Scouting jetliners for new attacks

The Washington Times ^ | Audrey Hudson

[Amerimom2]

Flight crews and air marshals say Middle Eastern men are staking out airports, probing security measures and conducting test runs aboard airplanes for a terrorist attack. At least two midflight incidents have involved numerous men of Middle Eastern descent behaving in what one pilot called "stereotypical" behavior of an organized attempt to attack a plane.

[conserv13]

The men spoke in Arabic among themselves ... one of the men took his camera into the lavatory. Another took his cell phone.

It is possible to make a stun gun out of a disposible camera.

/tinfoil hat on

[Blzbba]

"What angers me is that the government knows this crap is going on and refuses to do a damm thing about it."


Except to spend $40 Billion of our tax dollars on "homeland security", while actually doing nothing to prevent these camel-jockeys from boarding the planes in the first place.

I said it on 9-12-01 and I'll say it again - this country doesn't have the stomach to do what is necessary to prevent terrorism in America, and this article is proof.

I just feel bad prematurely for the next victims of the predictable airplane hijacking/crashing.

[CJ Wolf]

That law has changed.

[Tarantulas]

Anthem Artists website showing Nour Mehana show date on July 1 at the Sycuan Casino & Resort:

http://www.anthemartists.com/AA_show_archives.html


Here's an album by the band:

http://www.almazaj.com/WMCshop.cgi?action=dbview&id=TMP1210


A page with some videos of the band:

http://hometown.aol.com/musicaxis/mehana.htm


From all the hits on Google about this band, they look fairly popular and they have at least two albums out. I suppose it's possible they could be a sleeper cell but it doesn't seem likely.

Someone in that blog I linked to commented that Muslims are supposed to pray something like 5 times a day, and they have to kneel down to do it. That would be one explanation for why all of them used the bathroom at different times.

[anonsquared]

Wondering how our government officials are protecting you, the flying public? The FARs state that the captain has the authority to deny boarding to anyone he choses for security reasons, yet the airlines are being fined right and left every time a flight crew does this. The not so subtle message - political correctness is more important than the safety of Americans or the ongoing viability of the airline industry as a whole. American Airlines fined for passenger profiling American Airlines has agreed to a $US1.5 million settlement in order to avoid further disciplinary action over post-September 11 incidents in which Arab, Muslim and South Asian passengers were illegally removed from American flights. The US Department of Transportation found the airline violated federal discrimination laws and has ordered it to "cease and desist." American Airlines also agreed to spend at least $US1.5 million over the next three years on civil rights training for its employees, particularly flight attendants and passenger service staff, who deal directly with the public, as part of the deal. In exchange, the Government has agreed to drop enforcement proceedings stemming from an investigation that found American Airlines guilty of violating anti-discrimination laws. The Texan-based carrier did not admit any violations. "Concerns about aviation security in the days following the September 11, 2001 attacks do not justify illegal discrimination against passengers," said US Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta in a statement. The Government reached a similar agreement with United Airlines in November 2003. American Arabs and Arab-American groups complained of widespread profiling of US Arabs following the hijacking of four planes by Arab men on September 11. http://www.optusnet.com.au/news/story/abc/20040302/17/business/1057330.inp

[jsraggmann]

What do you suggest we do if your 30min rule is applied to all flights? Maybe land at Newark instead of Philly? However, you are absolutely correct in stating that the passengers must become more proactive on the airplanes. The pilotos will NOT leave the cockpit except to use the lav. It's up to the F/As, PAX and LEOS to handle any situation in the cabin. Sounds like the bad guys are getting restless.

[mombonn]

I had a nightmare last night that I was being forced to take a vacation which would involve flying. I don't often remember dreams, but this one was vivid.

I'm glad it was just a dream.

[scab4faa]

Try watching mythbusters sometime. They proved that a bullet hole will do nothing to a plane and that it takes a big hole to do major damage to one. The bullet hole will not cause "catastrophic decompression".

[Sender]

Exactly, behavior like this should be cause for some serious grief to these guys, deportation if they're not citizens. Imagine if they caught a group casing a bank, taking photos of the vault doors, trying to break through the wall behind a mirror. It's even worse when an airplane full of people is involved.

[Amerimom2]

Muslims are supposed to pray something like 5 times a day, and they have to kneel down to do it if that was the case, prayers could be done kneeling at their seats. I doubt there is enough room to kneel in the bathroom unless your head is in the toilet.

[Sender]

What is it going to take?

We could do as Israel does and put a couple of deadly-serious, heavily armed soldiers on board the plane. One near the cockpit and one in back. The foo-foo travelling set would be horrified but so would terrorists.

[zeugma]

One shot through a window and that plane is gone. And, what's to stop some terrorist from bringing a gun on board?

I'm sure you'll get other replies about this, but that only happens in movies. Kinda like every car that has a fender-bender in movies erupts in a huge fireball. It's a liberal fantasy.

Arming every passenger who would like to be is the only sure way to stop hijackings from happening.

[Ciexyz]

The whole airline I'd fly is El Al.

[Sender]

Have you ever paid attention to the little presentation the flight attendant gives at the beginning of each and every US flight? The one where she demonstrates how to put on the oxygen mask "in the event of loss of cabin pressure"?

Loss of cabin pressure, as in what would happen if there were hole(s) in the airplane. We've planned ahead for holes in the plane for the past 40 years.

So go ahead boys, empty the magazine into those tangos and don't worry about little holes.

[Ciexyz]

A good read. I scrolled over their verious articles and decided the Wash Times is my kind of paper, so I signed up for updates at their website.

[Outlaw76]

"Someone in that blog I linked to commented that Muslims are supposed to pray something like 5 times a day, and they have to kneel down to do it. That would be one explanation for why all of them used the bathroom at different times."

Have you ever been on an Airline and entered the restroom? I don't think my kids could kneel on the floor. Last one I was on had room for my feet on the ground - turning was a chore. I suppose you could kneel on the toilet seat, but you couldn't choose the direction you were facing? (I believe they face the east when praying.) Also, Toilets are considered 'Unclean' and they certainly wouldn't be praying in an unclean place. No, they weren't using the restroom to pray...

[Ciexyz]

One of those flights was out of San Juan. The terrorists would love to take down a plane full of tourists on vacation.

[tahiti]

"One shot through a window and that plane is gone"

The facts do not support such a contention.

You may recall the United Airlines 747 that lost it's cargo door right behind the cockpit at 30,000 and 550 miles an hour.

It landed safely.

Your emotionally charged innuendo does not comport with aircraft engineering and survivability.

[Ciexyz]

The whole airline I'd fly is El Al.

Sorry, meant to say the ONLY airline I'd fly is El Al.

Shame they don't fly out of Pittsburgh.