US embassy cable - 04MONTREAL233

UNCLAS MONTREAL 000233 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR S/ES-O, WHA/CAN AND CA/OCS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
E.0. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, ASEC, CASC, CA 
SUBJECT: SECURITY BREACH AT PIERRE ELLIOTT TRUDEAU AIRPORT 
 
REF: CG ALLEN TELCON OF 02/12/2004 WITH S/ES-O 
 
1. SUMMARY.  A SECURITY BREACH AT PIERRE ELLIOTT TRUDEAU 
AIRPORT (AKA DORVAL) AT APPROXIMATELY 5:45PM (1745 HOURS) ON 
THURSDAY (FEBRUARY 12) GROUNDED ALL OUTBOUND AIR TRAFFIC TO 
THE UNITED STATES FOR ALMOST TWO HOURS.  SEVERAL PLANES IN 
FLIGHT WERE RECALLED TO DORVAL FOR RESTERILIZING.  THE 
RESCREENING OF PASSENGERS AND BAGGAGE REVEALED NOTHING, 
PERMITTING THE RESUMPTION OF OUTBOUND FLIGHTS AROUND 8:00PM 
(2000 HOURS).  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. PER REF TELCON, A PASSENGER (WHO WAS IN MONTREAL FOR ONE 
OF POST'S SPEAKER'S PROGRAMS) CONTACTED POST'S PRINCIPAL 
OFFICER (PO) AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00PM (1800 HOURS) TO REPORT 
THAT THERE HAD BEEN A SECURITY BREACH AT DORVAL AIRPORT. 
CONSEQUENTLY, SHE REPORT THAT HER OUTBOUND PLANE WAS IN A 
HOLDING PATTERN ON THE TARMAC AND THAT OUTBOUND TRAFFIC WAS 
GROUNDED FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD. 
 
3. PO CONTACTED DHS INSPECTORS AT THE U.S. PRE-FLIGHT 
FACILITY TO CONFIRM THE REPORT AND LEARNED A BAGGAGE CHECKER 
AT DORVAL HAD REPORTED THAT A MALE PASSENGER'S CARRY-ON 
BAGGAGE (A LAPTOP COMPUTER) HAD YIELD POSITIVE RESULTS FOR 
EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL.  THE BAGGAGE CHECKER REPORTEDLY ASKED 
THE MALE PASSENGER TO WAIT SO THAT THE LAPTOP COULD BE 
RESTESTED, BUT SOMEHOW LOST SIGHT OF THE PASSENGER AND THE 
LAPTOP AT APPROXIMATELY 5:45PM.  ALSO, THE BAGGAGE CHECKER 
COULD NOT PROVIDE A GOOD DESCRIPTION OF THE MALE PASSENGER. 
CONSEQUENTLY, ALL OUTBOUND TRAFFIC THAT HAD TAKEN OFF IN THE 
WINDOW FROM 5:45PM TO 6:00PM WAS RECALLED TO DORVAL AND ALL 
OUTBOUND PLANES ON THE TARMAC AFTER 5:45PM WERE GROUNDED. 
THE SEVERAL RETURNING FLIGHTS WERE RESTERILIZED (ALL 
PASSENGERS AND BAGGAGE WERE RESCREENED), BUT NOTHING WAS 
FOUND. 
 
4.   AT APPROXIMATELY 7:35PM (1935 HOURS) OUTBOUND FLIGHTS 
THAT HAD BEEN WAITING ON THE TARMAC WERE ALLOWED TO TAKE 
OFF.  INBOUND TRAFFIC WAS NEVER AFFECTED.  THERE WAS BEEN 
MINIMAL PRESS COVERAGE OF THE INCIDENT. 
ALLEN