8 theSun
news without borders
Religious fanatic briefly
hijacks Mexican plane
MEXICO CITY: A Bolivian-born
man clutching a Bible and claiming
a divine mission hijacked a plane in
Mexico with more than 100 people
aboard on Wednesday, but the
incident ended quickly and without
bloodshed. Jose Flores, who told
police he was a Protestant minister,
seized the AeroMexico Boeing 737
after take-off from the resort of Can-
cun demanding to speak to Mexican
President Felipe Calderon.
Flores, 44, smuggled a false bomb
on board and threatened to blow up
the aircraft if he could not warn the
president of what he said was an
impending earthquake, police said.
“He said he is a minister and that
it was a divine revelation that made
him carry out this action,” Security
Minister Genaro Garcia told report-
ers.
The plane landed safely in
Mexico City, its original destination,
and police stormed the aircraft after
the passengers had been allowed off,
but not the crew. Police apparently
| FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 11 2009
Pamela Anderson
ad too ‘racy’
for US airports
Abiding
Times:
Culture:
Yours,
LOS ANGELES: An animal rights television commercial
featuring former Playboy centrefold Pamela Anderson has
been deemed too racy for US airports, a statement said on
Wednesday.
Senior officials from People for the Ethical Treatment of
detained Flores without a struggle Mexico City airport and helicopters mine, Animals (Peta) said the CNN Airport Network had barred
and a few minutes later led him circled above the airport as the plane the advertisement because of concerns it could be seen
away in handcuffs, ending Mexico’s landed and taxied to a part of the
ours? by children.
first hijack drama in years, airport reserved for emergencies. pg 13 The ad features former Baywatch star Anderson as a
Transport Minister Juan Molinar – Reuters scantily clad airport security guard who strips passengers
told reporters that all 104 passengers of leather, fur and other skins.
and crew of 8 were The ad had been due to air from Sept 10 in New York
safely off the air- airports, targeting attendees from the fashion industry
craft. “There was no descending on the city for New York Fashion Week, which
bomb,” he said. got underway yesterday.
Nine men were Peta said that CNN Airport Network had said in a letter
initially detained, it was “particularly sensitive because children make up
but Security Minister part of the demographic in airports.”
Garcia said eight “We’re now looking to place the spot among in-flight
were ordinary pas- entertainment and hope that more adventurous carriers
sengers caught up in such as Virgin take us up on it,” Peta Senior Vice-Presi-
the drama. He said dent Dan Mathews said in a statement.
Flores, wearing a shirt Canadian-born Anderson, 42, said on Wednesday she
and jeans, was the only would continue to speak out against fashion labels which
hijacker. use fur products.
Smiling and chew- “I don’t think we should see any fur or animal products
ing gum, the hijacker Flores being on the runway,” she said at an event in Los Angeles. “Any
was presented at a news led away by business dealing with animals, you know it’s corrupt. It’s
conference but refused a policeman very cruel. If people knew the abuse that went into it.
to answer journalists’ at the “And it’s not just the fur. It’s all the animal products. But
questions. Earlier, airport on it’s important to know there are alternatives to everything,
security forces raced to Wednesday. even leather.” – AFP