Wednesday March 21, 2007

‘Spiderman’ has another go at Twin Towers

"Spiderman" Alain Robert on the Twin Towers

KUALA LUMPUR: To commemorate the 10th anniversary of his climb up the Petronas Twin Towers, French “Spiderman” Alain Robert did it again yesterday.

Using only his bare hands and feet, he scaled Tower 2 at around 3pm, holding on to the external steel protrusions. He climbed up Tower 2 so quickly that within 20 minutes, he had reached the 18th floor before taking a rest at the 20th floor.

Police arrived 15 minutes later and cordoned off the area as a crowd started to gather to watch the stunt. In a show of appreciation, he unfurled a Malaysian flag that he had kept in a waist pouch.

High calling: Robert making a phone call while taking a break at the 59th floor of the Petronas Twin Towers just before he was stopped and arrested at the 60th floor. – Picture by MICHAEL LEE

His attempt to reach the top of the tower was stopped when the authorities on the

60th floor managed to coax him to abandon his effort. He was also arrested at the same level in 1997, just 28 floors from the top.

Jalan Hang Tuah Fire and Rescue Department Asst Supt Christopher Chong said, “In an attempt to escape the authorities, he tried to climb around the tower (on the 59th floor going to the 60th floor) but he gave up his intention after he saw that firemen and police officers had the area covered.

“We advised him to give up and he said 'okay' but he later waved the Malaysian flag again. Then he climbed to the 60th floor at around 4pm and took out a packet drink.

“We received information from the tower’s security officers that he was at the Twin Towers around three months ago to survey the place and took photos of the tower,” said Chong.

The only audible statement that Robert made when he reached the 60th floor was: “20 March 1997.”

This was in reference to the first time he had scaled up Tower 1.

Robert entered the cable news channel Al-Jazeera’s office, which had started its English language broadcast centre operations here recently, at about 4pm.

He was handcuffed and escorted by police and Fire and Rescue Department personnel downstairs. Applause was heard throughout the office while pressmen scrambled to get quick interviews and photographs of him.

Among the buildings that he has scaled are the Chicago’s Sear Towers, the Empire State Building in New York, the Eiffel Tower and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

Dang Wangi OCPD Asst Comm Mohamad Zulkarnain Abdul Rahman said Robert was detained for climbing the tower without a permit.

He said the Frenchman was being investigated under Section 448 of the Criminal Procedure Code for trespassing and would be charged.

If found guilty, he could be sentenced to a jail term of up to one year, or a fine of up to RM2,000, or both.

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