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Air Marshals Say Passenger Overreacted (NW flight)
KFI News ^ | July 22, 2004 | Eric Leonard

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.”


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; US: California; US: Michigan; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: aircraft; airlinesecurity; airmarshals; airplane; anniejacobson; bathroom; bomb; expiredvisas; lamemarshals; musicians; syria; terror; terrorism; terrorists
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To: Dems_R_Losers

Here is the casino that hired the Syrian "musicians":

http://www.sycuancasino.com/


81 posted on 07/24/2004 5:27:49 PM PDT by jimbo123
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To: rwfromkansas
Incredibly selfish of the air marshals quoted in this piece.

Yup, sounds like a little CYA.

The musicians were allegedly during the flight. They said they were musicians during the flight.

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.

Well, Adams, hindsight is 20/20, huh? They didn’t know that at the time of the flight.

We are suppose to be vigilante but when we do we are overreacting !

82 posted on 07/24/2004 5:28:20 PM PDT by Lurking in Kansas (--waiting for something witty--)
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To: Lurking in Kansas
Guess not.


83 posted on 07/24/2004 5:28:20 PM PDT by jwalburg (Hatriots for Kerry)
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To: TomGuy
Per some reports, they also had purchased one-way tickets.

I purchased a one-way ticket yesterday; and got a full rectal exam. The whole security thing is such a joke!

Duh.

Maybe if one is planning to blow up a plane he could also buy a round trip ticket with a Saturday stayover? Or do the "Homeland Security" folks think that our adversaries are really that stupid?

(A simple interview, like the ones they do in England and Israel would have revealed to anyone who cared that my return flight from a nearby city was canceled and I was just scrambling to get home.)

ML/NJ

84 posted on 07/24/2004 5:28:57 PM PDT by ml/nj
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To: HostileTerritory

What are the odds that some political or strategic??? [crazy!] decision was made to poohpooh this story???


85 posted on 07/24/2004 5:28:57 PM PDT by Quix (PRAYER WARRIORS, DO YOUR STUFF! LIVES, SOULS AND NATIONS DEPEND ON IT)
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To: rwfromkansas
It wasn't a diatribe, I read it and didn't feel they insulted her person, only that their behavior unintentionally almost affected the flight. It's true that she was just one of the unpredictable and hard to read elements on that plane, and she should realize that now. It is also worth mentioning that the flight attendent who was sent to "calm her down" had the opposited effect when what she actually said was something like (paraphrasing) "we're all scared of these guys but don't worry, air marshalls are also watching." That would have confirmed to me that an incident might take place any instant, not calmed me down. Just one more unpredictable element.

No one is saying her descriptions were false, this article confirms them! They can both be right here.

86 posted on 07/24/2004 5:30:03 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog (~*-,._.,-*~Loves her hubbit~*-,._.,-*~)
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To: jimbo123
These details are not wanted.

We are all following the crazy lady

87 posted on 07/24/2004 5:31:23 PM PDT by Oztrich Boy ("Despise not the jester. Often he is the only one speaking the truth")
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To: John W

I don't blame the victim for the assault.


88 posted on 07/24/2004 5:33:56 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog (~*-,._.,-*~Loves her hubbit~*-,._.,-*~)
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To: Oztrich Boy

http://www.tampabaylive.com/stories/2004/04/040401fbi.shtml

FBI warns that terrorists might try to use arts, sports visas to enter U.S.

an Associated Press report 4/01/04 - updated 3:06 p.m.

WASHINGTON - U.S. officials have received intelligence indicating terrorists might attempt to slip into the United States using cultural, arts or sports visas, according to the FBI.

The bureau issued a bulletin to 18,000 state and local law enforcement agencies nationwide warning about the potential misuse of P-visas, one of several types granted by the State Department for people visiting the United States for artistic, cultural or athletic purposes.

Recent intelligence indicates that terrorist groups may be interested in exploiting cultural visa programs to infiltrate operatives and support network into the United States," says the bulletin, described Thursday to The Associated Press by a federal law enforcement official.

-snip-

Spies and defectors have in the past gained entry by tagging along with foreign sports teams or joining the entourages of famous performers.

-snip-


89 posted on 07/24/2004 5:36:08 PM PDT by jimbo123
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To: jimbo123; DeeJay
Yes. That story was in National Review. Here:Syrian Wayne Newton
90 posted on 07/24/2004 5:36:23 PM PDT by jwalburg (Hatriots for Kerry)
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To: Dems_R_Losers
Couldn't these Syrians have just called a casino, booked hotel rooms, and found out what band was playing that night and told the authorities they were that band?

You're right. These Syrians posed as the "Good Ole Boys". Jeesh. Get a grip. Don't forget that there are casinos with Arabic Pyramid themes with Arabic entertainment.... That's what Vegas does.... you can take little trips to The Middle East, Paris, the days of King Arthur, you name it.

91 posted on 07/24/2004 5:37:54 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog (~*-,._.,-*~Loves her hubbit~*-,._.,-*~)
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To: jwalburg

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/07/25/wfly25.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/07/25/ixworld.html

Concert promoters confirmed that some of his band had flown in on Northwest 327 but that the members did not remember anything unusual about the flight. Beyond that, the promoter said, he had been told by Homeland Security not to talk to the press.


92 posted on 07/24/2004 5:38:29 PM PDT by jimbo123
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To: HostileTerritory

There's nothing at all wrong with being vigilant, but the men were actually getting up to use the lavatory, and talking among themselves, fer heaven's sake!


93 posted on 07/24/2004 5:40:55 PM PDT by Cultural Jihad
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To: jimbo123

good post.

if anything had happened on that flight, they would have told us that those two US agencies weren't sharing that information, so they didn't know to check people with arts visas.


94 posted on 07/24/2004 5:42:53 PM PDT by oceanview
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To: glockmeister40
John Lindh Walker, Jose Padilla, and Richard Reid to the front of the line, please!
95 posted on 07/24/2004 5:43:27 PM PDT by Cultural Jihad
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To: HostileTerritory

I think he meant that it pays to be overcautious. Perhaps if those people on that flight, they might still be alive


96 posted on 07/24/2004 5:43:29 PM PDT by mel
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To: TomGuy

WELL PUT.


97 posted on 07/24/2004 5:44:13 PM PDT by Quix (PRAYER WARRIORS, DO YOUR STUFF! LIVES, SOULS AND NATIONS DEPEND ON IT)
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To: cubreporter

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!


98 posted on 07/24/2004 5:45:22 PM PDT by Quix (PRAYER WARRIORS, DO YOUR STUFF! LIVES, SOULS AND NATIONS DEPEND ON IT)
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To: atomicpossum

VERY WELL PUT.

I'D LIKE TO SEE ALL THESE RESPONSES SENT TO THE HEAD OF THE AIRM MARSHALLS.


99 posted on 07/24/2004 5:46:31 PM PDT by Quix (PRAYER WARRIORS, DO YOUR STUFF! LIVES, SOULS AND NATIONS DEPEND ON IT)
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To: Cultural Jihad

Don't forget about Ali Mohamed Almosaleh, arrested in the Minneapolis airport arriving from Syria via Amsterdam a few weeks ago with suicide attack plans:

http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/9226278.htm


100 posted on 07/24/2004 5:46:51 PM PDT by jimbo123
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