Posted on 07/24/2004 4:05:17 PM PDT by HostileTerritory
Undercover federal air marshals on board a June 29 Northwest airlines flight from Detroit to LAX identified themselves after a passenger, “overreacted,” to a group of middle-eastern men on board, federal officials and sources have told KFI NEWS.
The passenger, later identified as Annie Jacobsen, was in danger of panicking other passengers and creating a larger problem on the plane, according to a source close to the secretive federal protective service.
Jacobsen, a self-described freelance writer, has published two stories about her experience at womenswallstreet.com, a business advice web site designed for women.
“The lady was overreacting,” said the source. “A flight attendant was told to tell the passenger to calm down; that there were air marshals on the plane.”
The middle eastern men were identified by federal agents as a group of touring musicians travelling to a concert date at a casino, said Air Marshals spokesman Dave Adams.
Jacobsen wrote she became alarmed when the men made frequent trips to the lavatory, repeatedly opened and closed the overhead luggage compartments, and appeared to be signaling each other.
“Initially it was brought to [the air marshals] attention by a passenger,” Adams said, adding the agents had been watching the men and chose to stay undercover.
Jacobsen and her husband had a number of conversations with the flight attendants and gestured towards the men several times, the source said.
“In concert with the flight crew, the decision was made to keep [the men] under surveillance since no terrorist or criminal acts were being perpetrated aboard the aircraft; they didn’t interfere with the flight crew,” Adams said.
The air marshals did, however, check the bathrooms after the middle-eastern men had spent time inside, Adams said.
FBI agents met the plane when it landed in Los Angeles and the men were questioned, and Los Angeles field office spokeswoman Cathy Viray said it’s significant the alarm on the flight came from a passenger.
“We have to take all calls seriously, but the passenger was worried, not the flight crew or the federal air marshals,” she said. “The complaint did not stem from the flight crew.”
Several people were questioned, she said, but no one was detained.
Jacobsen’s husband Kevin told KFI NEWS he approached a man he thought was an air marshal after the flight had landed.
“You made me nervous,” Kevin said the air marshal told him.
“I was freaking out,” Kevin replied.
“We don’t freak out in situations like this,” the air marshal responded.
Federal agents later verified the musicians’ story.
“We followed up with the casino,” Adams said. A supervisor verified they were playing a concert. A second federal law enforcement source said the concert itself was monitored by an agent.
“We also went to the hotel, determined they had checked into the hotel,” Adams said. Each of the men were checked through a series of databases and watch-lists with negative results, he said.
The source said the air marshals on the flight were partially concerned Jacobsen’s actions could have been an effort by terrorists or attackers to create a disturbance on the plane to force the agents to identify themselves.
Air marshals’ only tactical advantage on a flight is their anonymity, the source said, and Jacobsen could have put the entire flight in danger.
“They have to be very cognizant of their surroundings,” spokesman Adams confirmed, “to make sure it isn’t a ruse to try and pull them out of their cover.”
I certainly *hope* that's all it is. The other possible explanation is that he's actively trying to ridicule people into being more indecisive and passive the next time they see something that could possibly be a terrorist act in progress.
I agree. What's with Bush appointing Mineta anyway, is he a token Democrat just so Bush can claim a non-partisan cabinet? Mineta was a very liberal CA congressman in his other life if my memory is correct. A very unwise choice for such an important post IMO.
This PC racial profiling nonsense will be the death of many more Americans before this thing is over I'm afraid. I would like to ask Mineta one question, which is more important, not "offending" innocent ME appearing passengers or the lives of perhaps thousands of Americans? Sometimes I wonder if there is any shred of common sense at all inside the DC beltway.
In all seriousness, I have stated that being vigilant is fine. Being a vigilante is not.
Cool! All I have is a Louisville slugger under the bed.
I guess everyone thinks your mace is just a nice decorative touch.
Come to think of it, I have a ceremonial machete hanging in the den. But I don't think it's ever been sharpened.
Good point.
The "rest" of the story?
Oh, right.
It doesn't seem there is any common sense to me...I saw me types breezing though the security checks while they searched senior citizens. We are not safe...some people on this thread say they wouldn't blow up one plane then what was the shoe bomber planning? I keep hearing from Al Quada, Hamas etc that they plan to bring intifada to this country. I mean terrorists were plotting to blow up a mall in Ohio for goodness sakes! Unfortunately, we live in interesting times. I rmemeber this holocost survivor- a woman- one of my parents friends. I think about her sometimes. Her husband died, and we all felt terrible. She said, "it is a gift to die in your own bed surrounded by those you love and who love you. It was his time, and it was a good death". I didn't understand at the time what she meant. I do now. It is a gift to get up every morning and plan your day-secure in the knowledge that some horrible fate will not befall you: like being shot, getting on plan that blows up etc. I do not know how the Israelis have lived with terror every day for so many years, and I hope I never find out.
This is certainly possible. It would make sense. I still think that plane that went down in Queens was brought down and I think it is a miracle that people on the ground were not killed.
Precisely! They ignore any explanation other than that which feeds the preconceived notion.
Finally someone agrees with me! I was flamed so much about this story, I thought I had lost my mind!
>> Go watch MTV. Or Fox. Whatever. Just sit down and shut up.
>>Everythings taken care of.
Oh, look! Another 'Missing, Attractive Pregnant Woman'. Maybe we can have 4 more hours of coverage on it tonight. And Tomorrow and the next day ... what was that about a NW air flight again?
I learned later that the marshals went into the restroom after each of them (MEs) had been in there. Didn't hear that initially. To answer your question, I'm not sure. They're supposed to be the experts. I don't think I would have let these people go quite so easily. The MEs should have realized they were causing a disturbance and that alone serves to tic me off. I'm disturbed that these "foreign devils" seem to rate more consideration than the average American citizen.
I freely admit to not having the answers. "Don't fly" is my best option for now!
And what's with comparing this to Richard Reid? Last time I checked he actually HAD A BOMB IN HIS SHOE. If these 14 guys were actually found to be doing something illegal then I'd agree with the comparison.
This "musical group" (quotes because it seems mandatory here) was never found to have anything or done anything illegal by:
Air marshals
Airport security
Flight attendants
FBI
Debunker who found that they actually were a musical group scheduled to play.
Now, taken individually these things might not be enough evidence for you. But all together? Two of the groups (Air marshals and Flight attendants) lives were also in danger if, in fact, these Arabs were terrorists. Does their word just not matter here?
This conspiracy theory is getting a little far fetched. If these guys are terrorists your going to have put up a little more evidence than a freaked out reporter. If you accuse someone of something as serious as this then your going to have to have better evidence than the Synchronized Arab P*ssing Team. How about ties to Al Queda? Or maybe even a good ole, "DEATH TO AMERICA, ALLAHU AKBAR!".
All these guys were found guilty of was expired visas. Apparently the visas had been expired for three weeks? Great, deport them. 14 more Arabs people wont have to freak out about.
I guess until a plane actually goes down, for example had Reid had a better match - people like you won't start taking this seriously.
watch COPS any night of the week - more force, even deadly, is used on suspects in $100 drug buys or even traffic offenses. Yes, the air marshalls should have handcuffed a few of these guys who were acting suspiciously - and if any of the other 14 had challenged them while they were doing it, shoot one of them. until something like that happens, the terrorists will know that they have a wide berth regarding their behavior on planes, all in the name of tolerance for Muslims, and when the real attacks comes, they will know they can beat the system.
Actuallity is a matter of timing. That "nothing happened" wasn't determinable during the course of a flight that did NOT have to be so fearful.
Say. Did you know that if a punch occurs at just the wrong time -- even the most well trained person may receive a mortal punch? Houdini died.
Even though he was fully prepared.
The scariest nothing that happened was the inaction by the crew and marshalls during the flight. No one had to be hurt or "shot" -- just told to sit down in this seat over here.
That minimal level of REAL precaution was absent.
All 1.6 billion want us dead?
That's exactly how I feel and precisely what I do. If there are more than 2 or 3 arabs on the plane that are in "that age range", I walk.
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