Indeed they were up to something. Agreed on that.

But I'd say they wanted to disturb so much everybody so the crew would be forced to expulse them, so they could denounce the treatment they suffered, and how US Airways is discriminatory of Muslims.

All a big marketing ploy, that worked quite well however.

More oil on the fire of resentment

The other thing I found disturbing is the way the media handled this incident. As usual they immediately take the side of the imams and portray them as victims without detailing the suspicious and intimidating behavior they were doing.

 

What do you think this was Brad?

It was definitely a security probe. This is a win-win situation for them; if the passengers and crew don't respond, the imams know that they (or some of their followers) will be able to carry out future terrorist attacks unhindered. If the passengers and crew DO respond, the imams can yell "Poor pitiful us! We were just Flying While Muslim!" and their front groups like CAIR can put pressure on the government to make it more difficult to remove suspicious Islamic passengers in the future.

The crew definitely made the right choice, but the fact that these six men are walking around free after deliberately probing the security of an airline is quite worrying...surely these men should have been taken away by the FBI for some serious questioning. Instead, they are feted by a willing press who will take any opportunity to downplay the threat of Islamic terrorism here in the States.

What do you think this was Brad?

Do you do this on purpose? The article, obviously, describes what Brad thinks this was, yet somehow you ask anyways. You just love confrontations with Brad don't you? What a sick little puppy, if Brad was to rip as new butt hole on Bush, you would probably defend Bush.

What do you think this was Brad?

Yelling fire in a crowded theater.  They are lucky that they were not trampled.  But then society does seem to favor the stupids.

Take out the reference to Islam/Muslim in the story and it's not even news. Just some people acting like idiots on a plane and getting booted.

Take out the reference to Islam/Muslim in the story and it's not even news. Just some people acting like idiots on a plane and getting booted.

Very true!

I watched an interview with 4 of those creeps. The one was having a hard time not smiling as he spoke of how he was discriminated against. They were up to something alright.
I live in MN. . You would be hard pressed to find a more open minded place in this country. These morons were trying to cause trouble. They are lucky they aren't STILL being held.
There are those that have criticized the pilots for refusing to pull away from the gate. I think they should be thanked. Those are the pilots that I would want flying my plane.

PC

Just some people acting like idiots on a plane and getting booted.

I disagree. This was planned, but the purpose of it is what needs to be investigated.

Hey Charles I was asking his opinion since he posted on the topic when another thread on the same issue was already started?

Am I not allowed to speak here anymore? Is that against the rules?

"Sounds to me that they were either up to something or they were intentionally trying to get kicked off in an effort to put pressure on US airlines to weaken security."

So I get, what you mean by, intentionally trying to be kicked off, but what of the something else? Do you think this might have been an attempted terror situation? An attempted hijacking?

Another poster wrote "It was definitely a security probe."

"but the fact that these six men are walking around free after deliberately probing the security of an airline is quite worrying...surely these men should have been taken away by the FBI for some serious questioning."

I to agree that it is worrysome. Worrysome more that they haven't been charged with a crime and held for a trial. I guess perhaps they haven't committed any.

So the "press" makes the laws now? I think they were freed because they had committed no crime. If they had committed a criminal offense then they would have been held would they not be? I'm not a cop, an FBI agent, but thats who I perceive the system to work.

"I watched an interview with 4 of those creeps"
Could you PLEASE POST A G*DDAMN LINK SO THE REST OF US NO PRIVY TO YOUR INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE CAN VIEW IT TOO?

"They are lucky they aren't STILL being held."
"they are feted by a willing press who will take any opportunity to downplay the threat of Islamic terrorism here in the States."

So now it's both the media's fault in how they reported the story and, luck in general they were released. Guess it couldn't be that they didn't commit any crime and the authorities followed the law.

"This was planned, but the purpose of it is what needs to be investigated."
Agree completely.

Well, his smirk doesn't come through very well via YouTube...but it's there.
The glaring truth is that there were several people who reported these guys. Employees and passengers alike. But these Imams deny everything. They even claim the falsification of police records. PLEASE! And, where is the "Proof" they supposedly have?
Considering the FACT that well intentioned Muslim's fly every day without incident, I tend to believe the people who actually saw them and reported them. These Imams were TRYING to draw attention to themselves.....or they were testing the security measures.
It's also worth noting that they had just attended a large Muslim convention here in the Twin Cities. Why would THEY get singled out while there were NO complaints from the other atendees, many of whom flew in and out of Mpls. for the event?
I think it's also worth noting that this was a US Airways plane. The potential symbolism is present, and one of a large number of considerations.

Now, if you want to get on a plane with 6 men doing what these guys did...be my guest. But what motive, other than self preservation, did the people who reported this have? What motive did the people that were removed have? We still don't really know. This was no accident though.

As far as the G**damn link......all you had to do was Google it. It took me all of 4 clicks to find. PC

pajamasmedia.com/upload/2006/12/FlyingImamsPolice%20Report.pdf

Police report.

6'2" 250 lbs yeah he doesn't need a seatbelt extension.
5'9" 170 lbs
6' 178 lbs
6'1" 206 lbs
5'9" 170 lbs
6' 230 lbs

According to the police report these guys were denied passage on the flight even before the suspicious behavior on the plane.

"due to suspicious activity that another passenger witnessed prior to boarding the flight."

"He stated most of the six passengers seatbelt extensions."

"...they mentioned U.S. involvement with Saddam."

"He then eavesdropped into their conversation and overheard them mention Saddam and heard them curse about the U.S. involvement. He watched them face a certain position themselves together facing a certain direction and pray again in a group."

"Systematically from the rear to the front of the plane, we asked all six to leave the plane. All parties left cooperatively."

"After the detained passengers were transported from the gate area, the other passengers onboard the aircraft were also asked to exit the aircraft. After the passengers de-boarded the aircraft, Officer Moen and Randy [Police K-9] swept the entire place for explosives. Randy again showed no change in behavior. "

"No charges were filed by the FBI or other Federal Agency."

So it appears they cooperated and the decision to de-board them was even before they got on the plane. Contrary to some of the reporting I've read/seen thus far. Just wanted to add to the discussion.

The supposed note torn up...

"... a US Airways flight confirmation tag... email confirmation from Omar Shahin to Marwan Sadeddin with the names Didmar Fajam Marwan Sadeddin, and Ahmed Shqeirat, listed on the itinerary."

You'll note only five email addresses exist yet there was a sixth detainee, one of them is supposedly blind and perhaps not an email user.

Checking out of the detainees...
"...AutoTrack, Comprehensive Report..."
"The six passengers were interviewed separately by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshall Service, and the US Secret Service."

"All subjects were subsequently released without charge from the Police Operations Center."

On why there were flying to Arizona like its any of our fu*king business at this point...

"Faja stated that he and the men he was traveling with were here in Minneapolis for an Imams meeting. Faja stated that all of the Imams that he was traveling with live in the area of Phoenix, and are leaders in the Phoenix area. Faja stated that he believed the whole incident started because some of the members of the group he was in were praying in the gate area prior to the flight boarding. Faja stated he did not particiape in the prayer with the rest of the group, he chose to pray when he got home to the Phoenix area."

Evidently they were cursing involvement with Saddam rather then Al Qaeda, or at least the evidence on paper suggests that. Who knows for sure, as the events were not recorded on audio to my knowledge. Lets try to explain why they wouldn't sit together. Isn't it a fact that if you try to get cheap tickets on expedia or something, you don't always get them or the best deal sitting consecutively. At least thats an explanation.

"I thought that I[t] was suspicious by the way they were praying very loud."

It also appears, only a single pasenger asked for a seatbelt extension, further, it's apparently not clear from the police report where that extension was while the passengers were on board, only that it was found on the floor after the Imams had been deplaned. It appears that one of the Imams went to the aft cabin, twice, and again during the delay the second time going all the way back to 25 E&F which is where the other guys were seated. That's all he noticed, from watching intently, no exchanging of items or constructing of a bomb, or gun or anything but hey how are you doing wtf is taking so long to get this plane in the air? .

"After the plane had deplaned, I wanted to board early so I walked up to the gate agent I noticed 3-4 people praying. I did not think this was too unusual. They looked like Muslems praying. I boarded the aircraft as everyone boarded around me. Two of the Msulem came on. One stood a row 4C and pretended to be blind. One went to row 9D, he talked another passenger into trading seats so that blind man, yellow shirt can sit in 9C. I was in . They both then asked for seat belt extensions. I did not see they actually needed they were not overweight. Then the man in 1D came back, spoke to them in aribic. That is when it just did not seem right. After the first time the officers came on board the man in 1D came to the back + spoke to others.

There is another report at the very end. But I can hardly read it, it does talk about how the passenger engaged the Imam in topics of world politics, and the Imam purported a view the passenger or considered to be of fundamental extremism. Well open the document and read for yourself.

"As far as the G**damn link......all you had to do was Google it. It took me all of 4 clicks to find. PC"

Thanks, the other day while I was looking I had a hard time finding anything on this.

According to the police report these guys were denied passage on the flight even before the suspicious behavior on the plane.

This is a moronic statement. If they had been denied passage prior, they wouldn't have been on the damn plane.