An Air Marshal's View of Flight 327 [Syrian Musician Update]

Time.com ^ | August 4, 2004 | Sally B. Donnelly

[timpad]

For much of the past month a fight has been raging in news reports and over the Internet about the behavior of 14 male Middle Eastern passengers on Northwest Airlines Flight 327 from Detroit to Los Angeles. Were the men terrorists casing the plane for a possible attack, as freelance journalist Annie Jacobsen suspected in a long article about the incident? Or were they, as the men said and federal investigators later concluded, a Syrian band on their way to a gig?

Until now, news accounts have only featured government spokesmen or airline personnel who were not actually on the June 29 flight. But in an exclusive interview with TIME, the lead Federal Air Marshal who flew on Flight 327 tells what happened that day. "Bottom line," the FAM says, "there was never a time when my main partner or I felt there was an imminent threat to that airplane or the passengers."

The controversy began in mid-July, when WomensWallStreet.com posted an account of the incident written by Jacobsen, a passenger on Flight 327. She detailed what she said was odd behavior of the passengers (for instance, getting up several times during the flight, going to the bathroom often, congregating in the aisle) and described the increasing concern she and her husband felt. She said the flight attendants were also frightened, so much so that they seemed too scared to confront the men.

Upon arrival in Los Angeles, the 14 men were interviewed by FBI agents and Federal Air Marshals, who determined the men were a Syrian band heading to play a casino in San Diego. After being checked through government databases, they were not charged with any crime or detained beyond questioning.

Jacobson continues to say that something very suspicious was going on. She's written two follow-up articles, and bloggers and mainstream media outlets have picked up the story.

This week, TIME conducted a detailed interview with the lead FAM on board Flight 327, one of the thousands of covert, armed government agents who patrol the skies. The man, who authorities did not allow to be identified by name, is 35 years old and worked previously for another federal law enforcement agency. In that job, he often dealt with foreign citizens.

The FAM, who says for security reasons cannot say exactly where he was sitting, was aware of the group of Middle Eastern men from the beginning of the flight. About 25 minutes after takeoff, a flight attendant discreetly told the FAM that she thought the men were "acting suspiciously" and were congregating near one of the lavatories in the back of the plane. He alerted another marshal on the plane and also told the flight attendant to notify the captain. A short while later, the FAM asked the flight crew member to get physical descriptions of the men and their seat numbers.

He watched the men and saw nothing out of the ordinary. In a long, single aisle plane like the Boeing 757 that was carrying Flight 327, there are often many people standing or moving around. That was the case on this flight, says the FAM, who has flown hundreds of missions in his two and half years on the job. The FAM never saw — nor was he told — of any example of the men interfering with the flight crew (which is a federal crime). He never saw any activity that caused him to ask the pilots to turn on the seat belt sign (which he can request) and keep people in their seats. "Nothing my main partner or I saw on Flight 327 brought us anywhere near a conclusion that we considered breaking our cover or deploying as we've been trained. And we never came close to drawing our weapons."

There was, the marshal admits, one incident that did concern him: when one of the group came from the back of the plane forward to use the lavatory in First Class. The FAM timed the man, dressed in a green jumpsuit with Arabic writing on it; he stayed about ten minutes in the toilet. Immediately after the man returned to the back to the plane, the FAM searched the washroom and found nothing. In contrast to Jacobsen's version, the FAM said at no time did any people congregate near the First Class bathroom.

When the flight was an hour from landing in Los Angeles, the FAM informed his superiors and, as is standard procedure, suggested they meet the plane to interview the men. He told the flight attendant to ask the pilot to alert the authorities at Los Angeles International Airport. That was why the flight was met by federal agents and why the men were interviewed but then allowed to leave in time to make their concert. The FAM's take? "I understand why the passenger felt some anxiety about activity on Flight 327," he says. "But that kind of activity was unusual but not a security incident. There was never a threat to the plane."

[Conspiracy Guy]

This thread needs music!



Changing with the Wind
Sung to Blowing in the Wind

How many times must he flip flop and flip,
Before he takes a firm stand?
How many lies must he tell about Nam,
Before we all call his hand?
How many times can he vote pro and con,
Before he is totally canned?
His answer my friend, is changing with the wind.
His answer is changing with the wind.
How many times will he say George Bush lied,
Before he tells us a fact?
How many times must I hear him drone on,
And still my ears stay intact?
How many deaths did he cause there in Nam,
With all his appeasements at home?
The answer and trend, John Kerry's not our friend,
The answer's John Kerry's not our friend.
How many terms could John Kerry serve,
Before America's gone?
How many days before he would cave in,
Afraid to protect our home?
How many weeks till he gave us away,
And let the UN take the throne?
The answer my friend, we'd twist in the wind,
The answer is we'd twist in the wind.

Conspiracy Guy 8/3/2004

[Mr. Jazzy]

"There was, the marshal admits, one incident that did concern him: when one of the group came from the back of the plane forward to use the lavatory in First Class. The FAM timed the man, dressed in a green jumpsuit with Arabic writing on it; he stayed about ten minutes in the toilet. Immediately after the man returned to the back to the plane, the FAM searched the washroom and found nothing. In contrast to Jacobsen's version, the FAM said at no time did any people congregate near the First Class bathroom."


The FAM inspected the head AFTER the suspect passenger spent ten minutes in there, and THEN expected to find something? There might have been something there but then again there was TEN MINUTES in which the suspect passenger could have assembled a weapon, or device that had been planted separately by the other individuals of interest.

Ever head the saying, "Where there is smoke, there is fire"?
This ENTIRE article is a CYA by TSA and fed's at all levels to make sure that we sheeple feel "safe" to fly.

Or, the suspected individuals were looking for a 'racial profiling" law suit.

[fivecatsandadog]

''I feel guilty every day of my life,'' Hossain says. ''She has a master's degree and she works all day in a pizza shop. She should be out helping someone. Or teaching. I want to give her the chance to continue her education.''

Therefore, he'll support the terrorists who want to destroy this country, which has given he and his pitiful family more opportunity and freedom than a lot of people will ever have. Pigs.

[johnfrink]

The FAM timed the man, dressed in a green jumpsuit with Arabic writing on it; he stayed about ten minutes in the toilet. Immediately after the man returned to the back to the plane, the FAM searched the washroom and found nothing.

Ewwww. Worst. Job. Ever. When some guy's been in the bathroom for ten minutes, you do not want to be the next person in.

[Paved Paradise]

I have a differing opinion. Note that the Air Marshal said "imminent danger." Sounds like a democrat to me! Always trying to add adjectives to everything. Thank God that I have a brain and can make my own assessments about situations and potential dangerous or threatening occurrences. The Jews saw the signs in Germany in the 30's but ignored them because they weren't in imminent danger.

[tang-soo]

Jim Quinn hasn't been paying attention and neither have you. Their visas were in order; their extension paperwork was in with DHS and they were NOT overstaying their visas, even though the visas they were carrying did not have the new dates stamped on them.

Shaddap,

Sorry I don't live up to your level of vetting. I do pay attention, but there's a lot these days to pay attention to. Had not heard the latest that you mention. However, if what you say is true, that's still a problem if the paperwork is not current.

[fuquadukie]

You may be right, but putting the information together as I did from the two articles gives me the impression at least one of the FAMs on the plane were Arabic-speaking, especially since the atricles from the female reporter indicated the person in seat 1-A (who supposedly was not with the group) spoke with the Syrians.

[ampat]

A very plausible scenario. I thought we were using some of the Israeli methods such as interviewing people before the flight takes off. Why can't we check the database before they board the plane? We sure can check databases for real Americans buyng guns. I guess it's still the old racial profling problem. Instead of "acting before the fact" you have:

"Upon arrival in Los Angeles, the 14 men were interviewed by FBI agents and Federal Air Marshals, who determined the men were a Syrian band heading to play a casino in San Diego. After being checked through government databases, they were not charged with any crime or detained beyond questioning. "

That's closing the barn door after the horse has left.

[Squantos]

FAM's I know personally don't talk to reporters.........if this one did it proves s/he is so stupid they can't be taken seriously on any matter involving good judgement.

Just my opinion of course........

[timpad]

FAM's I know personally don't talk to reporters

Hmmm...something I hadn't considered.

[Ciexyz]

I am NOT reassured, Bud.

[timpad]

I am NOT reassured, Bud.

Nope, me either. Regardless of which account is correct, one thing is very clear. We are still in a defensive posture, waiting for something to happen so that we can react. I fear we will remain so until we are hit sufficiently hard to turn the tide.

[Oztrich Boy]

I heard on the syndicated Jim Quinn (www.warroom.com) show

Well then. I guess it must be true.

[Central_Floridian]

That's just plain awesome!

[tang-soo]

I heard on the syndicated Jim Quinn (www.warroom.com) show

Well then. I guess it must be true.

Ozzie Boy,

He was reading a sourced article. Ok? I didn't have time to go listen to the archive again. What's your problem? If you doubt that it's true, good for you. I guess I don't understand your point. I supposed if I had as much time as you, I could source every post with footnotes and bibliographic information.

[Valin]

Or she was ordered to.

[Tymesup]

"About 25 minutes after takeoff, a flight attendant discreetly told the FAM "

If I were up to no good, I would be interested to know that at least one attendant knows one of the FAMs.

"When the flight was an hour from landing in Los Angeles, the FAM informed his superiors "

If I were up to no good, I would be interested to know that FAMs have this capability.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Thank you

[proud American in Canada]

"I am fascinated by the diverse reactions to this story here on FR."

So am I. Thanks for posting this article.