The Bogus Flight 253 'One-Way Ticket' Meme: Anatomy Of A Myth

[Canuckistanian]

In a remarkable example of how bad information can travel far and wide, dozens of media outlets around the world have said Umar Abdulmutallab was traveling on a one-way ticket to Detroit when he allegedly tried to blow up Flight 253, even though that has never been substantiated and appears to be flat wrong.

Abdulmutallab's "one-way ticket" has been cited in recent days by the AP, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post, even though the Nigerian government said Dec. 28 that Abdulmutallab had a round-trip ticket, and provided details to back it up.

The "one-way ticket" meme was originally sourced to anonymous U.S. officials and has since been recited as an undisputed fact.

~snip

But published reports on Dec. 28 cited the conclusion of the Nigerian government that Abdulmutallab had a round-trip ticket to Detroit. It had been purchased in Ghana on Dec. 16 for $2,831, according to the AP, citing Civil Aviation Authority director Harold Demuren. His return date was found by the Nigerians to be Jan. 8. (A Dutch government report described by the International Herald Tribune on Dec. 31 also said Abdulmutallab had a round-trip ticket, but it's not clear whether the Dutch were simply relying on the Nigerians' conclusion.

More at:
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/01/the_flight_253_one-way_ticket_meme_a_media-propaga.php

Thanks to Mike Malloy's show, who mentioned this, when I specifically remember our own CBC mentioning a "round-trip ticket"

[napi21]

1. Sooo, are all the rest of those sources going to just let this die?

I want to find out where this info first came from and why the retraction wasn't publicized like the damn story was!!!!

[Canuckistanian]

2. I've heard "one-way ticket" from many, many sources

Including "progressive" radio show hosts, callers and right here on DU.

I thought it was significant.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. It was said to have been a one-way ticket, paid for with cash..which was supposed to be a dead

giveaway of the flier's intentions...

It was all over the media...as you said...on both sides of the spectrum.

[napi21]

5. What bothers me most is that I read DU, listen to many lib.

radio shows & watch MSNBC & a little CNN all the time, and this is the FIRST I've heard it was a hoax! If I didn't hear about it, what the hell is the rest of the Country & the World thinking???? I think I/l send this info to Keith, Rachel, Big Ed, Jack Rice and Jack & Wolf on CNN. I WANT THIS PUBLICIZED!!!!

[Canuckistanian]

7. Apparently the NY Times ran a correction

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/pageoneplus/corrections.html

But so far, no correction from the rest of the news sources who reported it.

[arthritisR_US]

20. contact CNN, otherwise they will do nothing. n/t

[suffragette]

4. At this point, it's been repeated enough that many people

will think of it as fact.

And retractions have a way of ending up buried in the back page, if printed at all.

Makes it even more important to post it when found.

Thanks for that.

[dkf]

6. It would be nice if we heard an official source.

It is a big deal and if true that there was a round trip ticket someone isn't doing their job.

[spanone]

8. we only know what we're told

[Canuckistanian]

9. Ain't that the truth n/t

[malaise]

16. Some of us stated that the entire scenario did not pass

the smell test from day one.

[amborin]

10. is it also false he paid in cash? that is in itself a red flag, so is no luggage n/t

[Canuckistanian]

11. He did pay cash, but that isn't surprising

Many African airports don't accept credit cards, for fear of fraud. Nobody seems clear about the luggage, though.

[amborin]

12. every major airline considers paying in cash a red flag, has been so for yrs

[amborin]

13. every major airline considers paying in cash a red flag, has been so for yrs

[Canuckistanian]

15. And Africa has been a problem for many years

In smaller regional airports like Akkra, almost no one pays by cash. Credit card fraud is far too common.

Experienced travellers know not to buy tickets at a local African airports unless they're paying cash.

[amborin]

17. which

travellers are you referring to?

I guess you mean locals, who can only purchase their tickets there.

But purchasing tickets at the last minute, at airports, is another flag. Many carriers require advance info from passengers.

In any case, the individual in question also flew out of Schipfol (sp) in the Netherlands, and I think (need confirmation) that there, too, he had purchased with cash, and it was a one-way ticket. Those are flags, or at least should be.

[Canuckistanian]

18. The ticket was purchased in Ghana

From the article:

The only substantiated reference to a one-way ticket in we could find is the statement by a Ghanaian official last week that Abdulmutallab purchased a one-way ticket in cash from Accra, Ghana, to Lagos, Nigeria. That was in addition to the purchase of the ticket from Lagos to Detroit via Amsterdam, according to Deputy Information Minister Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa, quoted in the Wall Street Journal. The Journal says Abdulmutallab took Virgin Nigeria flight 804 from Accra to Lagos on Dec. 24, before getting on a plane en route to Amsterdam.


So, actually, he DID buy a one-way ticket - from Ghana to Nigeria. The Lagos to Detroit ticket was a round trip ticket.

[amborin]

19. how

do you know the Lagos-Detroit was round-trip tix?

[Canuckistanian]

21. Did you actually read the article?

OK, here's the ORIGINAL source, a Nigerian newspaper, quoting the Director General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren:

Demuren said : "The ticket information revealed that he purchased the ticket in Accra, for USD 2,831, with original routing for Lagos - Amsterdam- Detroit-

Amsterdam- Accra, but later changed it to Lagos- Amsterdam- Detroit- Lagos.

The return journey was booked for January 8, 2010 out of Detrooiut at arrive Lagos on January 9, 2010. No contact address or telephone number was given by the purchaser of the ticket at the time of purchase. This was confirmed in KLM office in Lagos that the original ticket bought in Acccra was cancelled and re- issued on the same December 16, 2009.

http://thenationonlineng.net/web2/articles/30335/1/How-Farouk-checked-in-from-Lagos/Page1.html

[amborin]

22. no,

i didn't have time to read the entire article

but i did read the bit you provided, thanks

however....it still reveals a red flag: no contact address

i always have to provide this when i purchase a ticket, don't you?

[Canuckistanian]

25. Oh, I agree, it's a HUGE red flag

But that's the way Africa works. And they have neither the resources nor the money to institute the huge security processes that we're used to seeing. And with numerous flights flying everywhere with multiple stopovers, things can get confused very easily.

But nevertheless, someone screwed up big time in Schipol airport. And whether it was TSA, DHS, FBI or even the Dutch authorities, there will be some repercussions.

[bridgit]

14. If people were *on to* my pissy little one-way ticket shenanigans I'd start buying round trip tics

:thumbsup:

[amborin]

23. 1-way

tix are usually way more expensive

sometimes it's cheaper to purchase a round trip

[The Straight Story]

24. Technically he did buy it FOR one way

since he was not planning on returning. I am sure news outlets will use that as their excuse.