Although they have been acting as though there was no reason to detain them, it turns out that the six Imams who were taken off of US Airways Flight 300 had actually provoked the action:
Muslim religious leaders removed from a Minneapolis flight last week exhibited behavior associated with a security probe by terrorists and were not merely engaged in prayers, according to witnesses, police reports and aviation security officials.
Witnesses said three of the imams were praying loudly in the concourse and repeatedly shouted “Allah” when passengers were called for boarding US Airways Flight 300 to Phoenix.
“I was suspicious by the way they were praying very loud,” the gate agent told the Minneapolis Police Department.
Passengers and flight attendants told law-enforcement officials the imams switched from their assigned seats to a pattern associated with the September 11 terrorist attacks and also found in probes of U.S. security since the attacks — two in the front row first-class, two in the middle of the plane on the exit aisle and two in the rear of the cabin.
“That would alarm me,” said a federal air marshal who asked to remain anonymous. “They now control all of the entry and exit routes to the plane.”
Nope, no reason at all to remove them from the flight. How on Earth could those evil, nasty people come to the conclusion that these Islamic religious figures may present a danger to anyone?
Of course, it gets even better:
Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation, called removing the imams an act of Islamophobia and compared it to racism against blacks.
“It’s a shame that as an African-American and a Muslim I have the double whammy of having to worry about driving while black and flying while Muslim,” Mr. Bray said.
The protesters also called on Congress to pass legislation to outlaw passenger profiling.
Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, Texas Democrat, said the September 11 terrorist attacks “cannot be permitted to be used to justify racial profiling, harassment and discrimination of Muslim and Arab Americans.”
“Understandably, the imams felt profiled, humiliated, and discriminated against by their treatment,” she said.
Islamophobia? Gee, I wonder why? Could it be that because a group of Muslim men came to America on September 11, 2001 and killed 3,000 innocent people by hi-jacking and crashing three airplanes into buildings? Could it be because after these attacks, Muslims all over the world were seen on television celebrating in the streets? Could it be because Islamic leaders from around the world are calling on all muslims to kill as many Americans as they can?
Islamophobia? You’re damn right!
Oh, and Sheila Jackson-Lee, she who needs a limousine to take her the one block from her office to the Capital, needs to remember that this isn’t racial profiling; its called being mildly observant. (Thanks Dennis Miller)
According to witnesses, police reports and aviation security officials, the imams displayed other suspicious behavior.
Three of the men asked for seat-belt extenders, although two flight attendants told police the men were not oversized. One flight attendant told police she “found this unsettling, as crew knew about the six [passengers] on board and where they were sitting.” Rather than attach the extensions, the men placed the straps and buckles on the cabin floor, the flight attendant said.
The imams said they were not discussing politics and only spoke in English, but witnesses told law enforcement that the men spoke in Arabic and English, criticizing the war in Iraq and President Bush, and talking about al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.
The imams who claimed two first-class seats said their tickets were upgraded. The gate agent told police that when the imams asked to be upgraded, they were told no such seats were available. Nevertheless, the two men were seated in first class when removed.
A flight attendant said one of the men made two trips to the rear of the plane to talk to the imam during boarding, and again when the flight was delayed because of their behavior. Aviation officials, including air marshals and pilots, said these actions alone would not warrant a second look, but the combination is suspicious.
“That’s like shouting ‘fire’ in a crowded theater. You just can’t do that anymore,” said Robert MacLean, a former air marshal.
Given all of this, the crew of US Airways Flight 300 was exactly right in removing these people from the plane. Its obvious that they were acting suspiciously, and in the post-September 11 world Muslims traveling in America, especially on airplanes, have got to expect to be watched carefully. If they don’t like this, then too bad. If they had truly been aware of world events in the past few years, they would have realized that the way they were acting would attract attention from the authorities.
In short: No one associated with US Airways owes anyone an apology; in fact, awards should be handed out immediately to the alert flight crew. Muslim religious leaders and worshipers need to keep in mind that they are living in a world where their brethren are sworn to kill as many Americans as they can, and seeing as how there is no reliable way to differentiate between “good” Muslims and “bad” Muslims, we have no choice but to treat them the same. If this means that Muslims will have to go through tougher security at airports, then they need to learn to live with it.
Michelle Malkin has a great roundup of all the facts regarding this incident.
