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.”
Here is the casino that hired the Syrian "musicians":
http://www.sycuancasino.com/
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 !
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
What are the odds that some political or strategic??? [crazy!] decision was made to poohpooh this story???
No one is saying her descriptions were false, this article confirms them! They can both be right here.
We are all following the crazy lady
I don't blame the victim for the assault.
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-
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.
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.
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!
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.
I think he meant that it pays to be overcautious. Perhaps if those people on that flight, they might still be alive
WELL PUT.
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!
VERY WELL PUT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE ALL THESE RESPONSES SENT TO THE HEAD OF THE AIRM MARSHALLS.
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
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