Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com
PHILLIPSBURG, St. Maarten: Forty-four-year-old Leon Rodney, an executive member of the Antigua Cricket Association (ACA), could be spending more time in the custody of the St. Maarten police, having been taken into custody on Sunday last, following an incident at the Princess Juliana International Airport.
Immigration officials here told Caribbean Net News that Rodney was in St. Maarten with an Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Team participating in the Leeward Island Cricket Tournament (LICT).
St. Maarten officials employed at the Leeward Islands Air Transport (LIAT) told Caribbean Net News that on Sunday evening, Rodney was among several passengers that boarded flight 541 bound for Antigua, his homeland, and while on board he was asked by the stewardess to secure his carry-on bag who proceeded to assist him in placing it in the overhead compartment.
Rodney reportedly then told the stewardess to handle his bag with care as there was a bomb inside.
The stewardess asked him to repeat himself, which he did, following which she notified the pilot of Rodney's remark, at which time he is said to have notified airport officials and returned to the gate.
Police said news of what Rodney said brought emergency officials, along with members of the bomb-squad with sniffer dogs, racing to the aircraft, where all passengers were deplaned and the aircraft thoroughly searched. However, no bomb or anything resembling a bomb was found.
Meanwhile, Court officials in St. Maarten told Caribbean Net News that, if the prosecutor's office does not succeed in bringing the case to trial by Friday, Rodney could spend another 12 days in police custody before the case is brought to trial.
The Antiguan cricketer could be charged with public mischief, creating a false alarm, disrupting air traffic, making threatening statements and, under Dutch law, these are crimes which carry "serious" jail time if convicted.
This sort of behaviour will not be tolerated in the Netherlands Antilles especially at this time when terrorism is a serious problem for airlines around the world, a prosecution source is reported to have said. Many see this statement as an indication of Rodney spending some time in prison for his folly.
Meanwhile, Rodney's relatives and sympathizers in the cricket-loving nation of Antigua and Barbuda are saddened by the unfortunate turn of events and are very concerned over his welfare.
Caribbean Net News understands that the ACA have been in touch with their counterparts in St. Maarten in a bid to seek clarification and offer support.
The ACA had initially sought to distance itself from Rodney's dilemma saying that he was in St. Maarten on his own, however a correction was made, with the cricketing body later admitting that Rodney was indeed part of the Antigua and Barbuda team, which participated in the just concluded Leeward Islands Cricket Tournament.
Previous Page Print This Page.
Copyright© 2007 Caribbean Net News at www.caribbeannetnews.com All Rights Reserved
License is granted for free print and distribution.
