Posted on 01/03/2002 1:10:30 AM PST by kattracks
An Arab-American Secret Service agent assigned to protect President Bush has hired an attorney after being kicked off a commercial flight on Christmas Day, officials said yesterday.
The agent, whose name is being withheld for security reasons, was questioned about his identity before being barred from the American Airlines flight.
Civil rights attorney Christy Lopez of the Washington law firm Relman & Associates has taken the case, said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
The council has filed a civil rights complaint alleging the pilot ordered the armed agent off the plane only because he was an Arab-American.
Bush said last week that he would be "madder than heck" if his bodyguard was booted from the flight because of his ethnicity.
The American-Islamic group announced yesterday that a passenger who was sitting next to the agent on American Airlines Flight 363 has come forward alleging the agent was "kicked off the plane because of his race."
Secret Service spokesman Jim Mackin declined to comment.
American Airlines claims the pilot ordered the agent off the flight to Dallas-Fort Worth because his paperwork contained "inconsistencies."
"Why not? I mean, Indian Prime Minister Indira Ghandi kept her Sikh personal guard during all of the uprisings at Amritsar for political reasons. She didn't want to make it appear that she was singling out loyal Sikhs for political retribution or that she questioned the loyalty of her long-time ceremonial guard. That all worked out well, didn't it?
. . .(Historical note: Indira Ghandi was killed by her ceremonial Sikh guard during a period of turmoil over uprisings in the Sikh temple as Amritsar)" ###
Bump for Presidential Wisdom. . . 110 posted on 1/3/02 8:26 AM Pacific by
The law firm stated it is also representing other "Arab-Americans" who have been "discriminated against" by airlines, and that the pilot was rude, mean and unprofessional, and the agent did or said nothing wrong. So, here we go -- full circle, back to pre-9/11. What's next, passengers who subdue shoe bombers will be sued for battery? Will "Let's roll" become "Let's crawl"?, for the benefit of a minority, some members of which have sworn to annihilate us?
There may indeed be a grander plan behind this.
Anyone know what the status of this agent is?
Hey, OPH, on what knowledge do you base this allegation of racism? From the pilots I've spoken to, it's very very common for pilots [legally designated as the "Commanders in charge" of their aircraft] to deny LEOs the right to concealed carry aboard the aircraft if it isn't directly related to an on-duty assignment. Everything I've read about this case says that this is exactly what happened. The pilot reviewed the passenger manifest, found the SS agent with his declared firearm, and rightfully double-checked his credentials. Turning the agent away if he wasn't 100% assured of his bonafides was not just within the pilot's rights, but was his legal obligation in ensuring the safety of all passengers. You might not agreee with his decision, I might not agree with his decision. But it was his decision. Off duty LEOs are ordered to check their firearms or disembark commercial aircraft practically every day.
What's with this "racism" business? Did you sign up for the Jesse Jackson "Race Card" over the holidays or something?
Sorry, my mistake, and still correcting it. . .the agent is 'Arab-American'; the Coucil for American-Islamic Relations is making it all happen. . .
Apparently you think so, since you're bitching about the chief security officer of that airplane -- the captain -- being in charge of security.
"Is it too much to ask that security personnel at least be required to recognize the credentials of personnel vital to national security?"
What are they supposed to do when the guy f's up three times in a row when trying to fill out his credentials verifications forms? Call Miss Cleo? Who pays the 1-900 fee? You and me, that's who.
"Do you really think that the nation was made safer by harassing a Secret Service agent?"
Have you stopped beating your [wife|meat|whatever] yet?
Hmm, is he sure he wasn't actually trying to board a Northwest flight? :)
So are you implying that they are either racist (because they are "white"), or they are lying (because they are "white")?
, or a career Secret Service agent on assignment
If he is an Affirmative Action hire then he may not be qualified for the job -- in my professional career (computer consultant) I have seen the same thing many times. Considering his behavior on the flight, and subsequent response, he seems unfit for the position (IMHO). Considering the potential consequences of another terrorist attack, the pilot acted reasonably.
, trained to take a bullet
Considering the behavior and subsequent actions of this "agent", do you really think this guy would take a bullet for anyone? I doubt it.
, who happens to be ethnically Arab?
Ahhh...throwing out the race card -- typical.
He's taking action which will intimidate every pilot and airline employee ... and he's guarding our President!
Fire the bag of excrement!
A LEO who is too cocky or too stupid to correctly fill out a form delineating his rights and responsibilities in bringing a firearm aboard a commercial aircraft deserves to be turned away.
The AA executives may be lying, but we've also heard the pilot's side of the story. We also have evidence that the pilot was trying to confirm the proper credentials of the SS agent (thus the filling out of the three forms).
The evidence for the SS guy being an unqualified affirmative action hire is based on his behavior on the flight (couldn't fill out the forms correctly, belligerent), and all his subsequent actions (calling attention to the incident, going to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, getting a lawyer, and then holding a press conference).
Even if his actions on the flight are in dispute, look at everything he has done *since* getting booted. Do you really think that these are the actions of a fully qualified professional SS agent?
A LEO who is too cocky or too stupid to correctly fill out a form delineating his rights and responsibilities in bringing a firearm aboard a commercial aircraft deserves to be turned away.
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