Montreal, June 01: A Paris-to-Mexico flight was rerouted to Montreal and one of its passengers was arrested on Sunday, at the request of US authorities, Canada Border Services Agency said Monday.
The passenger, who appeared on a US no-fly list and is banned from entering Canada, was being detained for 48 hours under Canadian immigration laws, Jacqueline Roby, spokeswoman for Canada Border Services Agency, told AFP.
He was later identified by the Immigration and Refugee Board as Abdirahman Ali Gaal.
Roby would not comment on the passenger’s nationality or the accusations against him. The daily Globe and Mail, however, said he was a Somali national.
The passenger was to appear on Wednesday before an immigration panel to determine whether he is to be released or deported, Roby said.
Late Sunday, 150 passengers were forced to disembark the flight and were searched. Police also rummaged through the aircraft itself before it was allowed to resume its journey to Mexico.
–Agencies