Unarmed Iranians Stage Protest on Plane ~ In Brussels

Las Vegas Sun ^ | March 10, 2005 at 8:44:06 PST | ASSOCIATED PRESS

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - A group of unarmed Iranians staged a protest aboard a Lufthansa jet at the Brussels airport Thursday, refusing to leave the plane and calling for the return of the monarchy in Iran, officials said.

"This is not a hijacking," said police spokeswoman Astrid Kaisen.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Good news here!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[Coop]

Good news here!

Not if you're a passenger on that flight.

[cripplecreek]

The cause is more or less a just cause but the methods are extremely dangerous.

[smith288]

Good news here!

Why?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

You like the Mullahs?

[DoctorMichael]

Inappropriate, given the venue..

[cripplecreek]

I'm not sure I like the idea of a monarchy but the last one was a whole heck of a lot better than what they have now.

[Larry Lucido]

Um, okay, but they might wanna get a permit next time. Or charter their own plane for a protest.

[smith288]

You like the Mullahs?

What does that have to do with it.

You think the ends justifies the means? How noble... as long as I agree, psuedo hijacking is fine by me! < /sarcasm>

[nikos1121]

Are they flying back to Iran? If so, Allah help them.

[F14 Pilot]

All types of protests among Iranian people are increasing these days.

That is a good sign!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

That was my thought....some here seem to have a different attitude,....which I find astounding!

[F14 Pilot]

Actually that is great because they use every opportunity to show their anger towards the current regime!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

An update, texkat has this on her daily thread;

*******************************************

Unarmed Iranians Stage Protest on Plane

53 minutes ago

Europe - AP

BRUSSELS, Belgium - A group of unarmed Iranians staged a protest aboard a Lufthansa jet at the Brussels airport Thursday, refusing to leave the plane and calling for the return of the monarchy in Iran (news - web sites), officials said.

The plane landed at Brussels International airport at 3 p.m. (9 a.m. EST) on a flight from Frankfurt, and the protesters stayed behind after most of the 59 passengers got off.

"This is not a hijacking," said police spokeswoman Astrid Kaisen.

"They are sitting on the plane and they don't want to come off," Kaisen said, adding police could not yet confirm the nationalities of the protesters.

She said police negotiators were talking with them.

"No force has been necessary and no extra security measures were taken," she said.

Christina Zia, who said her father called her on his cell phone from the plane, said they were supporters of the late shah and wanted to draw attention to Iran's problems.

"There are no weapons. This is nothing dangerous. They only want the world to see the problems, to see that Iran is not what the world sees today," said Zia, who spoke to The Associated Press by telephone from Germany.

The group had a letter for NATO (news - web sites) and refused to leave the plane until they are allowed to hand it over to the alliance, Zia said, adding that she did not know its contents.

She did not know how many people were with her father on the jetliner.

[TalonDJ]

Not sure what anyone could have against this. This is clearly civil disobedience and not terrorism.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

This is clearly civil disobedience and not terrorism.

Yes, and very mild civil disobience at that.....

[Coop]

Not sure what anyone could have against this. This is clearly civil disobedience and not terrorism.

Maybe you'd feel differently if you were waiting to board that flight... or a member of the flight crew... or a member of security... or an airline owner/manager losing revenue because of these self-centered jerks. They can get a permit and demonstrate peacefully just like anyone else.

[Reza2004]

Yeh, few months ago it might have been treated as high jacking. I think Europe is finaly getting the point.

[F14 Pilot]

Interesting event!