Jump to content

Scare at White House and Capitol


Tarun

Recommended Posts

All-clear given after security alert prompts evacuation of White House and U.S. Capitol.

 

According to reports, a single engine plane flew into restriced airspace. Reporters in the White House were told to get into the basement immediately. "Run, this is no joke, leave the grounds," a U.S. Secret Service agent shouted. An all-clear announcement was issued a few minutes later. No other details of the evacuation were immediately available.

 

Two F-16 fighter jets scrambled and continued to circle the single engine aircraft. Reports also say that "warning flares" were fired at the plane.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A slow Cessna carrying a student pilot, no charges filed.......

 

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/a...h/capital_alert

 

WASHINGTON - As a wayward Cessna flew deep in restricted airspace, national security officials were on the phone discussing whether to implement the last line of defense: shooting it down.

 

The single-engine Cessna that prompted a frenzied evacuation of the White House, Capitol and Supreme Court on Wednesday veered away from downtown landmarks just before that decision needed to be made.

 

But it was a close call.

 

One senior Bush administration counterterrorism official said it was "a real finger-biting period because they came very close to ordering a shot against a general aircraft."

 

"How many more seconds away or minutes ? it was within a very small window where there would have been the decision," said the official, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

 

Administration officials spent Thursday reviewing the bizarre series of events involving the small plane, which was carrying a pilot and a student pilot from Pennsylvania to an air show in North Carolina. It entered restricted airspace and then continued flying toward highly sensitive areas, prompting evacuations of tens of thousands of people as military aircraft scrambled to intercept it.

 

Hundreds of planes have encroached on the airspace since the Sept. 11 attacks, but none is believed to have gone so far ? within three miles of the White House.

 

Lt. Col. Tim Lehmann, one of two F-16 fighter pilots who tracked the Cessna, said he was prepared to use deadly force. He said he realized how serious the situation became when he looked at the Cessna and saw the Washington Monument in the background.......MORE CONTINUED IN ARTICLE...............

I love sports, premium cigars, among other things....GO BROWNS, INDIANS (yeah I'm a die hard), BUCKEYES, YSU, NAVY.....and ND.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.