[Unknowing]

My considered opinion based on the evidence is that this incident was deliberate, with the intent -- at least -- to probe and determine when air marshalls will respond. These musicians are pro-jihadist scum, without one reasonable doubt. Someone has to stand up and start the ball rolling in this kind of case; tell the foreign travellers to knock it off. Risk a fight, confront them.

[Junior_G]

The worst case scenario is that these guys were terrorists on a test-run (or aborted mission). The best case scenario is that they were a bunch of musicians that deliberately behaved suspiciously to frighten the passengers. Remember shortly after 9/11 when that woman in Florida called the authorities because she'd overheard some muslim men in a restaurant talking cryptically about some terrorist plot? The men had seen a white woman looking at them suspiciously, got ticked off and then intentionally started acting like they were up to something so as to scare her further. I would wager that there are a lot of jackasses like that.

What does not seem even remotely plausible to me is that these guys are just the victims of a huge misunderstanding.

[HiTech RedNeck]

My considered opinion based on the evidence is that this incident was deliberate, with the intent -- at least -- to probe and determine when air marshalls will respond.

The crew, with or without marshals, should have tied those "pranksters?" hand and foot, stowed them in the overhead bins, and delivered them to police when they arrived. If you can get busted in an airport for packing a more decorative than dangerous cake knife in your carry on luggage, there should be absolutely no humor bestowed upon shenanigans like this WHILE ON THE PLANE.

[Travis McGee]

I agree. This was a "probe."

[EmilyGeiger]

I agree. How often do we hear that Al Qaeda goes through several dry runs before they make a move. Obviously this was one.