‘Qaeda expert’ climbs tower

NEW YORK – A man apparently seeking to publicise his research about Al-Qaeda attempted to scale the New York Times building in New York City early yesterday, one month after two other men climbed the 52-storey tower, the Times reported.

The man, identified as David Malone, did not try to reach the top of the 228-metre-high Renzo Piano-designed building, but instead stayed around the 10-storey level where he unfurled a banner on which were stuck red fliers that apparently mentioned Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, the Times said. After about four hours on the building in the early morning darkness, the man surrendered to police, the newspaper said.Malone is believed to be the owner of the website www.binladensplan.com, where he calls himself an independent researcher on Al-Qaeda and says he predicted the September 11, 2001, attacks two years ahead of time.His climb came after two men on June 5, including Alain Robert, best known as the “French Spider Man” for illegally climbing buildings and monuments around the world, separately climbed to the top of the Times building, leading the newspaper to say it would take action to prevent others from doing the same.The building is designed with a sheath of horizontal ceramic rods, allowing easy hand and foot holds all the way to the top.Halfway up the building on his climb Robert unveiled a green fluorescent banner that read: “Global warming kills more people than 9/11 every week.”Nampa-AFPAfter about four hours on the building in the early morning darkness, the man surrendered to police, the newspaper said.Malone is believed to be the owner of the website www.binladensplan.com, where he calls himself an independent researcher on Al-Qaeda and says he predicted the September 11, 2001, attacks two years ahead of time.His climb came after two men on June 5, including Alain Robert, best known as the “French Spider Man” for illegally climbing buildings and monuments around the world, separately climbed to the top of the Times building, leading the newspaper to say it would take action to prevent others from doing the same.The building is designed with a sheath of horizontal ceramic rods, allowing easy hand and foot holds all the way to the top.Halfway up the building on his climb Robert unveiled a green fluorescent banner that read: “Global warming kills more people than 9/11 every week.”Nampa-AFP