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Terrorists Want to Target Private Planes

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has warned aircraft owners and airport managers that Muslim terrorists may be attempting to target privately owned and operated American jets, and is urging them to boost security. The TSA and other law enforcement organizations regularly issue advisories when they have information of a potential threat against U.S. lives or interests.

According to reports, the TSA in an advisory issued last Thursday said that on April 13, 2006, a message posted in Arabic on an Internet forum explained how to identify private American jets and urged Muslims to destroy all such aircraft. The message also provided the tail number of a private plane believed to be used by the CIA.

The TSA urged airplane owners and operators to boost security measures and secure unattended aircraft and verify identification of crew and passengers. It said the theft of any private airplane should immediately be reported to law enforcement and TSA. A novel written by Joel Rosenberg a few years ago envisioned a terrorist attack on a presidential convoy using a private plane.