Posted on 07/15/2004 6:19:30 AM PDT by Rutles4Ever
A WWS Exclusive Article
Note from the Editors: You are about to read an account of what happened during a domestic flight that one of our writers, Annie Jacobsen, took from Detroit to Los Angeles. The WWS Editorial Team debated long and hard about how to handle this information and ultimately we decided it was something that should be shared. What does it have to do with finances? Nothing, and everything. Here is Annie's story.
On June 29, 2004, at 12:28 p.m., I flew on Northwest Airlines flight #327 from Detroit to Los Angeles with my husband and our young son. Also on our flight were 14 Middle Eastern men between the ages of approximately 20 and 50 years old. What I experienced during that flight has caused me to question whether the United States of America can realistically uphold the civil liberties of every individual, even non-citizens, and protect its citizens from terrorist threats.
On that Tuesday, our journey began uneventfully. Starting out that morning in Providence, Rhode Island, we went through security screening, flew to Detroit, and passed the time waiting for our connecting flight to Los Angeles by shopping at the airport stores and eating lunch at an airport diner. With no second security check required in Detroit we headed to our gate and waited for the pre-boarding announcement. Standing near us, also waiting to pre-board, was a group of six Middle Eastern men. They were carrying blue passports with Arabic writing. Two men wore tracksuits with Arabic writing across the back. Two carried musical instrument cases – thin, flat, 18" long. One wore a yellow T-shirt and held a McDonald's bag. And the sixth man had a bad leg -- he wore an orthopedic shoe and limped. When the pre-boarding announcement was made, we handed our tickets to the Northwest Airlines agent, and walked down the jetway with the group of men directly behind us.
My four-year-old son was determined to wheel his carry-on bag himself, so I turned to the men behind me and said, "You go ahead, this could be awhile." "No, you go ahead," one of the men replied. He smiled pleasantly and extended his arm for me to pass. He was young, maybe late 20's and had a goatee. I thanked him and we boarded the plan.
Once on the plane, we took our seats in coach (seats 17A, 17B and 17C). The man with the yellow shirt and the McDonald's bag sat across the aisle from us (in seat 17E). The pleasant man with the goatee sat a few rows back and across the aisle from us (in seat 21E). The rest of the men were seated throughout the plane, and several made their way to the back.
(Excerpt) Read more at womenswallstreet.com ...
Absolutely creepy.
Thanks for the post. I've emailed friends and family the link to this must read article.
Good thing about the Air Marshalls being there. If the Clintoons had had more time, they would've obliterated the program in its entirety.
How anyone could vote for a liberal at all after 9-11 is dumbfounding. They have stripped us of our military personnel and resources, our CIA, our FBI, our Air Marshalls, and on and on and on.
I think I'm going to be sick again.
As if they'd send guys who were on the no fly list to do a dry run. It's only after the fact that one gets put on the list.
btt
I believe what she saw was 14 Syrian musicians on the way to a gig.
It doesn't take 14 people to assemble a bomb in a lavatory, even allowing for some potential parts/personnel losses during screening.
Plus, 14 matryrs for one mission on one plane seems like overkill (pun intended) ... 14 people committed to dying could wreak more havoc in other ways than by bombing one plane.
They will hit us again, and they are practicing now, that much is certain. This may have been some component of that, but I am not convinced.
Also, her husband sounds like a cakeboy.
As long as we don't hurt anyones feelings in the process.
btt
What do you think about this Syrian who flew into Minneapolis a week after her flight?
http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S1124.html?cat=1
Where's the problem? It's simple to have one guy in maintenance plant something and follow it up with whatever can be brought in by artificial limbs, wheelchairs, backpacks, McD bags, briefcases, instrument cases, reading material, shaving kits, shoes (hmm, that's been done), etc. There were several box cutters found on a plane not long ago but can't remember if it was the maintenance people or that stupid college student.
well hey - it's the law and it needs changing....by our Congress of Cowards??
What pisses me off is that the freaking FAM didn't even attempt to make a trip to the bathroom to see if there was something in there! It is a aircraft lavratory, there really is no place to hide anything!
How do human mules smuggle heroin and cocaine on airplanes?
But "Syrian Musicians"??? 14 of them?? Possible, I guess--just doesn't seem to pass the proverbial smell test.
The question is, where are they and what are they up to now, next week, next month, and next... oh, ship them and all the others out and shut down the borders PRONTO!
Looks like you and your son will have to take an active role in your safety since the PC government simply WILL NOT do it. Watch the Arabs like a hawk. Don't even try to conceal it. If they start something like that on you flight, go and search the lavatory (bring latex gloves).
If you find something unusual, take it to the flight attendant (discretely) IMMEDIATELY.
They might if they they thought the passenger were about to panic and they wanted to reassure them, or if they thought the passenger might do something that could create a problem.
They also might tell the passenger in hopes of calming them so that they will consider their airlines for future trips. If the passenger feels threatened, unsafe on their airlines, the passenger just might book their next flight with a different airlines.
perhaps videocams in bathroom? I don't suggest anyone go "get things" out of bathrooms that look suspicious. this story sounds hinky to me.
I think flight paths can be altered at different times due to wind direction and other factors.
When I flew to LA last October they were redirecting flight approaches over the ocean because of the wildfires.
I fly into NYC from Detroit to La Guardia frequently and the approach is not the same every time. Sometimes we pass over Manhattan and sometimes over the water. Likewise the return flight to Detroit usually passes over Ford Motor Company campus but sometimes the approach is from the north.
Also if the plane banks on approach you can see out the windows on the opposite side.
Could they have been training multiples teams?
Probably cheaper than a klezmer band.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.