A Qatari dipomat's alleged nicotine attack on a flight from D.C. to Denver could mean a big job transfer: The Denver Post reports, "A State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. government was discussing the case with the Qataris and said the department had conveyed the seriousness of the matter to the Qataris.... The State Department official said Qatar had not yet informed the administration how they will handle the case," but it appeared the country was "leaning toward transferring him out of the U.S."
Last night, after a United passenger noticed the smell of smoke on Flight 663, an air marshal allegedly confronted Mohammed Al-Madadi, who then reportedly joked, "I'm lighting my shoes on fire." That sarcastic remark prompted fighter jets to accompany the plane to Denver—one passenger told the AP she looked out the window and saw the jets, "I'm in the sky a lot, and I was thinking that might not be so normal," adding that Al-Madadi didn't cause a scene, "They made this into something that was ridiculous."
Al-Madadi, a database administrator and eighth highest-ranking diplomat at the Qatar Embassy, was released and will not face charges. Qatari ambassador Ali bin Fahad al-Hajri said, "This diplomat was traveling to Denver on official embassy business on my instructions, and he was certainly not engaged in any threatening activity. The facts will reveal that this was a mistake, and we urge all concerned parties to avoid reckless judgments or speculation." The Obama Administration recently announced new "intelligence-based" air travel security screening in the wake of the Christmas Day underwear bomb attempt.
