MH 777 missing - MH370 media statement

[UP4014]

Not really in modern times. Noone claimed responsibility for 9/11. Scared people more that way.

bin Laden claimed responsibility on one of his Youtube exploits, but waited until just before the next presidential election to do it to scare people more.

Matt

 

[kelvedon]

No one has claimed responsibility (yet) which is the whole point of terrorism; that is, to let people know and scare them.

Matt

i find that unusual too. In the past, following events like this any number of "terrorist" groups would simultaneously claim responsibility. Might the apparent lack of these claims suggest a new official response, to try and deny these groups of the exposure they hope their actions will command?

 

[samh004]

No one has claimed responsibility (yet) which is the whole point of terrorism; that is, to let people know and scare them.

Matt

I think it's pretty scary right now not knowing a whole lot...

 

[amaroo]

Another possibility of course is that the Chinese shot them down ala JAL007. They have been rattling sabres very loudly over the last few months and something could have gone horribly wrong.

Apparently, the big boys have toys that see these things Pentagon Data Suggests Jet Didn't Explode: New York Times - NBC News

 

[UP4014]

i find that unusual too. In the past, following events like this any number of "terrorist" groups would simultaneously claim responsibility. Might the apparent lack of these claims suggest a new official response, to try and deny these groups of the exposure they hope their actions will command?

That would be good to do, but do you think any Murdoch publication could keep it zipped?

Matt

 

[Robbi]

I was looking at making MH and KUL part of my status run plans this year, but they are off my list of contenders until we know what happened in the air and in KUL.

I hate the security BS at airports, but I take comfort in the fact that it hopefully weeds out most of these unsavoury people. Clearly KUL failed in that regard if people were travelling on stolen passports, regardless of whether they were involved in anything or not.

 

[Spacetravel]

That's spine- chilling! How are you doing?

Yeah. Well I had a sleepless night/ morning. It shook me a up a bit, but it was a great relief to know they are safe. So there is nothing to worry about for me personally now. However I couldn't imagine what the people with family/ friends on that flight must be feeling right now. Still hardly any news and just speculation going crazy. As we all do I hope by some sort of miracle the passengers and crew are found safe.

 

[medhead]

I am amazed by the comments about the passports. This is real life, not the Bourne Identity. A light didn't flash in a bunker under the coliseum when they scanned that stolen Italian passport. Do we really think that every country fully share immigration information with every other country.

 

[anat0l]

Do we really think that every country fully share immigration information with every other country.

This is what I'm curious about, viz. when a passport is reported stolen, is there some global notice or the like.

 

[veganftw]

This is what I'm curious about, viz. when a passport is reported stolen, is there some global notice or the like.

I think I read somewhere that both passports were listed with InterPol as stolen, but I don't know how that is useful after the rightful owner has obtained a replacement.

 

[Robbi]

I am amazed by the comments about the passports. This is real life, not the Bourne Identity. A light didn't flash in a bunker under the coliseum when they scanned that stolen Italian passport. Do we really think that every country fully share immigration information with every other country.

Surely this is the whole point of a passport...it is a primary form of identification that is used to control access to/from a country. And yes, I would expect stolen passports to be flagged internationally and for the customs agent to get a prompt on their screen saying it was stolen.

 

[anat0l]

I think I read somewhere that both passports were listed with InterPol as stolen, but I don't know how that is useful after the rightful owner has obtained a replacement.

Well the idea should be that the old (cf. the new one issued to the rightful owner) passport number and name is recorded as stolen and added to a system such that if it were scanned in, it would be flagged. Ideally, that's what I think happens. I'm not sure about reality.

Surely this is the whole point of a passport...it is a primary form of identification that is used to control access to/from a country. And yes, I would expect stolen passports to be flagged internationally and for the customs agent to get a prompt on their screen saying it was stolen.

I would think this happens too but maybe it doesn't and there is either a delay in transmitting stolen passport information to other authorities, or it is not an automatic thing. Unless it's an inside stitch-up.

 

[veganftw]

Well the idea should be that the old (cf. the new one issued to the rightful owner) passport number and name is recorded as stolen and added to a system such that if it were scanned in, it would be flagged. Ideally, that's what I think happens. I'm not sure about reality.

It's quite terrifying that they weren't scrutinised more.

Has anyone on AFF had their passport stolen/presumed stolen and had to deal with additional checks once they've traveled on the replacement?

 

[GoldCanyon340]

It's quite terrifying that they weren't scrutinised more.

Has anyone on AFF had their passport stolen/presumed stolen and had to deal with additional checks once they've traveled on the replacement?

Yes, that's happened to a family member of mine (a UK citizen) who received the third degree when entering the UK at SEN of all places.

 

[jlien]

I am amazed by the comments about the passports. This is real life, not the Bourne Identity. A light didn't flash in a bunker under the coliseum when they scanned that stolen Italian passport. Do we really think that every country fully share immigration information with every other country.

I thought that there was an international database of stolen passports.

I think I read somewhere that both passports were listed with InterPol as stolen, but I don't know how that is useful after the rightful owner has obtained a replacement.

Do reissued passports come with new passport numbers? Conventional logic would state that it would? but I am not sure.

 

[AdMEL]

I thought that there was an international database of stolen passports.



Do reissued passports come with new passport numbers? Conventional logic would state that it would? but I am not sure.

Given reissued passports following expiry have a new number, I would be extremely surprised if a reissued passport following theft did not.

Very sad news.

 

[veganftw]

Do reissued passports come with new passport numbers? Conventional logic would state that it would? but I am not sure.

I assume they would, and would have thought the old one would be flagged/retired, so that if travel was attempted on that number, it wouldn't be permitted.

 

[Ozgirl]

I need to go to bed... but wow the rate of posts disappearing on pprune is staggering!

 

[Princess Fiona]

I have to disagree with you on the issue of "closure". It is one of the most over-used expressions in the media in the past 5 years or more. Many people never find closure when loved ones die unexpectedly, despite bodies being found, or perpetrators being sent to jail for life etc. Yes, it can be satisfying to be able to bury the body of a loved one, but there is so much more to it. "Closure" is a very complex and personal issue. I expect that your comment was just one of those quickies that most of us do at times.

No actually it wasn't a quickie and my two comments although in the same sentence were not related. Substitute "closure" with "peace" if you like. In my work I witness first hand senseless loss of life. I sincerely wish that the victims relatives find out what happened to their loved ones soon and that they are getting all the help that they need.

 

[DrA]

It's quite terrifying that they weren't scrutinised more.

Has anyone on AFF had their passport stolen/presumed stolen and had to deal with additional checks once they've traveled on the replacement?

Yes. Had some multiple entry visas that were in my stolen passport and had to go though a lot of additional paperwork to get them replaced. Also got a bit of extra attention flying in to the US for about a year or so after it was stolen, although there was a sticker in my replacement that says the passport was stolen (see photo below), and so they asked a few more questions than normal at immigration when they saw it. I kept a copy of the police report from the incident on me just in case, but was never asked for it. Also, can confirm the replacement definitely had a different number.