luggage. The FBI questioned them and they were released.

Tucker declined to discuss the fourth incident.

However, a Justice Department official said law enforcement agents detained two people who were on a so-called "Watch List" of about 100 individuals authorities want to talk to because they may have relevant information about the attacks.

One man, who was sitting with a woman when law enforcement officers approached, "curtly" agreed to leave the plane with authorities. A second man refused to leave the aircraft. The passenger grew belligerent and eventually had to be subdued by at least 10 Port Authority police officers.