UK police arrest 3 passengers on Emirates plane at Heathrow

London: Three men have been arrested on suspicion of making a bomb threat on a plane as it readied for take-off at Heathrow airport.

Armed counter-terrorist officers boarded the Dubai-bound Emirates flight on Friday night after a "verbal threat" was made to air crew at 9.15pm. The Metropolitan Police said the three men, aged 58, 48 and 36, were in custody.

Robert Fowles, 58, is accused of a bomb hoax and being drunk on an aircraft, the Metropolitan Police said.

Another passenger, Alexander McGinn, 48, has also been charged with being drunk on an aircraft.

According to media reports, the threats were made to cabin crew as the Emirates flight was taxiing for take-off, prompting armed police board the plane.

Robert Fowles, from Dover in southeast England, will appear from custody at Westminster Magistrates' court in London on Monday.

Alexander McGinn, has been bailed and will appear at the same court on January 22.
A third passenger on board the plane who was arrested, a 36-year-old man, was released without charge.

One passenger said she saw armed police board the flight and take a man off in handcuffs.

Cameron McLean told Sky News: "Police just swarmed the guy and rushed him out. I think he was a white male. There was another one but I didn't see him."

The man was removed in handcuffs then sniffer dogs were brought on board, McLean said. Police yesterday released the plane, which had been carrying 331 passengers, to the airline after finding no dangerous items.

Sky News television reported the men arrested were English and appeared to be drunk. It broadcast a grainy photograph purportedly taken inside the aircraft, showing police in black overalls, and a passenger said officers in body armour, brandishing guns, burst onto the plane and hauled the suspects away.

They said passengers had been removed from the plane and the aircraft was being searched. The airport remained open.

A spokesman for airport operator BAA said the incident had only affected the Dubai-bound plane.

The alert came amid heightened security at airports around the world following an alleged attempt by a young Nigerian to bomb a plane landing in Detroit on Christmas Day by concealing explosives in his underwear. A series of extra security measures have since been introduced, including extra baggage checks, body searches and bans on the use of electronic equipment on aircraft.

—  With additional inputs from agencies

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