Terror suspect on run

A terror suspect linked to al Qaeda is being hunted by French police after booking on a flight to the US.

The French ministry of justice confirmed today it is looking for a man who failed to turn up for an Air France flight from Paris to Los Angeles that was cancelled on Christmas Eve.

The suspect caused a worldwide security alert after officials spotted his name on the passenger list. French judicial officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said investigators were looking for an Afghan named Abdou Hai, whose name appears on a US list of terror suspects.

His last name matched that of a passenger who had a ticket to board Air France Flight 68. French justice minister Dominique Perben said: "What's important when someone doesn't take a plane is to know why he didn't take it."

Another justice ministry official added: "It was feared the man may have been carrying a small bomb whose components may have been designed to get past airport security. We had no option but to cancel that flight and several others."

The man was planning to travel on a French passport. His description was passed to security staff at Heathrow.

Transatlantic flights from London, Paris, New York and Washington were grounded. BA's flight 223 to Washington was twice cancelled last week and delayed several times.