Missing MH 370: Stolen Austrian passport used by Iranian teenage migrant

[webfact]

MISSING MH 370
Stolen Austrian passport used by Iranian teenage migrant


A Malaysian police official displays photographs of the two men who boarded the Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight using stolen European passports to the media at a hotel near Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang Tuesday.//AFP

Kuala Lumpur - One of the two passengers who boarded the missing Malaysia Airlines plane on stolen passports was an Iranian man seeking to relocate to Germany, Malaysian police said Tuesday.

Pouria Nour Mohammad Mehrdad, 19, was travelling on an Austrian passport earlier declared stolen in Thailand, police Inspector General Khalid Abu Bakar said.

Based on consultation with foreign intelligence counterparts, he did not appear to be a member of any terrorist organisation, and was apparently trying to migrate to Germany, Khalid said.

-- The Nation 2014-03-11

[webfact]

One suspect on missing jet is Iranian, no terror link: Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, March 11, 2014 (AFP) - Malaysian police said Tuesday they had identified one of two men who boarded a missing Malaysian jet with fake passports as a 19-year-old Iranian believed to be seeking to emigrate to Germany.

The man has been identified as Pouria Nour Mohammad Mehrdad, Malaysia's national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar told reporters.

Khalid said the 19-year-old boarded the plane on an Austrian passport whose owner had previously reported it stolen.

"We have been checking his background. We have also checked in with other police organisations on his profile," Khalid said.

"We believe he is not likely to be a member of any terror group and we believe he was trying to migrate to Germany."

Khalid said authorities had not yet identified the other man.

Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 disappeared early Saturday with 239 people aboard, sparking an international search for the plane in waters off Southeast Asia.

Revelations that two passengers on board were travelling on EU passports -- one Austrian, one Italian -- that were stolen in Thailand had fuelled speculation of a security breach and possible terrorist attack.

Asked why police believed the man was seeking to emigrate to Germany, Khalid said authorities had been in contact with his mother, who was waiting for him to reach Frankfurt.

Mehrdad and the other man, who used the Italian passport but has not been identified, both arrived in Kuala Lumpur on February 28.

Khalid said Malaysian police had been in touch with their counterparts in other countries, including Iran.

However, he said police were still considering all possibilities in terms of criminal involvement in the plane's disappearance, when asked whether police thought the revelation made them consider terrorism less likely in the case.

"At this moment, I would not say less likely. Same weightage to all until we finish our investigations," he said.

Khalid said police were focusing their investigations on various theories including a hijacking, sabotage or psychological problems among passengers or crew.

He did not elaborate and said none of those scenarios had yet turned up any findings.

The plane's disappearance has left authorities, the airline, passengers' families and aviation industry flummoxed at how a huge Boeing 777-200 jet could have completely vanished during its overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Search efforts involving several countries including China and the United States have found no evidence pointing to the plane's fate. The plane emitted no distress signal or other signs of trouble.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-03-11

[doctorproc156]

So what was the reference to Balotelli all about then? The Malaysian DCA PR is a total wreck.

[draftvader]

Which one of these looks like Mario Balotelli?

[fvw53]

On CNN they still repôrts that the users of the false passports were not Asian men...

Iran is of course situated in Africa

[harrycallahan]

Germany's loss I'm sure.

[jamhar]

Which one of these looks like Mario Balotelli?

All of him.

Whats your point?

[circusman]

He got the worse kind of karma for using a stolen passport.

[OldSalty]

If this would not be such a tragical story I would sat that somebody has moved the Bermuda Triangle to SE Asia, but I think that there is a lot more to the story than we are told so far.

[Lotos99]

Hahaha, what a story !

1. To come to Kuala-Lumpur and then to fly to Beinjing in purpose to reach Germany???

2. "His mother, who was waiting for him to reach Frankfurt". She was waiting him in Iran, of course. But....such a meaningful sentense ))

3. Who will believe to Malaysian investigators, who's country has a frienship with Iran..

[cosmont]

If that guy planed to land in Germany, he could not pass the EU immigration as the passport was in the interpol database.

He should be an idiot or the malaysian government just try to calm down the opinions against Iranian terrorism.

It is like the Iranians "victims" of their own bomb in Bangkok last year, they were peaceful tourists....

[orosee]

Drop the passport before German immigration, apply for asylum. Iranians have good odds to have it granted and are generally nice and industrious people, I've met a few. Not hard to imagine why someone would want to leave the country. If that's the case, quite tragic to go through such lengths only to Die in a crash. Also looks a bit more as if the terrorism angle might not lead anywhere, some very early poster pointed out that this is a popular human trafficking route and very likely to have a couple of false id's on every flight, just unnoticed.

[sirchai]

Hahaha, what a story !

1. To come to Kuala-Lumpur and then to fly to Beinjing in purpose to reach Germany???

2. "His mother, who was waiting for him to reach Frankfurt". She was waiting him in Iran, of course. But....such a meaningful sentense ))

3. Who will believe to Malaysian investigators, who's country has a frienship with Iran..

Asked why police believed the man was seeking to emigrate to Germany, Khalid said authorities had been in contact with his mother, who was waiting for him to reach Frankfurt.

Honestly speaking I'd get lifelong from TVF, without parole if I'd write what I think of your post/you.

He'd found a way to fly via Beijing to Frankfurt. Wouldn't you try to life a better life when given the opportunity as well?

Your insulting Malaysian investigators? I'm sorry. Please change your medication immediately. Try Haloperidol, please. Please.- .

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Hahaha, what a story !

1. To come to Kuala-Lumpur and then to fly to Beinjing in purpose to reach Germany???

Yes, it's cheaper than a direct flight.

Your other points also didn't make sense. At least you seem to find it amusing.

[Andre0720]

There are some legal channels to follow to improve upon one's life...

Relocation, he did achieve....

Only 19 years old. What a pity his own country could not offer him a future to look up to...

Not fair out there...not fair....

[MK1]

Interesting that Malaysia is defending the two imposters traveling under false passports. If the two imposters were North Koreans seeking to immigrate to Europe then I would find the story believable.

However, it’s a bit like how Australians think when they see two-aboriginal people driving a Mercedes; automatically they think ‘’Thieves”. They same thing goes for when the only two Iranians traveling together on an Aircraft are discovered to have fake passports belonging to other nationalities, and it just so happens the Aircraft has gone missing too; automatically you think ” Terrorists”.

[johnlandy]

On CNN they still repôrts that the users of the false passports were not Asian men...

Iran is of course situated in Africa

You must have been absent from school the day of the particular geography lesson. IRAN IS IN ASIA "FACT'

Anything else you want top know about which countries being where?

[macinc]

Just been reading some comments from Interpol ref their passport data base. A few interesting points made: -

1. It is countries not airlines that have access to the data, so any detection of dodgy passports would only be likely at passport control. Not at airline check in counters unless glaringly obvious.

2. Few of the 190 (iInterpol) counties use the Interpol data base to check for stolen passports. Some don't even have the capability.

3. There are more than 800 million searches of the data base each year which yield about 60,000 anomalies (stolen, lost, or questionable). But more than half are done by just 3 countries. USA 250M; UK 120M; UAE 50M.

According to the Malaysian Immigration Chief both men entered Malaysia on 28th of Feb. One from Phuket, doesn't say about the second. He also says that both had onward tickets for Europe. However according to a CNN report the tickets from Grand Horizon Pattaya (KL- Beijing - Amsterdam) were not bought until 6th March two days before the flight?

Curious?

[Andre0720]

Interesting that Malaysia is defending the two imposters traveling under false passports. If the two imposters were North Koreans seeking to immigrate to Europe then I would find the story believable.

However, it’s a bit like how Australians think when they see two-aboriginal people driving a Mercedes; automatically they think ‘’Thieves”. They same thing goes for when the only two Iranians traveling together on an Aircraft are discovered to have fake passports belonging to other nationalities, and it just so happens the Aircraft has gone missing too; automatically you think ” Terrorists”.

Typically, there are past esperiences upon which what people think are based on...

But of course, these thoughts are not always right...

[whoisyourdaddy]

Fine, now we know a young Iranian was onboard with fake passport, but where the hell is the plane???

How does a jumbo disappear without a trace ?

It's entering x files territory, may be they should consider that as well

[Phuketboy]

On CNN they still repôrts that the users of the false passports were not Asian men...

Iran is of course situated in Africa

Iran is located in the Middle East which is part of Western Asia, not Africa.

[tubby johnson]

The concept of "Asia" was a European invention. The vibrant and developing economies of east Asia have very little in common with the Middle Earth East. Anyway, the point is moot.

The real issue is: Passport thieves who board airplanes undetected, to cause mayhem "in the name of god" ..... The spotlight is on Thailand and Malaysia, loss of face, and the world shudders at how the weakest links (Thailand and Malaysia) enable these horrific crimes to occur.

RIP to all the passengers and flight crew.

[MK1]

Interesting that Malaysia is defending the two imposters traveling under false passports. If the two imposters were North Koreans seeking to immigrate to Europe then I would find the story believable.

However, it’s a bit like how Australians think when they see two-aboriginal people driving a Mercedes; automatically they think ‘’Thieves”. They same thing goes for when the only two Iranians traveling together on an Aircraft are discovered to have fake passports belonging to other nationalities, and it just so happens the Aircraft has gone missing too; automatically you think ” Terrorists”.

Thanks for telling me what I think about aboriginal people. You obviously know me very well. In labelling others in a racist/stereotypical way, you've just exposed yourself. Well done Einstein!

Everyone in the world is subject to some form of racism or stereotyping my friend. No one is exempt. Do you think the majority of Thai people are happy with you living here? Lets all hold hands together and sing Kumbaya ! that will fix the problem.

[kingstonkid]

Were any countries having war games?

The other thought would be aliens beamed them up LOL

[billbellamy]

On CNN they still repôrts that the users of the false passports were not Asian men...

Iran is of course situated in Africa

You must have been absent from school the day of the particular geography lesson. IRAN IS IN ASIA "FACT'

Anything else you want top know about which countries being where?

On CNN they still repôrts that the users of the false passports were not Asian men...

Iran is of course situated in Africa

Iran is located in the Middle East which is part of Western Asia, not Africa.

Why can't you understand sarcasm?

[sabaii69]

verrrryyyyy unlucky chaps. Petty (pattaya?) thief hall of fame now.

[Scott]

A number of off-topic posts have been deleted along with inflammatory posts and replies. The thread isn't about football and the geography lesson has been given and further posts will be deleted.

Stolen passports are a common modus operandi for people smuggling. It's interesting that the authorities at one point said the photos matched the passengers. It's hard to replace a photo on a passport and I doubt the 19 year old Iranian looks like the Austrian guy. How old was the Austrian, by the way?

Usually the immigration are involved in the smuggling operation. There role can be rather passive, but they grease the wheel that makes sure the person goes through immigration unimpeded. The passenger transits countries that are unlikely to catch them until they get to their destination. Remember, most countries don't care who is transiting, but they do care who actually enters their country.

Terrorists would be very unlikely to use a stolen passport. It's too risky and the chances of getting caught are too high. It's the people smugglers that know how this works.

Malaysian authorities have some answering to do. This is how a lot of the people headed to Australia arrive by air.

On a more serious note, what happens with regard to any financial settlement for this young man's family? Do they receive compensation?

[MK1]

On the issue of compensation, I think the carrier does not owe a duty-of-care to the victim or the families for compensation when you’re in breach of contract by falsifying your identity. That’s the risk the victim took by trying to be pretend he was someone; he was not. Contract of carriage null and void.

[oldsailor35]

So what was the reference to Balotelli all about then? The Malaysian DCA PR is a total wreck.

It is rather obvious that he was trying to say that "you cannot tell a persons nationality or appearance, by their name" any more.

[oldsailor35]

On CNN they still repôrts that the users of the false passports were not Asian men...

Iran is of course situated in Africa

They look Middle Eastern to me !