AP source: Man removed from Sunday flight posed no security threat to plane

AP source: Man on Sunday flight posed no threat

WASHINGTON — A law enforcement official says the man removed from a Sunday flight to Detroit posed no security risk to the plane.

The official says the passenger was taken into custody after becoming verbally disruptive on landing. Subsequent interviews by investigators determined he was a businessman who became ill during the flight.

The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation and therefore spoke on condition of anonymity.

The incident occurred on board the same Northwest Airlines flight that was attacked on Christmas Day. The pilot of the Sunday flight requested emergency assistance upon arrival.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

DETROIT (AP) — A passenger onboard the same Northwest Airlines flight that was attacked on Christmas Day was taken into custody in Detroit on Sunday after becoming verbally disruptive upon landing, officials said.

A law enforcement official said the man was Nigerian and had locked himself in the airliner’s bathroom. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.

Delta Air Lines spokeswoman Susan Elliott said crew members requested that security remove the man from Flight 253 after he became disruptive. The remaining 255 passengers got off safely, she said.

Airport spokesman Scott Wintner said it was the same flight on which a man tried to set off an explosive on Christmas Day.

“The pilot requested emergency assistance upon arrival,” he said.

Security and airline personnel are on edge since the attempted terror attack on Christmas Day, and the law enforcement official said that lesser incidents had been reported on other flights arriving in Detroit, but the incident with the Nigerian man had sparked the most concern.

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Associated Press writers Devlin Barrett and Nyia Hawkins in Washington contributed to this report.