Qatari Diplomate Attempts to Smoke on Plane

Attempting to smoke on a plane is bad enough; but to then envoke Richard Reid as a joke is over the top! This guy needs is diplomatic immunity revoked, and then we need to charge him with everything we can. To put it mildly, this guy is an idiot and I, for one, hope that the Qatar Embassy in Washington does not allow this guy to use is diplomatic status to get away with something as stupid as smoking on a plane.

clipped from www.wral.com A Qatari diplomat trying to sneak a smoke in an airplane bathroom sparked a bomb scare Wednesday night on a flight from Washington to Denver, with fighter jets scrambled and law enforcement put on high alert, officials said. No explosives were found on the man, and officials do not believe he was trying to harm anyone, according to a senior law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. Two law enforcement officials said investigators were told the man was asked about the smell of smoke in the bathroom and he made a joke that he had been trying to light his shoes - an apparent reference to the 2001 so-called "shoe bomber" Richard Reid. The sources asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation. Officials said air marshals aboard the flight restrained the man and he was questioned. The plane landed safely as military jets were scrambled.