Airline passenger faces death threat charges

By Terry Frieden CNN Washington

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia (CNN) -- An unruly airline passenger faced a series of federal charges in a Virginia courtroom Monday, a day after he was arrested by the FBI for allegedly making death threats aboard a trans-Atlantic flight.

Alexander Harold Anderson was removed from Northwest Airlines Flight 35 when it arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport Sunday on a non-stop flight from Amsterdam.

At one point during the flight, the plane's second officer left the cockpit to help flight attendants deal with the passenger and warned Anderson if he didn't comply with orders, the plane would make an emergency landing or have federal agents waiting for him at the final destination.

Anderson refused, and lit a cigarette, according to court documents.

The documents say Anderson interfered with flight attendants and a member of the flight crew, engaged in physical struggles with the attendants and other passengers, resisted flight crew efforts to handcuff him, and once restrained, made repeated death threats against an attendant.

The FBI said Anderson carried a U.S. passport, but his Virginia address could not be immediately verified. He made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia.

The court document said the entire flight crew became involved in the unruly scene before two male passengers and two flight attendants finally managed to put Anderson in hand restraints.

The affidavit says Anderson then threatened more than 10 times to kill the lead flight attendant.

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