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Sudanese Pilot in U.S. Custody, Plot Investigated
Friday, September 20, 2002
Reuters

The Washington Times, which reported the alleged plot, said the Sudanese air force pilot trained in Afghanistan and was linked to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network.

WASHINGTON -- Reuters
U.S. officials said on Friday a Sudanese pilot and other Sudanese nationals had been taken into custody as investigators check whether they may have been plotting to hijack an airplane and crash it into the White House.

The officials said the identified pilot, who had received flight training, was in the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service for immigration violations and that he had denied the plot allegations.

A senior Bush administration official said the United States had "a few Sudanese in custody for the past several days," but would not say exactly how long and the exact number being held.
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2002 © Reuters, Ltd.

Dan