[Verginius Rufus]

I don't know the answer to your question, but since the guy's first name is Michael I would guess he is of Lebanese Christian extraction.

Unless they meant he was planning to flee to Lebanon, Pennsylvania.

[AuH2ORepublican]

Barbar is also a Lebanese Christian name. I believe that it is the Arabic version of the Spanish name Barbaro, the masculine form of the more common Barbara (which is a common name among speakers of many languages, including English). Saint Barbara, the Catholic martyr, is particularly venerated among Arab Christians, including in Lebanon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_il-Burbara.

[PLMerite]

"Unless they meant he was planning to flee to Lebanon, Pennsylvania."

Yeah, if you get off the plane and the ground transport looks like this...