FLUSHING, New York - Flights in and out of LaGuardia Airport were interrupted for several hours Friday night after an incident involving a Brazilian pilot and a TSA security official. The official, who was not named, said he was "treated in a disrespectful manner" by the pilot. The pilot was brought into custody and held at the airport until police arrived. Barring intervention by Brazil, he will be executed Monday afternoon.

"We have to send a message that we're serious about security," said Warren Kroeppel, General Manager of LaGuardia. "This pilot represents all pilots and passengers that think they can thumb their nose at our security efforts. With this execution, we hope to set the record straight."

"He wasn't trying to be disrespectful," said the pilot's court-appointed attorney, Jose Ramiquez, "He was being fingerprinted, he had just flown several hours, he said something he shouldn't have." While the exact words exchanged between the pilot and the TSA official are not being released, it is known that no profanities were involved. "It was more the way he said it," explained the official.

Brazil's U.N. representative has lodged a formal complaint against the U.S. action. A hearing scheduled for June 5th, 2005, will determine if the U.S. acted against international law in the matter.
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