Glasgow Airport's saviour to visit Ground Zero

The man who 'saved' Glasgow Airport from an attempted terrorist attack on June 30th is to join US firefighters and dignitaries at Ground Zero for the sixth anniversary of 9/11.

Baggage handler John Smeaton will visit the site of the September 11th attack where the World Trade Center used to stand, symbolically linking his heroism with the achievements of the men and women who battled to save lives after the attack six years ago.

Mr Smeaton was invited by the American Scottish Foundation, whose president Alan Bain commented that "our members are thrilled at the opportunity of meeting a modern Scottish hero".

He has received emails of solidarity from "first responders on the front lines against terrorism - the fire fighters, police officers and the troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan", claimed the PR agent managing the trip, Stephen Jaffe.

"Smeaton … plans to send out a message at the 9/11 memorial in New York that 'if we all stand together, terrorism cannot destroy our way of life in the West,'" Mr Jaffe added.

The trip is being supported by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic, which is giving the airport employee free flights to the US.

Posted by Graham Greenaway on the 05/09/2007 14:23:12
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