News briefs for Oct. 24, 2003

Friday, Oct. 24, 2003 | 11:05 a.m.

Man arrested after alleged plane threat

A man arrested on charges of interfering with a flight crew after he allegedly told flight attendants he was going to "take the aircraft down" was detained Thursday by a U.S. magistrate who ruled that the man is a danger to the community.

Salvador Gonzales, 27, of Oceanside, Calif., was arrested Tuesday after causing Southwest Airlines flight 2466 to be diverted back to Las Vegas from its scheduled flight to Ontario, Calif., an FBI spokesman said.

During boarding at McCarran International Airport, Gonzales allegedly asked flight attendants if he could talk to police when they landed. When flight attendants told him he could talk to police at McCarran, Gonzales declined.

Soon after departure, Gonzales said he needed oxygen and refused to sit down, FBI officials said. He then went to the front of the aircraft and allegedly said, "I want to get off this plane. Do I have to say there is a bomb to get you to land?"

Gonzales continued to make threatening comments and said he had a bomb in his bag, before being restrained by the flight crew and passengers and forcing the plane to return to McCarran, authorities said.

Gonzales is charged with interference with a flight crew.

Jordanian admits credit card fraud

A Jordanian man wanted on a murder charge in Israel admitted organizing a credit card fraud ring that netted $6.8 million over the past seven years in the United States.

Ali Qaraeen, 49, said he arranged schemes in which more than 1,000 credit card accounts were opened, quickly maxed out and paid for with bad checks.

Qaraeen also is also wanted for fraud-related charges in Las Vegas, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Kircsh said.

He pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in New Jersey to one count of credit card fraud. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Qaraeen, who has had dozens of aliases and addresses since entering the United States in the 1980s, said he used the money for items including computers, clothing and home furnishings.

Guinn ratifies agriculture chief

Gov. Kenny Guinn said today he has ratified the selection of Don Henderson to be director of the state Department of Agriculture, succeeding the late Paul Iverson.

Henderson, who will earn $85,750 a year, has been acting director for more than one year and was selected by the state Board of Agriculture earlier this month to become permanent director.

The governor said few people recognize the broad role the department plays in Nevada. It has the responsibility for ensuring all measuring devices in the state for commerce are accurate.

The agency is charged with protecting consumers by assuring the quality of food they are purchasing as well as keeping harmful pests, diseases and invasive species from overrunning the environment.

Henderson, 45, has worked for the department for five years. Before that he was with a private consulting firm in Carson City specializing in rangeland management and arid land reclamation for 13 years.

He said one of his goals is to build a 10- to 15-year long-range plan for the department.