'Very unusual and disconcerting': New videos show accused stowaway boarding Delta flight from New York to Paris
For the first time, newly released security footage shows the moment an alleged stowaway sneaked onto a transatlantic flight just before last Thanksgiving in a stunning breach of security.
Svetlana Dali is accused of boarding an overnight Delta flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City on Nov. 26 and traveling to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport in France without having a ticket.
Dali can be seen in a video obtained by ABC News walking up to gate B38 at Terminal 4 while other passengers have their boarding passes and passports checked. After gate attendants assisted a separate group of customers and ushered them toward the jet bridge, Dali followed immediately behind, the video shows.
MORE: 2 service members killed at US-Mexico border in vehicle accident: NORTHCOM
Wearing a gray hoodie and carrying both a green backpack and a black bag, Dali appeared to blend in with the crowd, passing by the gate attendants and walking toward the flight.
"This was very unusual and disconcerting," Richard Frankel, a former FBI special agent in charge of investigations at JFK who is now an ABC News contributor, said after reviewing the video. "She just basically gloms onto the back of that group and goes in as if she's part of a group."
"Delta agents, who were busy helping ticketed passengers board, did not stop her or ask her to present a boarding pass before she boarded the plane," an FBI complaint said, adding that Dali later stated "she knew her conduct was illegal."
Dali later pleaded not guilty to a federal stowaway charge.
MORE: Signs of rodent activity found at Gene Hackman's property
"Our review affirms that Delta's security infrastructure, as part of our Safety Management System framework, is sound and that deviation from standard procedures is the root cause of this event," a Delta spokesperson told ABC News. "As nothing is of greater importance than safety and security, we will continue to work closely with our regulators, law enforcement and other relevant stakeholders."
A separate closed-circuit video from earlier that evening shows Dali going through the TSA screening machine at Terminal 4 and being patted down by a TSA agent.
"I think she planned it, but it's also luck of the draw," Frankel said. "I think she had her game plan and … her game plan really worked."
Dali, a Russian citizen and U.S. permanent resident who most recently lived in Philadelphia, was ultimately spotted by Delta employees before the plane landed in France, according to the FBI complaint. The complaint stated that Dali was unable to provide a boarding pass and that once the plane landed, French law enforcement would not allow her to pass the customs area.
Officials attempted to send Dali back to the United States on another flight shortly after, ABC News previously reported, but Dali was removed from the plane after insisting against her return.
She was eventually brought back to New York to face charges. After being released, Dali allegedly cut off her ankle monitor and traveled to Buffalo, where she tried to cross over the Peace Bridge into Canada.
MORE: Connecticut man allegedly held captive for over 20 years releases 1st public statement
Dali's public defender declined to comment.
The surveillance videos were released in response to a request ABC News filed in December with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airports in the New York metropolitan area.
The FBI's complaint against Dali stated that there is also surveillance footage of Dali "bypassing TSA officials" at JFK. The FBI alleges that Dali had been turned away by a TSA official the night of the flight for not having a boarding pass, but was eventually able to make it through the TSA area "without a boarding pass by entering through a special lane for airline employees masked by a large Air Europa flight crew."
Footage of Dali in that area was not released by the Port Authority. The agency told ABC News that releasing additional video footage "could jeopardize the security of the buildings or facilities or the persons therein," adding that "providing multiple camera angles of a facility or incident could allow for inferences to be made as to vulnerabilities or blind spots in surveillance cameras."
In a statement to ABC News, TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein said that a review of the incident has been conducted.
"As a result of our review, additional security measures are now in place," Farbstein said. "TSA's security measures are always evolving to ensure this type of incident does not happen again."
Dali is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. She is due back in federal court on April 22.
'Very unusual and disconcerting': New videos show accused stowaway boarding Delta flight from New York to Paris originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
44 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Man opened fire outside Michigan church before staff fatally shot him, averting mass shooting, police say
WAYNE, Mich. — A man who opened fire outside a Michigan church filled with worshipers Sunday was struck by a vehicle and then fatally shot by security staff who averted a potential mass shooting, police said. Churchgoers attending a morning service at CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne spotted a man driving recklessly and then saw him exit his car wearing a tactical vest and carrying a rifle and a handgun, Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong said at an evening news conference. The man began firing as he approached the church, striking one person in the leg, Strong said. 'A parishioner struck the gunman with his vehicle as the gunman shot the vehicle repeatedly,' Strong told reporters. 'At least two staff members shot the gunman, causing the fatal wounds.' Police described the suspect as a 31-year-old white male with no known connection to the church. His motive remains unclear, but it appears he was suffering from a mental health crisis, Strong said. The shooting occurred around 11 a.m. in Wayne, a city of about 17,000 people about 25 miles west of Detroit. The person who was shot in the leg was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, the chief said. Nobody else besides the gunman was hurt. Strong said a church member ran the suspect over with his pickup truck, giving security staff time to shoot him. 'We are grateful for the heroic actions of the church's staff members, who undoubtedly saved many lives and prevented a large-scale mass shooting,' the chief said. About 150 people were inside the church at the time. The church's website says it hosts a worship service on Sundays at 10:45 a.m. Worshiper Wendy Bodin said that she heard a loud boom and that when she looked outside, she saw a man sprawled out on the grass in front of the church. 'I thought he got hit or crashed his car or was hurt,' Bodin told WXYZ-TV. 'And another lady saw and pointed to me and said, 'Oh, my, call 911!'' Wayne Police Deputy Chief Finley Carter III said hours later that it was too early to know a motive. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino tweeted that bureau 'leadership and support teams' were at the scene and helping with the investigation. Messages left by the Associated Press on Sunday by voicemail and on a Facebook page for the church were not immediately returned. Sancya and Ramer write for the Associated Press and reported from Wayne and Concord, N.Y., respectively. AP writer Todd Richmond in Madison, Wis., and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
4 hours ago
Mahmoud Khalil speaks to ABC News in 1st broadcast interview after ICE release
Watch more of Linsey Davis' broadcast interview with Mahmoud Khalil on "Good Morning America" Monday at 7 a.m. ET and ABC News Live Prime at 7 p.m. ET. Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University pro-Palestinian activist who was detained by ICE for more than three months, spoke with ABC News Live Prime anchor Linsey Davis in the first on-camera interview since his release. In the interview, which is set to air on Monday at 7 p.m. ET, Khalil pushed back against the Trump administration's claim that he is a threat to U.S. national security. "The White House has said that you distributed pro-Hamas fliers. Secretary Rubio said that you created an environment of harassment toward Jewish students. President Trump said we got to get him the hell out of our country. Why do you think that you are perceived as such a threat?" Davis asked Khalil in the exclusive interview. "Because I represent a movement that goes against what this administration is trying to do," Khalil responded. "They try to portray me as a violent person. They try to portray me as a terrorist, as some lunatic, but not presenting any evidence, not presenting any shred of credibility to their claims." Khalil was released Friday evening from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Jena, Louisiana, after U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz issued an order granting his release on bail. The judge said the government made no attempt to prove that Khalil's release would irreparably harm them in some way and that Khalil represented a flight risk. "What all that evidence adds up to is a lack of violence, a lack of property destruction, a lack of anything that might be characterized as incitement to violence," Farbiarz said of Khalil. The judge said that the conditions of Khalil's release shall not include electronic monitoring or a requirement that a bond be immediately posted. "The hundreds of men who are left behind me shouldn't be there in the first place," Khalil told reporters on Friday, referring to others being detained. "The Trump administration are doing their best to dehumanize everyone here. Whether you are a U.S. citizen, an immigrant or just a person on this land, doesn't mean that you are less of a human." The ruling to release Khalil came at the same time an immigration judge in Jena, Louisiana, denied Khalil's request for asylum and ordered him to remain detained. Farbiarz's order superseded that ruling. The Department of Homeland Security sharply criticized the judge's decision to release Khalil, claiming in a statement on Friday that the ruling is "yet another example of how out-of-control members of the judicial branch are undermining national security," and arguing "an immigration judge, not a district judge, has the authority to decide if Mr. Khalil should be released or detained." "Their conduct not only denies the result of the 2024 election, it also does great harm to our constitutional system by undermining public confidence in the courts," the statement continued. Khalil, a green card holder who is married to an American citizen, was a graduate student at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) during a series of pro-Palestinian protests on campus against the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. Khalil was detained in March, with the Trump administration saying then in part that his continued presence in the country would pose a risk to U.S. foreign policy. However, Judge Farbiarz issued a preliminary injunction last week barring the Trump administration from continuing to detain him based on that assertion. Khalil was detained for an additional week until his release on Friday after the government argued for his continued detention based on their allegation that he misrepresented information on his green card application, an allegation that Khalil and his attorneys deny. Khalil, a grandson of Palestinian refugees who was born in Syria and has Algerian citizenship, welcomed his first child, a son named Deen, while he was in custody. Khalil thanked his supporters during a press conference in New York on Saturday and vowed to continue to speak out for Palestinian human rights.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Attack on Michigan church thwarted when security guard kills gunman, say police
An alleged active shooter intent on attacking a Michigan church on Sunday was shot and killed by a security guard, authorities said. The shooting unfolded around 11:15 a.m. local time at the CrossPointe Community Church in the Detroit suburb of Wayne, according to the Wayne Police Department. Law enforcement sources said the suspect drove his Nissan truck into the church and opened fire, ABC Detroit affiliate WXYZ reported. The Wayne Police Department confirmed on Facebook that the suspect was shot and killed by a security guard at the church. At least one victim was shot in the leg during the attack, according to police. Police are investigating a Facebook livestream of the CrossPointe Community Church service in which gunshots can be heard as members of the congregation are seen rushing to evacuate the sanctuary. A bomb-sniffing dog was brought to the scene by the Michigan State Police and a police bomb squad was also brought to the scene, according to officials, but there was no immediate confirmation from police that explosives were involved in the incident. As police investigated a motive for the attack, the FBI said it was sending agents to Wayne to help in the investigation. "Our leadership and support teams are on the ground, at the scene, in Wayne, Michigan providing assistance and investigative support," FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a statement. The church shooting came during a heightened threat environment across the country following the U.S. attack overnight in Iran that destroyed or severely degraded three of Iran's nuclear facilities, according to White House officials. Acknowledging the heightened threat environment, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement that "it is our duty to keep the nation safe and informed, especially during times of conflict." "The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict brings the possibility of increased threat to the homeland in the form of possible cyberattacks, acts of violence, and antisemitic hate crime," Noem said. MORE: Amid recent string of attacks inspired by Israel-Hamas war, some experts worry counterterrorism not a priority The attack in Wayne came in the wake of a public bulletin the Department of Homeland Security issued after the U.S. strikes in Iran, warning that "low-level cyber attacks" against U.S. targets "are likely" and that extremists inside the U.S. would be more likely to turn to violence if Iranian leadership calls for such retaliation. The bulletin further urges the public to report any suspicious activity. It was not immediately known if the church attack has any connection to the U.S. attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. MORE: Minnesota lawmakers assassination timeline: 'He stalked his victims like prey' The attack occurred about a half-hour after Sunday-morning services at CrossPointe Community Church started, according to police. Officers arriving at the scene quickly evacuated the church after learning that a security guard stopped the attack by shooting and killing the suspect, according to police. The suspect's name was not immediately released. The security guard was also not immediately identified by authorities. ABC News' Luke Barr, Pierre Thomas, Mariama Jalloh and Victoria Arancio contributed to this report. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
