About this shoebomber... please wait

[Canuckistanian]

These kind of events ALWAYS seem to generate sensational headlines - in the first few hours. And you know the usual track record of first reports - WRONG.

I ask you to reserve your judgements until you've heard the REAL story. Which won't appear until the morning.

Some here are FREAKING, calling this "an act of war".

Just chill.

[Hello_Kitty]

1. It already appears that they guy was just smoking in the lavatory

No explosives have been found anywhere on the plane.

[Canuckistanian]

5. I just heard that myself

I suspect that this whole "he tried to light his friggin' shoes on fire!" story is a total fabrication.

[EFerrari]

2. Good idea.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Dumbass "diplomat" smokes in the lav

then makes a wise-ass remark to the air marshal about setting his shoes on fire. Not an act of war, but an act of spectacular stupidity.

[Old and In the Way]

6. Sure sounds like it.

Nice to know that stupidity knows no borders...

[XOKCowboy]

7. My friend's plane was delayed leaving Omaha for Denver...

for unknown reasons. He was not too happy about having to spend 5 hrs in the Omaha airport. He's really going to be thrilled to find out it was a smartass wanting a smoke that delayed him.

[Canuckistanian]

8. Agreed.

Spectacular stupidity.

[Old and In the Way]

4. TPM is calling it a misunderstanding...

It's scary how fast a headstart rumors get on the truth.

[EFerrari]

9. At least nobody shot him. That's something anyway, I guess. n/t

[chill_wind]

16. THIS time.

:thumbsup:

:hi:

[tridim]

12. The rumor and the truth HAD to be reported at the same time

It makes no sense to report that "he said he lit his shoe on fire" without also reporting that "he was smoking a cigarette in the lavatory".

Why was only the rumor reported initially?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. The latest:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36243847/ns/us_news-airliner_security/

NBC reports that the guy told the air marshal that he had put out his cigarette on is shoe.

Even so, he was a moron.

[Contrary1]

11. MSNBC Breaking: Official tells NBC News passenger may have said he was putting out cigarette on shoe

:eyes:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36243847/ns/us_news-airliner_security/

[Pirate Smile]

13. Ummm. We already learned it was a false alarm quite a while ago. Lesson - don't joke

about lighting shoe bombs and smoking in the plane bathroom. Thank you.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. let me clarify the statement since I was not being hysterical

IF the initial report is correct, and this guy did try to blow up a plane, since he is a member of the diplomatic mission it could be construed as an act of war.

Now, as you said, things to be found out, and this is turning out to be a huge egg in your face, misunderstanding. He will, most like, be recalled by his own government, if we don't beat them to the punch and out right expel him. The smoke was, apparently cigarette smoke, and given he has diplomatic immunity nobody is going to fine him, and if anybody files any charges, they will be perfunctory.

Now this is the info as of RIGHT NOW.

But the initial reports, technically do fall under what can be construed as an Act of War.

In this reality the US will not declare war, even if initial reports happened to be correct, we are a tad busy. But check a map, and notice location. oh location, location, location... and Qatar has served more or less as a base of operations. Care to guess what will be a base for perhaps Special Operations forces? And of course there is Iran... and for once this is not an incident that we caused, but you think nobody will take advantage of it?

[Canuckistanian]

15. Egg on MY face? Don't think so

I'm just advising caution and critical thinking.

It may be serious, it may not be.

But I'm betting on the latter.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Nah not on your face

on Qatar's face, for having a guy smoke and make a tasteless joke. And our face for arresting a diplomat.

Hell, from knowing a little of those types of incidents, I predict this will probably fall off the pages by tomorrow night at the latest.

But a certain ambassador is gonna get his ass chewed at state and a few accommodations will be made