French airports increase security

12/24/2001

By JOCELYN GECKER
Associated Press Writer

PARIS — French government ministers held an urgent meeting Monday to review airport security following a passenger's attempt to ignite explosives hidden in his sneakers on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami.

Meanwhile, security was tightened at French airports including Charles de Gaulle international airport outside Paris, where the American Airlines flight originated on Saturday.

France's Interior Ministry said in a statement that Paris airports had beefed up security, increasing the number of patrolling officers and bomb-sniffing dogs at check-in counters and passport control stations.

French border police opened an inquiry into how a man with no baggage and explosives hidden in his shoes could have boarded the flight in Paris, where airports have heightened security following the Sept. 11 suicide hijackings in the United States. A day before, he had tried to board the same flight but aroused suspicion and was questioned, making him miss the plane.

Anti-terrorism units of France's intelligence agency and the judiciary have opened a separate joint inquiry.

The man's identity remained unclear. He was listed in U.S. court papers Sunday as Richard C. Reid, the name on his British passport. In London, Scotland Yard said they believed the suspect was a British national.

French authorities, citing information from U.S. investigators, initially identified the man as a Sri Lankan named Tariq Raja, who was traveling on a British passport. But an official with France's border police said Monday that French officials consider the man to be a British national since he had no documents proving Sri Lankan citizenship.

``He had an authentic British passport. Until proof to the contrary, he is a British citizen,'' said the French official, speaking on condition of anonymity. Border police in France are responsible for checking passports at airports and share responsibility for airport security with the Interior Ministry.

The American Airlines jetliner, with 185 passengers and 12 crew members, landed safely at Boston's Logan airport.

The man was subdued by passengers after attacking a flight attendant who tried to stop him from igniting his sneakers. He was charged Sunday in a federal criminal complaint with intimidation or assault of a flight crew causing interference with their duties. He faces 20 years if convicted.