Security Alert at Shannon Airport

MAN CLAIMING TO BE A MEMBER OF AL-QAEDA MAKES HOAX CALL

A plane was detained this morning at Shannon Airport after a hoax bomb threat was made against it.

The plane which was an Aer Lingus flight landed safely at Shannon coming from New York just before 8.00am where all 239 passengers were evacuated and debriefed.

The plane was moved to a safe location on the airport grounds where a full search was carried out by local authorities. The search found nothing.

A spokeswoman for Aer Lingus said,

"There was a security alert on board one of our flights from New York to Shannon after Gardai received a call at around 4 a.m. The aircraft made a normal landing at Shannon airport at 7.45 a.m. and all passengers have disembarked the aircraft and are being interviewed in the terminal building."

Gardai in Dublin received a 999 call from a man with a distinct Dublin accent claiming to be a member of Al-Qaeda saying there was a liquid explosive on board the transatlantic airliner.

Fire units from Ennis, Shannon town and three ambulances attended the scene.