Times Square bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad was almost allowed to leave the U.S. after his addition to the no-fly list did not trigger an automated alert in the Emirates Airlines system, Fox News Channel reported Tuesday.
A senior administration official to told Fox that breaking developments in the investigation saw Shahzad added to the no-fly list about 12.30pm Monday.
“Transport Security Administration (TSA) sent notifications to airlines; however his information had not yet been populated in the airline’s (Emirates Airlines) system to the point of triggering an automated alert,” the official said.
“Customs and Border Protection officers (CBP) discovered the suspect’s intentions to leave the U.S. when they received the passenger manifest, and which point they acted to apprehend him.
“CBP apprehended the subject before the plane pushed back. However, once he was off-loaded, the plane pushed back from the gate, and FBI requested it be brought back to off-load two additional persons of interest.”
Those two people were later cleared and allowed to continue their journey, Emirates Airlines said.
Shahzad was arrested late Monday at JFK International Airport as Emirates Airlines flight EK202 prepared to take off for Dubai. Pakistan-born Shahzad, 30, was bound for Islamabad.
He paid for his one-way ticket in cash, Fox News Channel reported.
“He should not have been able to buy a ticket and he should not have been given a boarding pass,” the official told Fox.