AVIATION/ GRUDGE MAY HAVE LED TO PIA BOMB THREAT

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is investigating yesterdays bomb threat against a PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES Boeing 777. The male passenger who was detained, was released without charge last evening. He reportedly was on his way to Pakistan to get married. The man was pulled off the flight after a tipster told police the man was carrying explosives. Now the RCMP is investigating whether the tip was a hoax. There have been reports that the call came from a woman motivated by ill-will against the man. If the tip is found to be false, whoever made it could be charged with public mischief or, more seriously, a terrorist hoax, punishable by up to 5 years in prison. PIA Flight 782 from Toronto to Karachi was diverted to Stockholm after police received the anonymous tip. Police evacuated the 273 passengers, including 102 Canadian nationals, and detained the man. The 28 year old Canadian national was on traveling alone to Pakistan. The RCMP received the tip after the flight had already departed Toronto. National security investigators, working with Transport Canada and the Airline, got word to the plane’s Pilot, who diverted the Boeing 777 to Arlanda Airport in Stockholm yesterday morning. A SWAT team then detained the man as he was evacuated with the other passengers, who were unaware of the threat until the left the plane. They had been told they were landing because of a technical problem. Swedish police scoured the aircraft and searched luggage for explosives. They questioned passengers, crew members and the detained man.  A prosecutor decided to release him following that questioning. Police said he didn’t resist when the SWAT team took him into custody and cooperated with investigators. “He was calm but irritated,” they said. The other passengers were allowed back on the plane after about 9 hours. It departed for Manchester, England, where passengers were expected to continue on to Karachi. Authorities in Sweden were assisting in getting the detained man to Karachi as soon as possible.