U.S. Plane Avoided Terror in the Sky

An American Airlines plane has diverted to Boston on Saturday after explosives were found in a passenger`s shoe. The plane was bound from Paris to Miami, carrying 185 passengers and 12 crew.

This is the first attempt of plane explosion in the U.S. since 9.11 terrorist attacks.

Thomas Kinton, director of aviation at Logan International Airport, said "The passenger was traveling on a false British passport, issued in the name of Richard Reid in Belgium three weeks ago." An U.S. news channel MSNBC reported that the passenger was a Middle Eastern descent.

Mr. Kinton said that the investigators found C-4 plastic explosive after X-raying the passenger`s shoe, and this explosive was powerful enough to damage the plane seriously.

The U.S. FBI took the passenger from the plane, which diverted to the Logan airport around 1pm on Saturday, and is currently investigating him. Two crewmembers were wounded while rounding up the man, and other passengers were safe.

The White House said President George W. Bush had been kept fully informed about the incident.

Ki-Heung Han eligius@donga.com