Court told of threats to N.Z.-bound jets

Press, 27 January 1986, Page 4

Court told of threats to N.Z.-bound jets

NZPA-AAP Sydney A former New Zealander who allegedly attempted to extort several hundred thousand dollars from Qantas by threatening twice last year to blow up aircraft over the Tasman has been committed for trial.

Gregory Warner, aged 38, a truck driver from Alice Springs, was committed to the next sitting of the District Court at Sydney when he appeared in the Paddington Local Court on Friday.

He faces two counts of making demands on John Frederick Ward, a Qantas executive, and threatening

to destroy an aircraft, killing or injuring all on board.

The Court was told that the threats involved New Zealand-bound Qantas 747 jumbo jets on April 23 and October 30 last year.

On the morning of April 23 Warner allegedly telephoned Mr Ward at Qantas, calling himself Mr Smith. He told Mr Ward he had planted a bomb on QF43 bound from Sydney Airport to Auckland.

Warner demanded sAust3oo,ooo ($405,000) in exchange for telling where the bomb could be found and how it could be

de-activated. In the meantime the' aircraft had arrived in Auckland and a full search showed there was no bomb on board.

Warner allegedly rang back later that day and told Mr Ward he was disappointed in Qantas and that the firm would now be in big trouble.

Six months later Warner allegedly rang Qantas, this time demanding sAust4oo,ooo ($540,000). He said he had planted a device similar to one he had planted aboard a jumbo jet in a bar of the Menzies Hotel in downtown Sydney. Ballistics experts found

and examined the device, made up of components capable of being detonated in flight. Warner telephoned Qantas several times during the day. The police traced one of the calls and arrested Warner in a telephone booth at Wynard railway station, beneath the Menzies Hotel, while he was still speaking to Qantas. No pleas were entered on Friday and bail of sAust!o,ooo ($13,500) was continued.