U.S. Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
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U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation |
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| In Reply, Please Refer to Release No. |
219 South Dearborn Street Chicago, Illinois 60604 |
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August 21, 2002 Hungarian National Charged with Assaulting Flight Crew Members Thomas J. Kneir, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced today the arrest of EMMA KOVACS, age 55, who is a resident of Boja, Hungary. KOVACS was arrested by FBI Agents yesterday afternoon, without incident, at O'Hare International Airport. KOVACS will be charged in a criminal complaint filed later today in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one count of "Interfering with a Flight Crew," which is a felony offense. KOVACS was a passenger on United Airlines flight 941, which was non-stop service from Frankfort, Germany to Chicago. According to witnesses, when the flight was approximately three hours away from Chicago, KOVACS was caught stealing several items from the carry-on luggage of a fellow passenger. After the items were recovered, the Captain ordered KOVACS restrained for the duration of the flight. A short time later, witnesses claim that while flight crew personnel were attempting to adjust the restraints holding KOVACS, she became violent and kicked at flight attendants several times. KOVACS was then restrained until the plane landed safely at O'Hare International Airport, where she was taken into custody. No injuries were reported during this incident, which does not appear to be terrorist related. KOVACS is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Arlander Keys in Chicago at 4:00 pm this afternoon. The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. EDITOR's NOTE: A copy of the complaint filed against KOVACS will be available from the Chicago FBI Press Office at (312) 786-2645 following her court appearance. |
