Plane in Terrorism Scare Turns Up Sporting a Respray

[kskiska]

A Boeing 727 cargo plane which caused panic among US intelligence agencies after mysteriously disappearing from Angola's main airport turned up last week in Guinea, the Guardian can reveal.

The plane, which was feared to be in the hands of international terrorists, was spotted on June 28 in Conakry, Guinea's capital, by Bob Strother, a Canadian pilot. It had been resprayed and given the Guinean registration 3XGOM. But at least the last two letters of its former tail-number, N844AA, were still showing.

The plane, which was recently converted into a fuel tanker, was said to be owned by a member of West Africa's Lebanese business community, and was being used to shuttle goods between Beirut and Conakry, according to Mr Strother.

"There's absolutely no doubt it's the same aircraft, the old registration is clearly visible," said Mr Strother by phone from Conakry. "Whoever owns it must have some important friends to get it re-registered in two days: going by the book, the whole process usually takes a couple of months."

more…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,992839,00.html

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Hmm

Is Air America back in business?

[truthisfreedom]

2. don't believe it.

it stinks. it's a dupe plane, and the real one is going to show up in a terrifying story somewhere.