Stolen Passports Prompt Terror Concerns in Missing Jet, Officials Say

[okaawhatever]

US. officials told NBC News on Saturday that they are investigating terrorism concerns after revelations that two people apparently boarded the missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner with stolen passports.
The officials said that they had found no clear link to terrorism. There are other criminal reasons, for example drug smuggling, that stolen passports might be used to board a plane.

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The news, hours after the jet disappeared over the South China Sea with 239 people on board, significantly changed how U.S. officials looked at the disaster. The officials said they were checking into passenger manifests and going back through intelligence.

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It is unusual, but not unheard of, for one person to board a plane with a stolen passport. It is very rare for two people with stolen passports to board the same plane, terrorism analysts say.
Asked earlier whether terrorism was suspected in the disappearance of the jet, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said authorities were “looking at all possibilities,” The Associated Press reported.
Malaysia has not seen significant terrorist activity, and airport security there has tended to be exemplary.

Earlier in the day, U.S. officials told NBC News that “all we know is something quick and catastrophic” happened to the plane.

Continued at Link:
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/missing-jet/stolen-passports-prompt-terror-concerns-missing-jet-officials-say-n47861

[Warpy]

1. That was my first thought

but terrorists are generally pretty quick to take credit for this stuff because they're trying to blackmail governments into following their political agenda.

They could have been Muslim, they could have been Tibetan.

[okaawhatever]

2. Yes, especially since every time something like this happens some group jumps out front and tries

to take credit, even if they didn't have anything to do with it. I also wonder if there is any type of contraband cargo that could have caused an explosion? Like the story said, it may take a year to find out. I guess that depends on how much evidence is retrieved. I would imagine that if the plane fell from 35k feet it is pretty deep into the ocean.

[Jenoch]

3. Frankly, I would rather this be

a terrorist situation insteqd of a faulty aircraft. Boeing doesn't need the trouble if it is faulty equipment.

I also thought it was strabge to have two people on board with stolen passports.

[seattledo]

4. Talk about an overreaction!

Passports get stolen all of the time.

[okaawhatever]

5. Yes, but they aren't very often used to board planes. Did you even read the excerpt?

"It is unusual, but not unheard of, for one person to board a plane with a stolen passport. It is very rare for two people with stolen passports to board the same plane, terrorism analysts say"