Identity of plane suspect a mystery

The identity of the passenger accused of trying to ignite explosives hidden in his shoes during a transatlantic flight remained unclear today.

The Sri Lankan government said he was not one of their citizens.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo said that law enforcement officials in France and the USA have not established if he was a Sri Lankan national, saying there was no evidence the man was from their country.

No reference was made as to whether they had carried out their own independent investigation. The statement comes after the 28-year-old man appeared in a US court last night facing holding charges of intimidation or assault of a flight crew causing interference with their duties.

In the US, the man was listed in court papers as Richard C. Reid, the name on his British passport, and Scotland Yard believe him to be British.

However, French authorities had initially identified the man as Tariq Raja from Sri Lanka.

American Airlines flight 63 was forced to make an emergency landing in Boston on Saturday after the man allegedly tried to ignite 10 ounces of improvised explosives.

Preliminary FBI tests suggest he was carrying two workable bombs in his shoes. French police confirmed that he was refused permission to board the same flight on Friday after acting suspiciously but was allowed on the plane the next day.

If convicted he faces 20 years in prison.