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January 14, 2002
SYDNEY, Australia -- Al-Qaida militants practiced carrying out a mass assassination of world leaders, according to a video obtained in Afghanistan and broadcast Sunday on Australian television.
The Australian Broadcasting Corp. aired parts of video tapes recorded at an al-Qaida training camp in Afghanistan, which showed what the network said were Arab, Pakistani and African fighters rehearsing hostage-takings and assassinations.
The drills, using live ammunition, appeared to be aimed at potential Western targets, ABC said.
The exercises included detailed plans to attack a motorcade on what appeared to be a road system in Washington, D.C., and a mass assassination of national leaders at a golf tournament.
ABC said it got the six-hour video from Northern Alliance soldiers who found the tapes at a training camp near Kabul.
PHILADELPHIA -- A US Airways pilot was charged with terroristic threats and disorderly conduct Sunday after he made "inappropriate" comments at an airport security checkpoint, authorities said.
City police charged the pilot, Elwood Menear, 46, of Annville, with the misdemeanors and he remained in custody Sunday afternoon, said Cpl. Jim Pauley, a police department spokesman. He refused to give specifics about the comments.
"There was no immediate threat to anybody," said US Airways spokesman David Castelveter.