Airline Incident Unreported - The Sequel

This document just came across the transom from Michael Sherbourne of Great Britain.

—————————————————————————————-

It is quite clear to me that the authorities in the USA do not know how to deal with the situation especially with one of the terrorist-supporters in control in the White House.  Very much the same situation exists here in Britain, with the government, the police, the church, the magistrates, the judges and local governments, all so afraid of upsetting the Muslim extremists, that they are, in effect, inviting them to take over the country and impose Sharia Law.  It is the Age of Appeasement of the 1930s all over again. They will not learn until it is too late.  The Three (now Four) Brass Monkeys, as before: Don’t Hear, Don’t See, Don’t Talk and now Don’t Think Any Evil. And the new Republican Majority in Congress is afraid of its own shadow!

2010/12/23 Barbara Oberman Katz [email protected]

WINSTON MID EAST ANALYSIS & COMMENTARY, December 22, 2010 Email: [email protected].  Please disseminate and re-post. If you publish, send us a copy.  Many of our articles appear on www.freeman.org, JewishIndy.com & gamla.org.il/english. Outgoing mail is virus-checked.  To be removed from this list, please send your Email address.

CLUES TO IMMINENT TERROR ATTACK ON AMERICA? By Emanuel A. Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentary

December 22, 2010 ADDENDUM to Dec. 9, 2009:  AirTran #297 flight, November 17, 2009 was only one of many where it appeared as if certain people were ‘probing’ America’s air travel security for weaknesses.  Today’s TV news reported that “American Muslims are being radicalized.” “Young Muslims have been drawn to Terrorism.”  U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder warned of “new Terror threats in the U.S.” this morning.  However, U.S. Senator Keith Ellison, a Muslim, claims such statements amount to ‘McCarthyism.’

But, what if these events are true? Must we wait for another 9/11 before we act to find, control and prevent Terror attacks in America?  Have US Defense mechanisms missed or minimized the clues of a coming attack?  Would such self-defense be ‘McCarthyism’?

December 7, 2009:

Passenger(s) on Cell Phone(s) Delay AirTran Flight #297 = Terrorism?

forwarded without commentary by Emanuel A. Winston, Middle East Analyst & Commentator

“I, Gene Hackemack, received this email from my good friend Tedd Petruna, a diver at the NBL facility [Neutral Buoyancy Lab], at NASA Houston, whom I used to work with. Tedd happened to be on this same Flt.297. Atlanta to Houston.  In my opinion, the Muslims are all getting very brave now, since they have one of their own in the White House……read Tedd’s story below.

Semper Fi  Gene Hackemack
PS….can you imagine, our own news media now are so politically correct that they are afraid to report that these were all Muslims…unbelievable. Thank God for people like Tedd Petruna.”

A. Gene Hackemack  979-251-2310 cell & home  buttonbox01@gmailcom
8725 Hwy 290 W  Brenham TX 77833
From: Petruna, Tedd J. (JSC-DX12) [RAYTHEON TECHNICAL SERVICES COMPANY]
Sent: Friday, November 27, 2009 11:32 AM
Subject: Long story short….

“One week ago, I went to Ohio on business and to see my father. On Tuesday, November the 17^th, I returned home. If you read the papers the 18^th you may have seen a blurb where a AirTran flight was cancelled from Atlanta to Houston due to a man who refused to get off of his cell phone before takeoff. It was on Fox.

This was NOT what happened. I was in 1^st class coming home. 11 Muslim men got on the plane in full attire. 2 sat in 1^st class and the rest peppered themselves throughout the plane all the way to the back. As the plane taxied to the runway the stewardesses gave the safety spiel we are all so familiar with. At that time, one of the men got on his cell and called one of his companions in the back and proceeded to talk on the phone in Arabic very loudly and very aggressively. This took the 1^st stewardess out of the picture for she repeatedly told the man that cell phones were not permitted at the time. He ignored her as if she was not there.

The 2^nd man who answered the phone did the same and this took out the 2^nd stewardess. In the back of the plane at this time, 2 younger Muslims, one in the back, isle, and one in front of him, window, began to show footage of a porno they had taped the night before, and were very loud about it. Now they are only permitted to do this prior to Jihad. If a Muslim man goes into a strip club, he has to view the woman via mirror with his back to her. (Don’t ask me. I don’t make the rules, but I’ve studied.) The 3^rd stewardess informed them that they were not to have electronic devices on at this time. To which one of the men said “shut up infidel dog!” She went to take the camcorder and he began to scream in her face in Arabic. At that exact moment, all 11 of them got up and started to walk the cabin. This is where I had had enough! I got up and started to the back where I heard a voice behind me from another Texan twice my size say “I got your back.” I grabbed the man who had been on the phone by the arm and said“you WILL go sit down or you Will be thrown from this plane!” As I “led” him around me to take his seat, the fellow Texan grabbed him by the back of his neck and his waist and headed out with him. I then grabbed the 2^nd man and said, “You WILL do the same!” He protested but adrenaline was flowing now and he was going to go. As I escorted him forward, the plane doors open and 3 TSA agents and 4 police officers entered. Me and my new Texan friend were told to cease and desist for they had this under control. I was happy to oblige actually. There was some commotion in the back, but within moments, all 11 were escorted off the plane. They then unloaded their luggage.

    We talked about the occurrence and were in disbelief that it had happen, when suddenly, the door open again and on walked all 11!! Stone faced, eyes front and robotic (the only way I can describe it). The stewardess from the back had been in tears and when she saw this, she was having NONE of it! Being that I was up front, I heard and saw the whole ordeal. She told the TSA agent there was NO WAY she was staying on the plane with these men. The agent told her they had searched them and were going to go through their luggage with a fine tooth comb and that they were allowed to proceed to Houston. The captain and co-captain came out and told the agent “We and our crew will not fly this plane!” After a word or two, the entire crew, luggage in tow, left the plane. 5 minutes later, the cabin door opened again and a whole new crew walked on.

Again..This is where I had had enough!!! I got up and asked “What the hell is going on!?!?” I was told to take my seat. They were sorry for the delay and I would be home shortly. I said “I’m getting off this plane”. The stewardess sternly told me that she could not allow me to get off. (Now I’m mad!) I said “I am a grown man who bought this ticket, whose time is mine with a family at home and I am going through that door, or I’m going through that door with you under my arm!! But I am going through that door!!” And I heard a voice behind me say “so am I”. Then everyone behind us started to get up and say the same. Within 2 minutes, I was walking off that plane where I was met with more agents who asked me to write a statement. I had 5 hours to kill at this point so why the hell not. Due to the amount of people who got off that flight, it was cancelled. I was supposed to be in Houston at 6pm. I got here at 12:30am.

Look up the date. Flight 297 Atlanta to Houston.

If this wasn’t a dry run, I don’t know what one is. The terrorists wanted to see how TSA would handle it, how the crew would handle it, and how the passengers would handle it.

I’m telling this to you because I want you to know.

The threat is real. I saw it with my own eyes.”

-Tedd Petruna

A. Gene Hackemack  979-251-2310 cell & home  [email protected]

8725 Hwy 290 W  Brenham TX 77833

***

WINSTON MID EAST ANALYSIS & COMMENTARY        December 9, 2009 Email: [email protected] Please disseminate & re-post. If you publish, send us a copy.  Many of our articles appear on www.gamla.org.il/english, freeman.org & JewishIndy.com Outgoing mail is virus-checked.  To be removed from this list, please send your Email address

Dear Roger Aronoff, Accuracy in Media & David,

You claim the Snopes “investigation” is correct, because they claim that the AirTran says this “guy” wasn’t on the flight.  No, he wasn’t.  He got off because the plane wasn’t safe with 11 or 12 Muslims acting like rowdies and the TSA not exerting decent security precautions – like arresting those 12.   Petruna took the next flight.

REPORTS THAT THIS MIGHT BE AN “URBAN LEGEND”

That is possible but, there are some elements that put the AirTran, the various Media sources and the Snopes contradiction in doubt.

1.  I don’t really believe the self-serving denials by AirTran spokesman, Christopher White told The AtlantaJournal-Constitution.

2.  AirTran told the Media, therefore, the Media’s stories are also suspect.

3.  Snopes is basically a well-meaning research team of husband and wife but, does that make them correct?

4.  The eye-witness, Petruna, Tedd J. (JSC-DX12) [RAYTHEON TECHNICAL SERVICES COMPANY] has an impressive “bona fides” and has a believable story.  If AirTran wants to cover-up the stupidity and lack of security of and by its staff, and fool the Media, that’s easy to do.  But, why would Snopes back them up?  It does require some more investigation, but I am suspicious.

5.  FoxNews is usually believable but, they took their story from AP (Associated Press) which is owned by it 1,500 U.S. daily newspapers, was founded in 1846, is today the largest source of independent news and information.   What makes their assertion correct?

6.  AirTrans revealed that the TSA: Transportation Security Administration/Federal Aviation Administration would not handle the incident and was not on board.

7.  The Snopes article gives full credence to an AP news account and a fuller article by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoting a woman passenger Nancy Deveikis of Marietta, who sat behind the man.   Deveikis said it wasn’t a phone at all but a camera. [Today’s cell-phones are also cameras - both still and camcorder.] Not recognizing this little icon of today’s technology shows that she is either ignorant or not credible.  Deveikis said the man [with the camera/phone] was flying with others scattered around the plane.   None of the news accounts of the Flight 297 say that members of the group screaming insults.

8. Another quoted witness was a Chaplain Robinson who missed the first attempted take-off of #297 but was on it when it finally took off with the Muslim trouble-makers.  I spoke with him for about 3 hours.  He was outspoken in favor and support of the incident as Mr. Petruna described it because he spoke with the stewardesses, saw the anxious behavior of the remaining passengers and got the inside information about what occurred earlier in the evening that caused AirTran to abort the first take-off of #297 and the de-boarding of many original passengers, the first crew including the captain, pilots, stewardesses.

Therefore, either AirTrans’ statement is incorrect and the news reports are correct that said: “12 men of Middle Eastern appearance stood up and began dancing and singing in an Arabic dialect.  They refused to be seated,…” etc.  OR!

ADDENDUM, December 11, 2009:

Flight 297 on November 17, 2009, has many stories.  Some say the first story that was published on the Internet: the letter by Tedd Petruna, sent out by his friend, Gene Hackemack, created a firestorm.  Many said it was a hoax or an Urban Legend.  If you call it names, the story is then discredited.  But, what if it is true and more people start writing about what they saw? AND THEY DID… A CAUTIONARY TALE: Posted on JewishIndy.com Saturday, December 12 @ 21:54:01 EST

A CAUTIONARY TALE:   REBUTTAL OF AirTran DENIAL & CHARGES OF HOAX OR “URBAN LEGEND” by Emanuel A. Winston MidEast Analyst & CommentatorDecember 12, 2009

Dear Friends, This is long but very illuminating.  We received 9 responses on Dec. 9th to the eye-witness report of Tedd Petruna sent by Glenn Hackemack that “it was an urban legend” & “Snopes said it was a hoax”.   For that reason, we probed more deeply and revealed the following 4 separate stories.  WINSTONS

See four stories below:

1. Flight 297 Passenger:Incident Bigger Than AirTran Claims  Posted December 7, 2009 6:13 pm EST by by WSBTV.com 

ATLANTA — Rumors continued to circulate Monday via e-mail and the Internet about what exactly happened on an AirTran flight at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in November.

At the time, AirTran told Channel 2 Action News that an unruly passenger on a cell phone forced the pilot to take the plane back to the gate. Monday, a passenger said the situation went well beyond that.

“It was extremely intense. I’ve never experienced anything like that,” said passenger Brent Brown.

Brown runs a security consultant company and is a frequent flier. But even for him, he said the events of Flight 297 were disturbing and frightening. As the Houston-bound flight taxied to the runway, several in a group of about a dozen men of Middle Eastern descent started walking the aisles and using their cell phones, Brown said.

RAW VIDEO:Flight 297 Passenger Talks About AirTran Incident:  Flight 297 Passenger: Incident Bigger Than AirTran Claims 

Brown said he could tell from the flight attendants’ actions that the situation was more than just a single passenger misbehaving.

“This was a big step ahead of that. You could tell that they were distressed and that they were getting very much uncooperative people in the back,” said Brown.“So when the pilot turned the plane around, not only was I not surprised I was proud that he had made that effort to secure the cabin.”

Back at the gate, Brown said the situation did not improve. He said he was sitting toward the front and he never saw law enforcement enter the plane. He also said that no one informed passengers of what was going on.

“They weren’t speaking to us. And they didn’t speak to us at all for at least an hour. Our only interaction was with the crew that was already upset at the way they were obviously being handled,” said Brown.

Within days, the incident went viral on the Internet which prompted news coverage. Internet rumor control sites seemingly couldn’t make heads or tails of the incident. AirTran responded by posting an article that called most of the claims an “urban myth.”

“And then after the fact, when (AirTran) apparently issued a statement that says, in effect, that this was a customer service issue or someone was on the phone…they’re dead wrong,” said Brown.

The crew, including the pilots, decided not to continue with the flight. Brown said AirTran put about 10 of the 12-man group back on the plane with a new crew. Most of the original passengers chose not to re-board and instead got on a different flight.

Because of privacy laws, the airline would not identify any of the men involved in the November incident.

An AirTran spokesman called the incident “isolated” and said the airline considers the case closed. Copyright 2009 by WSBTV.com. All rights reserved.

2.  Canada Free Press “Planned and choreographed” incident similar to USAir Flight 300    Security incident aboard AirTran Flight 297 suggests terror “Dry Run” By Doug Hagmann, founder of the Northeast Intelligence Network & can be reached at <[email protected]>

On November 17, an incident took place aboard AirTran Flight 297 scheduled to fly from Atlanta Hartsfield Airport to Houston that the media does not want to cover and everyone from the airline to the TSA and other government agencies want to keep very quiet.

The reasons, I have been told, is fear of predatory lawsuits, negative publicity from accusations of religious profiling, and the obligatory subjugation to mindless mandatory Muslim sensitivity training that make a mockery of our American system of values. Interestingly, one airline official told me “we don’t want to become another flight 300,”which is a reference to a very similar scenario that took place aboard US Airways Flight 300 exactly three years ago.

I was first contacted about this incident two days after it happened by a passenger who was aboard AirTran Flight 297. Based on the allegations made by this passenger, we conducted additional research, interviews and investigation, all of which takes time to insure accuracy, and are now able to release our report of the incident that took place aboard that aircraft. Be prepared to be shocked, angered, and perhaps saddened by our national and corporate acquiescence to mafia-type tactics by Islamists who are engaged in a full frontal assault, and laughing about it.

Unsurprisingly, the facts we developed during the course of our investigation are inconsistent with those being reported in the media, despite the media having the responsibility to report the truth.

THE INCIDENT

A group of thirteen men dressed in traditional Muslim attire were among 73 passengers who boarded AirTran Flight 297 on Tuesday, 17 November 2009, a routine flight scheduled to depart Atlanta Hartsfield Airport, gate C-16 at 4:43 PM ET to Houston Hobby Airport. Reports developed by this investigator found two witnesses who observed direct interaction among all of these Muslim men at the terminal.

 As the passengers boarded the aircraft, two of the Muslim men took seats in first class, while the remaining eleven were seated throughout the remaining rows of the aircraft. Most had carry-on bags that they stowed in the overhead compartments above their seats.

 As the aircraft began to taxi to the runway, a female flight attendant was beginning to issue the normal passenger advisories over the PA system. Almost on cue at the time passengers were told to turn off all electronic devices, one of the Muslim men seated in the front of the plane began to use his cell phone in a manner that was described by a flight attendant and passenger “as deliberate and obvious.”  He was talking loudly in Arabic, nearly at the level of the flight attendant. Some reports suggest that this man actually called another Muslim passenger, although this has not been immediately confirmed. It is possible, however, as another passenger reported that a Muslim man seated toward the rear of the plane answered his cellular phone at the same time the man in the front began using his.

 At this point, the flight attendant in the front of the plane approached the Muslim man using his telephone and instructed him to immediately turn it off. A second female flight attendant did the same at the rear of the aircraft. Concurrent with this cellular activity, two other Muslim men seated adjacent near the middle of the aircraft began operating what one passenger described as a palm type camcorder, ostensibly to view previously taken footage. It is possible, according to one flight attendant interviewed by this investigator, however, that the camcorder was being used for recording purposes. Whatever its use, a third flight attendant, aware of the incidents taking place in the front and rear of the aircraft, approached the two men for the purpose of securing the camcorder.  At least two passengers reported that the men became abusive to the flight attendant and initially refused to comply with her request.

 It was at this time that most of the passengers began to notice the multiple incidents involving over a dozen men dressed in Islamic attire. Next, as if previously rehearsed, at least ten of the 13 Muslim men aboard the aircraft began to leave their seats at the same time. At least one passenger stated she observed one of the Muslim passengers using his cell phone to take photos of other passengers on the aircraft, while one other Muslim passenger sang loudly in Arabic. According to information provided to this investigator from one of the flight crew who was alerted to an onboard emergency, the aircraft was now being taxied back to the terminal. The TSA, FAA and FBI were notified.

AT THE TERMINAL

Once back at the terminal, the thirteen men were escorted from the aircraft by TSA and security officials. According to a report from an airline security official, their baggage was also removed and searched, the search finding nothing of apparent danger. According to a law enforcement official interviewed by telephone by this investigator on Monday, investigation revealed that all of the Muslim passengers are acquainted with each other and are associated with (or have ties to) a large Islamic center that has been the subject of investigative interest.

According to one aircraft passenger I interviewed, what happened next was “unbelievable” and caused a great deal of upset among the aircraft passengers and flight crew (some who opted off the flight in anger, fear, or admittedly, a mixture of both emotions).

After a lengthy delay while officials dealt with these Muslim passengers, ten (one uncorroborated report suggests 11) of the Muslim passengers were permitted to re-board the same aircraft to complete their flight. Some passengers and flight crew, traumatized by the blatant actions of the Muslim passengers, refused to travel with the Muslims who caused this orchestrated disturbance.

FLIGHT CONTINUES

According to flight logs and information from one of the flight crew who continued with the flight, AirTran 297 ultimately departed Atlanta and arrived in Houston later that evening. The flight, however, was not without its curious incidents by the very same Muslim men who caused the initial delay and disturbance.

 During the flight, one passenger interviewed by this investigator described the behavior of two of the Muslim passengers as less overt but still suspicious in nature. Without apparent legitimate purpose, one Muslim passenger moved a stowed bag from one part of the aircraft to another, well away from his seated position. Another spoke loudly in Arabic, with all appearing to interact in one form or another. Ultimately, the flight landed safely and despite the early incidents in Atlanta, the Muslim passengers appeared able to leave freely from the terminal.

COMMENTS FROM FLIGHT CREW & AIRLINE PERSONNEL

As initially stated, proper and accurate investigation takes time to corroborate eyewitness accounts, which are often unreliable, contra-indictive and in cases like this, colored by emotion.  Having interviewed a total of seven-(7) individuals directly involved in this incident over the last several days, including two law enforcement officers who handled the after action reports, the situation pertaining to the initial 13 and remaining 10 or 11 Muslim men allowed to continue their travels was far greater than an incident involving the unauthorized use of a cell phone that resulted in a minor flight delay, as reported by the mainstream media.

 According to one airline security official, “This was a deliberate, well planned attempt to disrupt a domestic flight that was organized in advance of the boarding of these [Muslim] passengers. The purpose of their actions appeared to be multi-faceted, not the least of which was an attempt to change their status from passengers to victims of religious profiling. The situation was handled in a manner that we believe might have avoided an incident like USAir had in 2006, where everyone from the passengers who reported suspicious behavior to the airline was subjected to legal action by the Muslim passengers.”

 While litigation might have been avoided, passengers and flight crew remain traumatized, and our air travel system was unnecessarily disrupted during one of the busiest air travel weeks in the U.S. The agenda of the Islamists behind this incident is clear, yet no one in the media seems to have the desire to expose these ideological cretins for what they are.

3. Air Tran Flight 297 Incidentby Chaplain Dr. Keith A. Robinson

Air Tran Airways Flight 297 was scheduled to leave Atlanta at 4:43PM in route to Houston Hobby Airport. Because of my position as Corps Commander of the Houston Regional Community Chaplain Corps, I frequently wear my Chaplain jacket as I travel. Like some sort of heavenly magnet, the Chaplain jacket invites discussion with a wide variety of people who are struggling with issues in need of a comforting ear. My connecting flight was late and the door to the jet way closed prior to my boarding. So, even though I was rescheduled on a much later flight far from C-16 I settled down with a newspaper and only 1/4th of my remaining cell phone battery.

While waiting at the distant gate, I noticed on the scheduling monitors that Flight 297 had returned to gate C-16 and was scheduled to leave at 5:45PM. I hurried back to gate C-16 in hopes of boarding my original flight after it strangely returned to the gate.

Upon arriving at the gate I noticed that there was a look of solemn concern on the faces of the gate attendants. I asked if I could get on flight 297 when they returned to the gate. Their faces indicated a distinct level of stress that let everyone in the seating area knew that there was a problem on board. When I approached them a few moments later I said, “I am a Chaplain. Is there some way that I can be of help?” They said, “No.” Obviously, an event had occurred that they would not talk about.

Over the next thirty minutes officials from AirTran started arriving at the gate, flashing their badges and going down to the plane. After 6-7 officials exited the door, suddenly it flew open and 12-15 people from the flight hurried off the plane. Anger and fear was etched on their faces as they jerked their carry-on and tore into their computer bags to schedule another flight out of Atlanta.

One gentleman confronted the gate agent demanding his luggage be removed from the flight. As I spoke to him he related that when Flight 297 left the concourse the first time it began taxiing to take off when approximately 12 men of Middle Eastern appearance stood up and began dancing and singing in an Arabic dialect. They refused to be seated when directed to do so by the flight attendants. Then, the singing stopped and some of the men took out their cell phones and began taking pictures of the other individual passengers. Again, the men were ordered to be seated by the flight crew and refused while continuing to take their pictures. Next, the de-boarded passenger related that a few of the men gestured with imaginary guns as their fingers, indicating with their triggering action that they would shoot the people on the plane.

The flight crew declared an emergency and the plane returned to the concourse. The 12 men were taken to another area of the airport and questioned. It is my understanding that their luggage was removed and checked. Then, ten of the men were allowed to get back on the plane. That’s when the 12-15 passengers decided that they wanted to get off that plane and take other flights. This ordeal had gone on approximately 2 hours to this point.

With much concern I was allowed to go down the jet way to the plane. There I encountered a man claiming that he was from Homeland Security to assess the situation. I related to the Homeland Security man about the claims of the photos and the shooting hand gestures related by the first man to exit the plane and I told him that I was a Senior Chaplain familiar with Critical Incident Response and would wait to help him should the passengers need my help. He said, “Thanks.”

The flight crew hurriedly walked past me leaving the plane with their baggage. The flight attendants were emotionally shaken, red faced, in tears and were sobbing. A new flight crew was ordered for the flight. All remaining passengers awaited their next crew, unsure of the ultimate destiny of this flight.

When I boarded the plane the air was tense and filled with emotion. Many of the passengers were obviously upset and at wits end. Often passengers would look back then forward to assess any change in the suspicious activities of the 10 hostile Middle Eastern passengers. Although my seat was 22D I moved to the back of the plane to gain a better view of any actions that might take place in front of me. Some of the Middle Eastern men were in the Business Class area and the remainder was seated in the back of the plane. They spoke only Arabic and I did not understand what they were saying although a strange burst of laughter would erupt as they spoke.

I struggled to see if these men were merely tragically toying with the emotions of the other American passengers or if they intended to do more. I calmed the new flight attendants and told them where I would be seated if they or any of the other passengers needed me.

I asked the flight attendant if she did or did not know whether we had an Air Marshal on the plane. She said that they were never told when one was on board. I prayed for the peace to handle whatever might happen on the flight but kept my eyes peeled forward for any suspicious movements.

One of the other passengers in mid-plane grew restless and began to show signs of rising agitation. He got up from his chair looked back and then to the front of the plane and paced back and forth between three to four rows. I prayed that he would not become violent with some of the men but then he quickly sat down and remained quiet until the end of the flight. One hour into the flight thankfully nothing had happened. The outer skin of Flight 297’s body must have radiated with prayers ascending into heaven from the passengers…and the one Chaplain at the back of the plane. Each of the Middle Eastern men remained quiet but frequently went into the overhead compartments to retrieve what appeared to be electronic devices and other packages from their backpacks. I was thankful when the men in the back of the plane appeared to nod off into a harmless sleep.

One of the 10 men from Business Class came back to retrieve a box marked as a Mac Notebook. He brought it to the front of the plane and put it in third compartment on the left of the plane. There must have been four or five airline pilots in uniform on board making connecting flights through Hobby Airport in Houston. One of the pilot passengers moved the Mac Notebook box to another overhead area without anyone observing the new distant hiding place for his package.

Finally, the pilot announced that we were only 285 miles from Houston and under an hour of time to go. Still nothing happened. The flight attendants appeared to be calming down but the heads of passengers periodically bobbed forward and back, still watching for activity from the men.

Obviously, in Atlanta the officials from Air Tran had been placed in a difficult ethnic position that directly resulted from the inappropriate, threatening actions of these 12 Middle Eastern men. And, obviously vacillating between appropriately removing these men permanently off the plane and sequestering them for the threats they made toward these passengers on the flight…or taking the “politically correct” action of taking them off, questioning them and then putting most of them back on the plane…Air Tran took the easy way out and put most of them back on board. As in most dilemma situations both parties are never equally affected by the resulting action. By putting 10 of the men back on the plane, Air Tran decided that it was better to emotionally traumatize each and every one of the remaining passengers on Air Tran Flight 297 for the remainder of the flight. They had a chance to remove the offenders…but didn’t.

Only a few weeks before this flight experience one Middle Eastern man killed many soldiers in the name of Allah at Fort Hood, Texas. This experience placed many in America into a 9-12 state of mental preparedness. Most of us realize that there are pockets of radical Islamists right here in America awaiting either an internal or external signal to strike again at Americans…just as they did on 9-11. The realities of these events can’t help but condition our minds for protection.

As a Chaplain I ask myself, would America have been better off if a group of passengers on Air Tran Flight 297 assumed the 9-12 mentality of preparedness and launched a group attack on these men, forcing them into their seats until the plane parked again in its Atlanta International jet way? Were the passengers right to just put up with the obvious intimidation by these men until the flight was over? And, could it be that we actually endorsed the actions of these men by not taking action against them when they made their first imaginary shooting action toward an American on that flight?

How many times would it take for Americans forcefully to stand up for their safety based solely on the aggressive and threatening actions of these men as people threatening Americans, for them to see that Americans won’t tolerate physical or psychological intimidation at all anymore?

Is it inappropriate for Americans to stand together, draw a line in the sand, and say this will not happen to me or any of my American brothers/sisters? Do we not have a duty and responsibility to stand against this type of intimidation? 

And this is the most difficult question of all: For those who were passengers that evening on Air Train Flight 297, could it be that we actually planted the seeds for the next intimidation by those who would attack us in our own homeland…by not acting together to stop the intimidation and threats?

As long as there are those who would claim Jihad as the proper way to solve ideological differences between religions, countries and civilizations, “intimidation” and “threats” will continue to be the initial instruments of force used against peace-loving people. As we become sensitized to the successive “intimidation” and “threats” we will become less and less responsive in our own defense. Then, as we find ourselves lulled into believing that the next intimidation or threat is just that…it will be an actual attack on America. We will not have learned from the deaths of all those Americans who died at the Twin Towers in New York or at the Pentagon in Washington DC…[or the Plane which the passengers caused to crash in Pennsylvania - instead of its intended target  - probably in Washington - maybe the White House or Congress.]

 Even peace loving Americans must awaken to the reality that our enemies intend to wipe us from the face of the earth through Jihad. Intimidation and threats are merely the precursors to the violence which will come. Ideally, all mankind should respect the beliefs, customs and religions of others on this earth. And, God knows that someday we may actually reach that point. But until that time America must set boundaries that protect its people based upon what is right or wrong for America and its people. In order to survive as a nation of people claiming American values and ethics, we must stop political correctness as a way to temporarily appease those who would kill us in a heartbeat. It’s time we deal in reality and speak honestly and accurately about the facts in each situation. Face it, you cannot prevent someone from getting their feelings hurt when you speak the truth.

If America is to survive…and I pray to God that it does, we must enforce boundaries that define us as Americans. If we don’t enforce American values and just bend the truth to make people feel good…very soon America will become impotent before the world.

I believe that God didn’t make a mistake when he brought together the forefathers of America. These men were tested and from the fire of the American Revolution a new country was born. Today we can perpetuate our America or we can remember it as a distant dream that didn’t last.

I, for one, believe that God did not make America as a mistake. And, from that belief in America, the truth must be spoken as it is in reality. When intimidation or threats confront an American citizen or an American ideal, we must stand together and hold the boundary set by our American forefathers. In truth words mean very little. How we act reveals what we really believe.   — END—

Senior Chaplain Dr. Keith A. Robinsonis the Corps Commander for the Houston Regional Community Chaplain’s Corps in Houston, Texas. He can be reached by email at [email protected] ; by phone at 713-826-3220; and by snail mail at 2042 Baker Trail, Houston, Texas 77094.

4. ATTENTION JIHADISTS: PLEASE HAVE YOUR BOARDING PASSES READY….TERRIFYING   by Claude Cartaginese

Those of you planning on visiting loved ones during the upcoming holidays may want to be extra vigilant at the airport, as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the very agency which has been in charge of protecting America’s airports since the September 11^th terror attacks, has given terrorists worldwide all of the information they need in order to breach security measures currently in place.Reports of this generous act surfaced yesterday from nearly all media outlets, which described the TSA’s posting of an extremely sensitive document (on the eve of a Senate

Homeland Security Committee hearing on terrorist travel, no less), which detailed the nation’s airport screening procedures. The 94-page document provides any potential Jihadist taking the time to read it a how-to manual for bypassing those very same procedures. They would learn about the limitations of x-ray machines and may be pleasantly surprised to find that only 20% of all bags checked in are hand searched for explosives. They would learn how flying in from countries such as Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Syria, and Sudan, would subject them to extra scrutiny, or that during peak travel times, TSA screeners who check identification can reduce from 100 percent to 25 percent the times they use black lights to authenticate documents.

And to round out TSA’s largesse, as an added bonus Jihadists downloading the document were also provided with sample CIA, Congressional and law enforcement credentials, which they could then duplicate at leisure to be used later!

Speaking of leisure, our enemies had 9 months to study the document, as it was posted in March before being removed this week. Not only that, it was actually posted on the Federal Business Opportunity website, a resource for those seeking federal jobs.

How did this happen?

That’s what Senator Susan Collins (R-Me), wants Janet Napolitano, head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to explain:

Senator Susan Collins: This shocking breach undercuts the public’s confidence in the security procedures at our airports. On the day before the Senate Homeland Security Committee’s hearing on terrorist travel, it is alarming to learn that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) inadvertently posted its own security manual on the Internet. [DHS needs to explain] how it will remedy the damage that has already been done.

This shocking breach undercuts the public’s confidence in the security procedures at our airports. On the day before the Senate Homeland Security Committee’s hearing on terrorist travel, it is alarming to learn that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) inadvertently posted its own security manual on the Internet. [DHS needs to explain] how it will remedy the damage that has already been done.

Napolitano, who has shown time and again that she is the wrong person for the job of protecting the nation’s borders from those intent on doing us harm, minimized the damage caused by the posting of the document by claiming it was an “out-of-date” document that had been superseded:

Janet Napolitano: The security of the traveling public has never been put at risk. The document that was posted was an out of date document. I’ve directed that we do a review department-wide of all of our components to make sure that we are being rigorous and very disciplined on what is posted and what is not.

The security of the traveling public has never been put at risk. The document that was posted was an out of date document. I’ve directed that we do a review department-wide of all of our components to make sure that we are being rigorous and very disciplined on what is posted and what is not.

Well, thank goodness for that. We’re all resting much easier now.

Happy traveling