Pakistani released after easyJet alarm in Rome
Spokesperson says they have confirmed with authorities that this incident does not relate to any attempted terrorism
PHOTO: REUTERS
ROME:
Italian authorities released on Monday a Pakistani man who was removed from an easyJet flight to Britain minutes before take-off after it was discovered he was travelling on a fake passport.
The man, who is awaiting a decision on his request for political asylum in Italy, will be charged with possession of false papers but police do not believe he was linked to any plot, as initially feared.
"We have now confirmed with the authorities that this incident does not relate to any attempted terrorism," an easyJet spokesperson told AFP.
"It was just one of the many attempts that are made to get into the UK with false passports."
The flight from Rome's Fiumicino airport to London-Luton was within minutes of its scheduled take-off on Sunday when Italian border agents boarded the plane and removed the man.
The officers were acting on advice from the UK border agency, which spotted discrepencies between the passport details the 33-year-old passenger had entered in his online booking and information they held in their database.
Earlier, Italian authorities said they were checking the background of a Pakistani man removed from an easyJet flight to Britain minutes before take-off after he was found to be travelling on a suspect passport.
"Checks are underway, there is no need to start speculating in a way that could cause alarm," Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said on Canale5 television.
"It is too early to say if it was a case of a violation of immigration and citizenship rules or anything more than that. We will know more in the coming hours."
Flight EZY4917 from Rome's Fiumicino airport to London-Luton was within minutes of its scheduled 12:35 pm (1135 GMT) take-off on Sunday when Italian border agents boarded the plane and removed the man, easyJet confirmed.
A spokesperson told AFP the man had been removed after the UK border agency alerted the Italians to discrepencies between the passport details the 33-year-old passenger had entered in his online booking and information that they held in their database.
"We don't know it was definitely a fake passport. That is under police investigation," the spokesperson said.
After all bags were removed from the hold and rechecked, the plane took off later in the afternoon. easyJet said five passengers unconnected with the suspect opted not to fly in the immediate aftermath of the incident and were switched to later flights.
The scare occurred on the same day that Alfano announced that a Pakistani was among nine foreigners expelled from Italy since December because of suspicions they could be involved in militant attacks.
The other eight expelled were five Tunisians, an Egyptian, a Moroccan and a Turk.
Italian authorities released on Monday a Pakistani man who was removed from an easyJet flight to Britain minutes before take-off after it was discovered he was travelling on a fake passport.
The man, who is awaiting a decision on his request for political asylum in Italy, will be charged with possession of false papers but police do not believe he was linked to any plot, as initially feared.
"We have now confirmed with the authorities that this incident does not relate to any attempted terrorism," an easyJet spokesperson told AFP.
"It was just one of the many attempts that are made to get into the UK with false passports."
The flight from Rome's Fiumicino airport to London-Luton was within minutes of its scheduled take-off on Sunday when Italian border agents boarded the plane and removed the man.
The officers were acting on advice from the UK border agency, which spotted discrepencies between the passport details the 33-year-old passenger had entered in his online booking and information they held in their database.
Earlier, Italian authorities said they were checking the background of a Pakistani man removed from an easyJet flight to Britain minutes before take-off after he was found to be travelling on a suspect passport.
"Checks are underway, there is no need to start speculating in a way that could cause alarm," Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said on Canale5 television.
"It is too early to say if it was a case of a violation of immigration and citizenship rules or anything more than that. We will know more in the coming hours."
Flight EZY4917 from Rome's Fiumicino airport to London-Luton was within minutes of its scheduled 12:35 pm (1135 GMT) take-off on Sunday when Italian border agents boarded the plane and removed the man, easyJet confirmed.
A spokesperson told AFP the man had been removed after the UK border agency alerted the Italians to discrepencies between the passport details the 33-year-old passenger had entered in his online booking and information that they held in their database.
"We don't know it was definitely a fake passport. That is under police investigation," the spokesperson said.
After all bags were removed from the hold and rechecked, the plane took off later in the afternoon. easyJet said five passengers unconnected with the suspect opted not to fly in the immediate aftermath of the incident and were switched to later flights.
The scare occurred on the same day that Alfano announced that a Pakistani was among nine foreigners expelled from Italy since December because of suspicions they could be involved in militant attacks.
The other eight expelled were five Tunisians, an Egyptian, a Moroccan and a Turk.