Part II: Terror in the Skies, Again? (New Story) Part II: Terror in the Skies, Again?

Women's Wall Street.com ^ | 7/19/04 | Annie Jacobsen

[jimbo123]

Last Tuesday morning, WomensWallStreet.com (WWS) published my first-person account of a recent Northwest Airlines flight that I took from Detroit to Los Angeles called Terror in the Skies, Again? A heads up about this article went out in our Daily Cents email -- our subscriber newsletter which primarily features financial tips and information for women.

On Wednesday morning, the WWS page views were unusually high, something like 10 times the normal amount. Apparently our readers had been emailing the article to their friends, family and colleagues and everyone was reading it.

By Thursday morning, that number had again multiplied ten-fold. It felt like the shampoo commercial from my youth: they told two friends, then they told two friends, then they told two friends. We sat in the WWS offices reading through your emails, taking stock of what you had to say. As the afternoon went on, the number of people reading the article continued to increase and the telephone was ringing off the hook.

And then a powerful thing happened. The mainstream media started calling.

The following statement was made by Daniel Drezner, an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, on his website danieldrezner.com:

I received a mass email linking to this disturbing first-person account by Annie Jacobsen... I can say that the e-mail sent to me and other bloggers was cc-ed to movers and shakers in the mediaspere -- Bill Keller, David Ignatius, George Will, Anne Applebaum, and Nicholas D. Kristoff. So they're certainly aware of the story... I'd like to see real journalists dig deeper into this.

Dig they did. NBC was the first major news outlet to contact WomensWallStreet. The producer I spoke with on the telephone said the FBI had confirmed that 14 Syrians were on the flight, they confirmed the details about what happened upon landing in Los Angeles, and they said that the accounts from the flight attendants regarding what happened during the flight matched the accounts given by me and my husband to the FBI after we landed.

Then I spoke with a producer from ABC. She explained that she could not get Dave Adams, Head of Public Affairs of the Federal Air Marshal Services (FAM), on the phone. So she asked me some of the questions that she had wanted to ask him: Where exactly did this band of 14 musicians play? What was the name of the band? Who booked the band and what kind of music did they play? Did anyone follow up and actually witness these 14 men performing at their desert casino gig? I had none of the answers, even though I had asked Adams these exact questions myself when we spoke last week. The ABC producer also asked me other questions which had crossed my mind after hanging up with Adams. Did I know anything about their return flight on JetBlue? Did the men go back to Syria? Did I believe FAM's story?

[stainlessbanner]

I will remain a little skeptical until the story gets someone other than the author confirming it.

Skeptical and vigilant.

[kanawa]

This is not confirmed but speculated upon in the previous thread

Music Group from Syria to Perform Concert for Peace Tour of U.S. in November

A Concert for Peace Tour is being planned for this November which will bring Together/Kulna Sawa, a well-known music group from Damascus, Syria, to American audiences. Kulna Sawa, which means "All of us together" in Arabic, combines the distinctive sounds of Middle Eastern music with the beat and style of American music for a unique sound like nothing you've ever heard before! Concerts are currently being planned in some 20 major cities around the U.S.

In the midst of the current tensions and conflict between East and West, the virtuoso musicians of Together/Kulna Sawa will use music, the universal language, as a way to build understanding and trust between Americans and the people of the Middle East. The tour is being sponsored by the Culture for Peace Program which is a part of the Royal Academy of Science International Trust (RASIT). RASIT is a non-governmental charitable organization which has been serving education and science since 1969. The Culture for Peace program of RASIT was formed in 1996 to create dialogue and understanding between East and West through cultural exchange to build respect for each other's culture.

The 11-member band is made up of highly accomplished young Christian and Muslim musicians from Syria. They have already made their mark on the Middle East music scene with their distinctive blend of the traditional Arabic music of their homeland and the new sounds and rhythms of American pop and jazz. They have recorded several very successful CD's and have performed internationally to enthusiastic audiences. During their U.S. tour, Together/ Kulna Sawa will be performing in both English and Arabic.

The Daily Star, an English-language newspaper in Beirut, Lebanon, said that Together/Kulna Sawa "is breaking new ground with their fusion of Western and Middle Eastern music styles." To read the complete feature article on the band in the Daily Star, click here. They have already been building bridges between cultures: among their highly successful concerts, they have recently performed jointly with an Irish group under the sponsorship of the British Council.

The tour builds upon a very well-received spring Concert for Peace tour of Dialogue, another group from Syria, which similarly offered American audiences an opportunity to hear a unique form of music and be part of an experience of bridge-building and peace-making between the Middle East and the U.S.

A website with more information about the November tour of Together/ Kulna Sawa including audio and video clips is under construction and will be available shortly. For more information:

Mel Lehman
Culture for Peace
310 Riverside Dr., #511
New York, NY 10025
(212) 865-6115
ML9612921@aol.com

The clarinetist played a gig in Rutherford, NJ on June 27th.

[Solson]

Thanks for this. That other thread is too damn long. :)

[Conspiracy Guy]

I don't want to argue with anyone. I merely contend that something with this story doesn't stack up.

When the building in Oklahoma City was blown up, I was in a room with 30 people during a meeting. I was the only person who disagreed that it was an attack by Middle Easterners.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I don't know why no one is allowed to say that I'm not so sure about this story.

[Solson]

PowerLineBlog also has information on the Iraqi Elvis who is touring with a 15 piece band. ABC has a story about him at http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world/2020/iraq030226_music.html . It says "On his latest U.S. tour, al Sahir will be accompanied by a 15-piece orchestra composed of Egyptian, Lebanese, Palestinian, Jordanian and Syrian musicians, many of whom have heard of but never played with the Iraqi musician before. "

[Conspiracy Guy]

Yes sir always vigilant. I will also avoid replying on any other threads about it rather than be labeled a Heretic.

[Dead Dog]

I don't understand their reaction either. I am assuming this did in fact happen, and the crew reacted as trained (based off info we don't have.)

I apologize for the flame, I've been PO'd about this since listening to her interview on KVI. Some lib. called in and trashed her with no real argument, simply defending his emotional need to defend multi-culturalism and Bush hatred.

[kanawa]

PowerLineBlog also has information on the Iraqi Elvis who is touring with a 15 piece band.

Ah thank you, thank you very much for that info.

Sorry couldn't resist

[Marysecretary]

It was noted that they were a 'peace band.' Knowing the peace weenies we have in this country, that alone would be suspicious (smile). Hmm. It gets curiouser and curiouser.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I can promise that the training does not include telling passengers that Air Marshalls are on board. Or telling a passenger that the Captain is worried.

I can believe she was scared. I would not have boarded the plane myself.

I have not ruled yes or no. I am waiting.

[Dead Dog]

Yah, if the FA did this, she probably is and should be concerned for her job. Although it would help keep men from defending their families, and therefor keep order in the cabin.

However, I can definately respect your skepticism. I don't think I would board the plane either.

BTW, what do you fly?

[Lady Heron]

btw, it seems pretty obvious she is going to be used to undermine the Administrations contention that we are in fact safer today than we were prior to 9/11.

That would be pretty stupid since her first article stated that her husband was told by the flight attendant that them men were being watched (studied) by several air marshals. Seems to me that this is much more than was being done before to 9-11.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I am only a private pilot with single engine land and seaplane ratings, with only 400 or so hours TT. I have a few flying buddies and friends who are ATP's. I do FLY commericially some but not as much as I did from 1985-1995 when I flew nationally and internationally weekly sometimes daily. Changed jobs due to being sick of being gone all the time.

I think the lady got scared. Reported her fear. The 14 checked out OK, suspicious but not carrying bomb materials etc. That wasn't enough for her so she used her forum to express her fears with "Terror In the Skies". IMHO, "Fear in the Skies", is a more accurate title. I'm through with this subject for today. Ping me to something less volatile ; )

Later

[Lady Heron]

If it is true, this has to be the dumbest flight crew on earth.

It was stated in the first article that there were air marshals on the flight watching them so just maybe the flight crew were told not to interfere so that the marshals could watch what they were trying to pull. I would think that the flight crew were told by the marshals that they would not let things get out of hand but they need to learn what new tactics the terrorist were trying to come up with.

[Conspiracy Guy]

The Air Marshalls would not want ANY passenger to know they were on board. I don't think the flight crew would tell the lady, Air Marshalls are all around you.

Like I keep saying, I don't buy this story as written.

[Solson]

air marshals are complaining because they're so easy to spot. Flight attendants are going to know whether air marshals are on board or not, imo.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Flight crews are supposed to know. But the general public is not supposed to know. Yes the dress code crap is insane. Wearing a suit on a mid-day Saturday flight is plain silly.

[windchime]

Thanks for the ping, tamsey!

Recent personal experience:

On a June international flight, there was no extraordinary screening at Heathrow by British Airways. (All airlines need to adopt the screening methods of El Al)

While waiting, we did our own profiling. One 'person of interest' was noted reading material in Arabic. (Had there been 14, as on Jacobsen's flight, we would NOT have boarded or would have gotten off) When we were boarded and seated, the 'person of interest' guy was next to me.

We tried to discern characteristics like 'cleanshaven', but he was wearing a long sleeved shirt with a sport jacket. His face was hairless and there was no noticeable hair on his hands. His age exceeded that of the usual suspects..probably about 50. He had no unusual packages or baggage. We remained on alert the entire flight, although he appeared to be napping most of the time.

He made one trip to the lavatory and we saw no exchange with other passengers. When approaching Tampa, the attendant distributed forms for non-citizens and customs....he was quick to decline, saying "I am an American citizen". The attendant explained that he still needed the customs declaration form. This exchange indicated to me either inexperience in international travel or defensive behavior (maybe both).

The plane landed safely.

We chose a direct flight both ways to eliminate the extra security concerns. Transfer from a "secure area" to another "secure area" does not require additional screening. Unfortunately, a direct flight isn't always available.

A flight last week included unusual security checks. In Knoxville, TN, sweater, camera case, shoes were "wiped" to determine the presence of explosives. No additional check was done within the "secure area" in the transfer to the flight from Atlanta to Tampa.

Increased methods of screening and/or profiling will get no complaints from me. I look forward to seeing Jacobsen on Scarborough tonight. I suspect she agrees.

[afraidfortherepublic]

The interesting thing is that the ME men took uncased cameras into the johns with them! What was the point? IF they weren't terrorists, were they pornographers?

And what was the full bag of McDonald's that came out of the john empty? Plastique? Or, a rotten hamberger that got flushed?