Credentialed diplomat stopped by Air Marshals attempted to ignite a shoe bomb.

[Nick]

I don't see any logical reason to bring cigarettes or a lighter on a flight. Check them with your bag, you can't use them at any point after the security checkin, so why even carry them? When you get your bags after the flight, then go outside.

Not quite ... there are still airports with smoking areas inside the sterile area (depends on local laws regarding smoking in government facilities), either a balcony, or a smoker's lounge, or whatever [Cite here].  Of course, a workaround would be to have those table-top mounted cigar lighter doohickies (like this) in these designated areas and then you can ban lighters/matches again, but ... yeah, good luck with that.

[tdepp]

How can we be sure this guy was not a terrorist.  The State Department would do and say anything to keep Qatar as a "friend".

How do we know that you are not an FBI informant trying get infiltrate the CAP militia? 

I think we have to at least give our government some creditability that if this guy was a documented diplomat then he in fact was.

Let's leave the conspiracy theories at the door please...it's bad enough as it is.

I think Qatar is a pretty good ally to the USA.  I know some of our SDANG have been deployed there.  Isn't the air operations for the Iraq and Afghanistan theatres based there?
Sounds like the diplomat was diplomatically stupid by cracking an ill-timed joke about sneaking a butt.

[Smithsonia]

The young and foolish Qatarian diplomat - reported age 27 - is going home this week. It was part of the protocol hand-off.

I would imagine, unless he is connected by Royal Blood - his days as a foreign diplomat are done. These kind of things are a little like a major safety violation resulting in death among the CAP. The career - It's over.

Interestingly enough, while not a terrorist - he was to meet with one. A Qatar citizen, whom I suppose is housed at SuperMax in Florence Colorado. http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14843938

With the arrest of the Jihad Jane confederate and 12 weeks pregnant woman this week and the Zahzi Sept. 11 New York bombing suspect and his father from Denver - Colorado appears to be running as the American Jihad capitol. Who knew?
I've lived here 30 years and thought our biggest problem was beetle kill of our mountain pines. 
http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_14837539