Car Bomb Suspect Worked at Aviation Company

Kafeel Ahmed, the engineer identified by the police as one of two main suspects in the British car bomb plot, worked for much of last year as an aeronautical engineer for an Indian outsourcing company that designs aircraft parts for companies like Boeing and Airbus.

Mr. Ahmed worked in the Bangalore office of the company, Infotech Enterprises, between December 2005 and July 2006, K. S. Susindar, a company spokesman, said in a telephone interview on Monday. Mr. Susindar offered that information after checking an employee database that listed Mr. Ahmed as having degrees from universities in India and Northern Ireland; he had a master’s in aeronautical engineering. The company did not say exactly which aviation projects Mr. Ahmed, one of 5,500 employees, worked on.

Mr. Ahmed is one of the two men described by the police as principal suspects in the failed attacks in Britain. The police have said he was the driver of the Jeep Cherokee that, loaded with gasoline canisters, was driven into the terminal of Glasgow International Airport on June 30.

Burns cover 90 percent of his body, the police say, and he remains in critical condition. He has not been charged, and his condition has prevented the police from questioning him.

In an interview on Sunday, Gopal Hosur, a deputy police chief of Bangalore, where Mr. Ahmed grew up, said his friends had told the police that Mr. Ahmed returned to India from Britain as something of a radical in 2005, the year he began work at Infotech. He had been known to be pious and goodhearted, but he surprised friends when he returned home with a traditional Muslim beard in place of his goatee, brimming with notions about fighting for Islam, Mr. Hosur said.

There has been no suggestion that Mr. Ahmed did anything untoward while at Infotech. Mr. Susindar said that Mr. Ahmed resigned from the company voluntarily and that the company had no problem with him.

Infotech’s clients have included some of the biggest names in aviation, according to its filings to investors: the Boeing Company and Airbus SAS, each of which has set up dedicated engineering teams at Infotech; Bombardier, the Canadian maker of corporate jets; and Pratt & Whitney, the aircraft engine maker. A spokeswoman for Boeing, Lizum Mishra, said the company would not be able to comment on the subject on short notice. An Airbus spokeswoman, Barbara Kracht, when told of Mr. Ahmed’s work at Infotech, said, “I’m absolutely not aware of this.”

Another client of Infotech is the Home Office of the British government, which is responsible for domestic security and is leading the investigation into the car bomb plot. Infotech helped the Home Office build a searchable computer database of criminal activity in Cornwall and Devon Counties.

Infotech also offers outsourced engineering in other industries, including for Alstom, the French maker of rail equipment and power systems.

Mr. Susindar said that Mr. Ahmed, an aviation specialist, was unlikely to have worked on projects outside his domain.

“He was sincere at work,” Mr. Susindar said in the interview after speaking to an Infotech employee who knew Mr. Ahmed. “And he was very much to himself. There were no friends or anything.”

Infotech Enterprises, based in Hyderabad, India, recorded $120 million in sales last year. It belongs to a wave of Indian outsourcing firms that are taking on high-end projects from Western companies.

“If the planes are designed in the West, the Indian designers are helping to make the planes a reality,” said Samad Masood, a technology analyst at Ovum, a research and advisory firm in London. The Indian engineers, he added, are “designing or helping to design pretty serious components that go into airplanes.”

Further evidence emerged Monday connecting Mr. Ahmed to a passenger in the Jeep, Dr. Bilal Abdulla, a British-born Iraqi doctor who is the only person to have been charged in the failed bomb attacks. Associates of the two men have told journalists that they got to know each other in Cambridge, England.

On Monday, an Indian official showed a reporter a printout of a document that he said came from a high-capacity computer hard drive seized from Mr. Ahmed’s family home in Bangalore, where the police say he lived for six months before the failed attacks. The document was a certificate from Mr. Abdulla’s medical school in Baghdad, listing his grades in a variety of subjects. On the top right of the document, a color photograph of Mr. Abdulla was attached. It was not clear when the document arrived in Mr. Ahmed’s computer.

New York Times

Four convicted in failed 2005 bombing in London

Four men were convicted Monday in a failed attack on the city’s transit system on July 21, 2005, that mirrored lethal suicide bombings two weeks earlier, on July 7.

The convictions came days after yet another attempted terrorist strike. The failed car bombings in London and Glasgow in June illuminated Britain’s continuing battle with terrorism with suspected links to Islamic militancy that has consumed British police and prosecutors.

More than 100 people await trial on charges arising from several suspected conspiracies since four suicide bombers killed themselves and 52 other people in the attack on the London transportation system on July 7, 2005.

Two weeks later, a group of men carried explosives in backpacks onto three subway trains and a double-decker bus. But the makeshift bombs failed to detonate.

The defendants argued during the trial that they had merely intended to frighten people in a protest against the Iraq war when they carried homemade bombs in backpacks onto three London subway trains and a bus.

But prosecutors argued that only poor bombmaking skills, hot weather or “good fortune” prevented the bombs, made of hydrogen peroxide and Indian chapatti flour, from exploding and causing death and injury on the scale of the July 7 attack.

In a London criminal court on Monday, the men – Muktar Said Ibrahim, 29; Hussain Osman, 28; Yassin Omar, 26; and Ramzi Mohamed, 25; all immigrants from the Horn of Africa – were found guilty of conspiracy to murder. No date has been set for sentencing.

One of them, Ibrahim, described by prosecutors as the leader of the group, traveled to Sudan in 2003 and Pakistan in 2004 to train in terrorist camps, prosecutors said. He was in Pakistan at the same time as two of the July 7 bombers, but it is not known whether the three men ever met, British security officials said.

A jury of nine women and three men is still considering its verdict on two other men accused of involvement in the conspiracy, Manfo Kwaku Asiedu, 34, and Adel Yahya, 24.

It is not clear why the explosives failed to detonate, the prosecution said during the six-month trial. The bombs contained chapati flour, and hydrogen peroxide in plastic tubs with pieces of metal taped to the outside.

June Plot Suspect worked in aviation

Kafeel Ahmed, the engineer identified by the police as one of two main suspects in last month’s British car bomb plot, worked for much of last year as an aeronautical engineer for an Indian outsourcing company that designs aircraft parts for companies like Boeing and Airbus.

Ahmed worked in the Bangalore office of the company, Infotech Enterprises, between December 2005 and July 2006, a company spokesman said in a telephone interview on Monday. The company did not say exactly which aviation projects Ahmed, one of 5,500 employees, worked on.

Ahmed is one of two men described by police as principal suspects in the failed attacks. Police said he drove a Jeep Cherokee loaded with gasoline canisters into the terminal of Glasgow International Airport on June 30.

Burns cover 90 percent of his body, the police say, and he remains in critical condition.

The New York Times

Art taking off at airports, including gallery western N.C.Art taking off at airports, including gallery western N.C.

A mesmerizing amoeba-like glass sculpture titled "Swell" that looks like an ocean wave. Colorful images of pelicans, crabs and other waterlife. Strands of light-reflecting glass suspended from a cable that creates a rainbow effect.

A visit to the art museum? Nope. Just a stroll through the airport.

A growing number of airports, including a western North Carolina airport that features the "Swell" sculpture, are using art to boost tourism, polish the image of their host community and soothe passengers in what can be a stressful environment.

"You've got a captive audience," said Greg Mamary, producer of special projects for the American Association of Airport Executives. "It's just become a very trendy thing."

The Asheville Regional Airport in North Carolina opened an art gallery June 1 featuring 47 paintings and sculptures from local artists, including the ocean-like "Swell."

There already are plans to expand the gallery, which gives local artists a stage and provides a benefit to passengers as they wait for flights.

"It gives them something to do and exposes passengers who are coming or going to that western North Carolina culture," said airport spokeswoman Patti Michel.

Dayton International Airport in Ohio will begin hanging paintings, displaying sculptures and possibly staging musical performances this fall.

The Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, damaged by Hurricane Katrina, will begin displaying art when renovations are completed in September. Pottery, paintings and wall-wrap art of pelicans and other local waterfowl are on tap.

"For us, it's huge because we lost so much identity and culture due to the hurricane," said Jeremiah Gerald, air service development manager of the Mississippi airport.

Smaller airports are jumping on a bandwagon that many larger airports have been riding for years.

About 300 pieces of art can be seen at Atlanta's airport, including a large display of stone sculptures from Zimbabwe. In the baggage area, giant lifelike ants appear to emerge from a hole in the ceiling and crawl over the ductwork - a metaphor for the anthill-like flurry of airport activity.

The Phoenix airport boasts 500 pieces of art in 24 areas, a collection that has been steadily growing. The rental-car area boasts the strands-of-light-reflecting-glass artwork.

Lennee Eller, program manager of the Phoenix Airport Museum, said many airports are just launching art programs. She calls it the "artport" phenomenon.

"We're at the verge of really developing an industry. We've convinced the powers that be that we're cool," Eller said. "I have 42 million passengers a year. There is no other museum in Arizona that has that kind of audience."

Indianapolis' new airport, scheduled to open in 2008, will boast $3.9 million worth of art, a far cry from the few pieces of art in the existing airport.

The new airport will feature hand-blown glass murals etched with the poetry of local artists, an aviation-theme sculpture with more than 100 pieces of perforated metal and silver beaded chains, and bronzed vintage luggage that will serve as chairs and tables in the baggage area.

Ann Markusen, an economist at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute who studies the effect of art on the economy, said some communities fail to use their airports to promote themselves. Teeming pools of travelers of all ages and origins often have to spend considerable time at the airports, she said.

"And there is incredible wasted space at airports - wall space and other kinds of space," Markusen said.

Karen Kuhn, 60, of Fairfield, Ohio, likes art in airports because it enhances the sensation of traveling.

"The paintings and the sculptures are usually of local interest; that reinforces the destination feeling," she said. "Airports should do more of it."

Mamary said the terrorist attacks of 9/11 that led to tighter airport security, checkpoint lines and requirements that passengers arrive early for their flights helped spur additional interest in airport art to help create a calming environment.

"I often hear that they truly enjoy the relaxing benefits," Eller said. "It lessens stress."

Art can also pump additional life into an airport and even be a moneymaker.

Passengers picking up their bags at Port Columbus International Airport in Ohio now see a splashy montage of artistically arranged color photos showing off city attractions. Advertising messages will scroll among the photos.

Rob Evans, a marketing director at NCR Corp. in Dayton who flies 50 to 60 times a year, has seen art in numerous airports.

"If it's done well, it really does give you a nice sense of transition from place to place," he said. "It's a good idea so long as you don't get so interested in it that you miss a flight."

ARTFULLY DONE: More airports are displaying paintings, photos, sculptures and other artwork inside the terminals. The Asheville Regional Airport in North Carolina opened an art gallery June 1 featuring 47 paintings and sculptures from local artists.

WHY ART THOU?: Officials say the art enhances the airport environment, eases stress, promotes the community and offers an outlet for local artists. Art also could boost tourism and soothe passengers in what can be a stressful environment.

WHAT'S NEXT: The Asheville airport has plans to expand its gallery, which already features a mesmerizing amoeba-like glass sculpture titled "Swell" that looks like an ocean wave.

The Associated Press

Long lines at airport greet summer travelers

If you're catching a flight this summer, allow yourself some extra time.

Officials at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport were expecting huge crowds this week as the summer travel season kicked into high gear, but they weren't counting on weather problems that contributed to unusually long security lines Wednesday morning.

By 4.30 p.m., the lines at the security checkpoint had eased to about 25 minutes, said Hershel Grangent, spokesman for the airport. That kind of delay is expected during the summer months when travel picks up, Grangent said.

This morning, it was a lot more hectic.

At 8 a.m., the airport reported wait times of an hour at the main security checkpoint and 30 to 40 minutes at the "T-gate" security area.

The line at the main checkpoint snaked through the South Terminal baggage carrousels to the MARTA station at the end of the terminal, said Hershel Grangent, spokesman for the airport.

At 8:30, the line had grown to the point it stretched well outside the terminal.

Numerous regular flyers, as well as at least one Delta Air Lines customer service representative, said they had never seen the line so long.

Grangent said the long lines could be attributed to increased summer volume at the world's busiest airport and overnight storms elsewhere that delayed flights bound for airports in the Northeast.

He said air traffic controllers in the Northeast ordered a "ground stoppage."

"Basically, all outgoing flights to the Northeast were halted for a time," Grangent said. By 8:30 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration reported no delays on flights bound for the Northeast.

The crush of travelers had eased by late morning, with wait times of less than 10 minutes reported at both security checkpoints.

Airport officials had estimated that 370,000 passengers per day would pass through Hartsfield this week. About 250,000 passengers use the airport on an average day.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Gordon votes to beef up border security

U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon voted for legislation that strengthens efforts to secure the borders and improve homeland security.

“This legislation makes border security a top priority and gives first responders the tools and resources they need to do their jobs,” said Gordon.U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon voted for legislation that strengthens efforts to secure the borders and improve homeland security.

“This legislation makes border security a top priority and gives first responders the tools and resources they need to do their jobs,” said Gordon.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved the funding bill for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security today. The measure now goes to the Senate for consideration.

The bill would provide funding for border fencing and the hiring of 3,000 additional Border Patrol agents.

“Our borders aren’t as secure as they should be,” said Gordon. “It’s time to get a handle on our broken borders rather than look the other way and allow illegal crossings to continue.”

Gordon voted for an amendment that would further improve border security by boosting Customs and Border Patrol’s fencing, infrastructure and technology efforts. He voted for another amendment that would increase funding for a program that allows state and local law enforcement to receive training and support from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to help bridge gaps in enforcement of federal immigration laws.

Both amendments were approved by the House and included in the bill.

In addition to the border security improvements, the bill would:

• Increase funding to protect critical port facilities and infrastructure.

• Improve aviation security by providing funding for new explosive detection systems at airports and funding to double the amount of cargo screened on passenger aircraft.

• Expand support for local law enforcement personnel, firefighters and other first responders.

• Eliminate no-bid contracts to ensure responsible spending by the Homeland Security Department.

“This bill helps to ensure that funds are invested in efforts to secure our nation’s borders and improve homeland security efforts rather than wasted on no-bid contracts,” said Gordon. “The accountability measures in the bill will ensure we protect our communities rather than squander taxpayers’ dollars.”

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