Man held over 'bin Laden links'

The incident happened on board a Delta Air Lines flight

A man from Portadown in Northern Ireland is in custody in the US after he allegedly told a flight attendent he had links with Osama bin Laden.

The 44-year-old appeared in court on Monday charged with assault and interfering with flight crew.

It is alleged he had been drinking on the flight from Atlanta to Dublin.

The County Armagh man is due to appear again at the District Court in Bangor, Maine, on Monday 10 March for a detention hearing.

An FBI affidavit alleged that he was smoking in the aeroplane's toilets.

It also stated that when challenged, the man became verbally abusive to a flight attendant, telling her he was associated with Osama bin Laden and was going to hijack the plane.

According to the affidavit, he later told an off-duty pilot he was a terrorist.

It also alleged he then punched an off-duty flight attendant who warned him he might have to be restrained.

The aeroplane landed at the nearest airport.