Passengers heard imams making anti-American comments, too
posted at 1:33 pm on November 22, 2006 by Allahpundit
The imams told CAIR they’d been engaged in “normal evening prayers.” Really? Do normal evening prayers involve “cursing U.S. involvement with Saddam”?
You know, I wouldn’t be surprised.
Detailed accounts of the incident varied. Witnesses, including a number of passengers and US Airways employees, said they heard some of the men making anti-American remarks and chanting “Allah,” first as they boarded the plane and then when led off, Mr. Hogan said.
Others said the men behaved strangely once on board, with some asking for seat belt extensions, the police report said. “I did not see they actually needed them,” one flight attendant wrote in a statement given to the police. “They were not overweight.”
Dr. Shahin disagreed, saying the extensions were necessary for their “big bodies.”
In another statement, a gate agent said some of the imams had been praying in Arabic in the gate area. “I was suspicious by the way they were praying very loud,” the agent said.
The Times has a photo of the note handed to a flight attendant by one of the passengers.
Does this mean Muslims shouldn’t be allowed to pray loudly and curse America onboard, or shortly before boarding, a commercial airliner? Heavens, no. In fact, they should be encouraged to do so. Take your chances!










Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Did they mention that when they were asked to move out of seats that they weren’t assigned to, they refused?
americanpundit on November 22, 2006 at 1:40 PM
Sounds to me like they were trying to be disruptive and provacative. I think this set of six needs their butts kicked.
urbancenturion on November 22, 2006 at 1:41 PM
4 words: Set Up/Practice Run
SouthernGent on November 22, 2006 at 1:48 PM
/sarcasm on…
Ahhh… but its their religious right, as protected by the US Constitution to beleive anything they want, including the belief that America is evil and must be destoyed!!!
And those stewardesses who asked them to move??? Kafir… they don’t have to do what women say… its written in the Koran…
And its their protected RIGHT (via freedom of speech) to badmouth America…
…ohh… wait… that wasn’t sarcastic was it…. sigh… it really is where we as a country are at.
Romeo13 on November 22, 2006 at 1:51 PM
If I were a terrorist, I’d see this kind of tactic as a way of dropping chaff, so to speak. And don’t forget the incident at the Houston airport not too long ago, where someone had a device that was obviously intended to resemble a bomb.
Probing our security perimeters, trying to make people feel stupid or racist for reporting suspicious behavior… Pretty good tactics, if you ask me.
Hack Ptui on November 22, 2006 at 1:54 PM
How does that quote from Parker & Stone go?
“I hate hasidic jews praying on the plane, but I REALLY hate muslims praying on the plane.”
Editor on November 22, 2006 at 2:01 PM
Not only will they get away with this, they will probably win a lawsuit on this one. We must never forget 911 and always error on the side of caution. Not all muslims are terrorists, but 99.999% of terrorists are muslims. We must fight back and know what we are up against.
Vanquisher on November 22, 2006 at 2:14 PM
“No, Mr. Shahin…”
“I prefer ‘Imam, Your Excellency, al-Hajj Shahin…”
“Yes…I’m sure that you do…………….anyway, you’re here in ‘Isolation’ until we can sort out this little matter of your alleged anti-American statements and your, excuse me, disruption of the routine on your flight. Thanksgiving is a very busy time of the travelling year, and disruptions are taken very seriously.”
“I must protest. I will protest.”
“Of course, sir. That is your *RIGHT*. Now…unbluckle your…er…belt, and please lower your…er…trousers….”
“Piss on your Thanksgiving! What is this? I shall protest! I shall contact CAIR! I shall contact the NAACP!”
“…as is your right…now, bend over, please.”
“I shall protest.”
*SMACK*
“I said bend over please.”
“Of course…of course…what is *THAT* please? That stuff in the bowl. What is that?”
“Stuffing, sir. It’s called stuffing. Bread and raisins and spices and sometimes oysters. It’s an American Thanksgiving tradition.”
“…stuffing….”
“Yes, sir. Stuffing. Now…breath slowly. This won’t hurt a bit.”
Puritan1648 on November 22, 2006 at 2:27 PM
This was obviously bait -it worked -free publicity and a chance to check out the NEW CONGRESS. THe Imams were at a conference with specific sessions on Muslim profiling. It is obvious that they went out of their way to alarm passengers. Little mention has been given to the fact that several of these HOLY FREAKIN MEN were in the wrong seats and would not move. Well – they probably would have thrown me off too.
THese idiots at CAIR think that we should understand that Muslim cab drivers are offended by and can refuse Blind people with Seeing eye dogs and passengers with alchohol – yet they do not understand that when Muslims are intentionally baiting passengers with their behavior it offends others and results in their refusal??? F them!
They threw out bait – US AIR bit – they will file a law suit and test wackjob Pelosi’s promise to pass legislation to ban profiling of Muslims – Well – praise f’ing ALLAH – they will probably have their way now. Bombs away!
Let these idiots fly their magic carpets home.
iam7545 on November 22, 2006 at 2:36 PM
The bigger question is, who let these cretins into the country in the first place? All immigration from muslim countries should stop.
There were over 90,000 muslim immigrants to this country last year. Oh, I know they are all peaceful muslims just looking for a better life, they just want the American dream.
A recent poll in England revealed that 40% of Muslims in England favor Sharia law. All Muslims represent a potential security risk as they believe that Mohammed was a messanger of God. Mohammed was a self described terrorist. If you worship a terrorist, the chances are that you will be a terrorist.
GFB on November 22, 2006 at 2:41 PM
CAIR was on MSNBC yesterday afternoon. The female broadcaster actually compared these men to Rosa Parks refusing to get off the bus!! Ibrahim backed away slightly from the comparison but said that Muslims may act like this in the future as a form of civil disobedience.
Good luck with that!
Canadian Infidel on November 22, 2006 at 2:53 PM
Magic carpets – hahaha – Niiiice!
I’m a Flight Attendant for Southwest, we’ve had muslim guys on our planes ask female F/As if they were on their menstral cycle and if so “you can’t serve me”. Well buddy, guess what? On THIS airline, your answer is always gonna be the same: “Well, in that case … YES I AM! And so is *she* and so is the *other* girl, so I guess ya won’t be gettin’ that (symbol of evil American capitalism and cultural imperialism) Coke ya wanted so badly.”
As I’ve stated on a related thread, we had a guy try to breach the cockpit door and the passengers KILLED him … and this was BEFORE Sept. 11th! And he wasn’t even a muslim on a test run like THESE guys were. So I say again, this will NOT happen on MY airline, don’t even TRY it because OUR passengers will freakin’ KILL your dumb ass! Oh yeah, and the dead guy’s mom tried to sue the airline … and LOST! So don’t try THAT angle either, biyotch!
My wife is also a F/A, I hope the next time we work the same flight together, some idiot tries that menstral crap on her. “That’s ok Honey, *I’ll* take care of this guy for you (evil grin).
Tony737 on November 22, 2006 at 3:00 PM
They were “making anti-American remarks”? You mean they were liberal Democrats?
ReubenJCogburn on November 22, 2006 at 3:03 PM
I totally hope that guy won a Darwin Award for that year. Stupid hurts, and anyone who thinks that jeopardizing the lives of me and every other passenger is a good idea just forfeited his right to stay above room temperature–if that’s what it takes.
ReubenJCogburn on November 22, 2006 at 3:14 PM
Here is a pretty common problem we westerners face. The Muslims don’t give a crap about maintaining double standards. When we try to call them on things like this. They don’t care. They are doing God’s work as far as they are concerned. Anything we consider to be an abrogation (by them) of some western sense of integrity doesn’t matter to them. They can send their kids to kill themselves, send in women to be human sheilds, engage in double standards, lie, cheat, steal, or anything else–as long as they can tell themselves–and each other–that they are doing it to bring about the worldwide caliphate that they want.
urbancenturion on November 22, 2006 at 3:15 PM
I guess I am on some kind of probation…
urbancenturion on November 22, 2006 at 3:16 PM
Sounds to me like they were trying to be disruptive and provocative. I think this set of six needs their butts kicked.
urban centurion on November 22, 2006 at 1:41 PM
Hummm, disruptive Muslims? In need of a butt kicking? Sounds like a job for Kramer…
Fifty years ago we’d have you hanging upside down with a F-in Koran up your ass. You can pray, you can pray, you can pray, your brave now mother. Throw his ass out. He’s a Muslim. A Muslim. A Muslim.
I wonder what kind of response this scenario would have generated?
And just for the record I despise the use of the N word. I’m just thinking outside the box here….
soulsirkus on November 22, 2006 at 3:24 PM
Just a thought: if we allowed a few menstruating pigs to roam the aisles of every flight, maybe no Muslims would fly.
laelaps on November 22, 2006 at 3:39 PM
Urban – you are right. Before he became infected with Bush Derangement Syndrome Thomas Friedman NYT was worth reading – he once wrote that – Yes Muslims are peace loving people – HOWEVER – the Muslim definition of peace is slightly different than ours – The American ideal is peace for all people to live together – Muslims believe that there will be peace when everyone worships Allah LIKE A JIHADIST! Funny thing is they feel the same way about other Muslims – it is like what Jackie Mason says about how Jews relate to Jews – you are either too Jewish or not Jewish enough. CAIR’s legal director Arsalan Iftikhar was on Tucker Carlson last night – I suspect that he is not Muslim enough for the Jihadists – no beard, skull cap?? -I suspect that they would have little problem beheading his pretty boy face!
I haven’t read about any Jews, seeing eye dogs, Mexicans, Christians or drunkin Democrats blowing up in a restaurant or airplane lately! F’em –
Since I am a Jew I don’t have a chance for probation.
iam7545 on November 22, 2006 at 3:44 PM
what a great idea – Koran up the ars! Now – that is funny-
iam7545 on November 22, 2006 at 3:45 PM
No quarter should be given to these people. No consideration of either their “religion” or their traditions should be given. No burqas in public and no special food at McDonalds. If they want an Islamic society they can take their asses back where they came from.
Soothsayer on November 22, 2006 at 3:45 PM
“Does this mean Muslims shouldn’t be allowed to pray loudly and curse America onboard, or shortly before boarding, a commercial airliner?”
Uh, yeah. Christians should not be able to pray loudly and curse America either. Like it says in the koran:
To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
I forget the rest of it, but the point is that there is a time and place for everything. The imams picked wrong on both accounts.
Where’s that California taser cop when you need him?
Kevin M on November 22, 2006 at 3:45 PM
Dry run.
RightWinged on November 22, 2006 at 3:51 PM
That was a real dynamite stick bought as a souvenir in Bolivia by an American geology student.
Ropera on November 22, 2006 at 3:51 PM
No, I am not, but I suffer from chronic diarrhea and I am a very, very sloppy hand washer.
Ropera on November 22, 2006 at 3:53 PM
LGF has a report about a jewelry store robbery in Toronto – 2 Muslim men in Burqua’s – wiped out the entire store – OWNED BY A MUSLIM –
Since CAIR and other Muslims don’t get the idea that most Republicans do not believe the martyr 20 virgin crap and are therefore not interested in being martyred by a Muslim in a plane – let’s make the rules clear so their is no confusion – Here is my idea -
Dear Ms. Pelosi –
here is a first draft for your new legislation regarding Muslim profiling –
No Burquas in public – no Muslims praying in public – especially airports – Any Muslim taking photos of a nuclear facility, bridge or large building OR If a Muslim ignites a cigarette lighter and moves it in the direction of his shoe – it is open season! FIRE WHEN READY!
iam7545 on November 22, 2006 at 3:59 PM
This was the incident I was referring to: HPD, airport security at odds over incident. To me, that has all the markings of a blatant security probe. Relevant quote:
Hack Ptui on November 22, 2006 at 4:06 PM
Ok, now I get it. They bait the airlines with enough to get them pulled off the plan or taken out of line for additional screening, without explosives…for now…then they file lawsuits to stop the racial profiling, so then they can walk right on and start blowing planes out of the sky. Since we all know who the real Allah is, it sounds just like him.
JustTruth101 on November 22, 2006 at 4:16 PM
I see a lot of open seats in the future.
Maybe I’ll atart a business. Uncle Hasama’s camel tours.
Get across the country in 6 to 8 weeks and see America close up and personal.
Kini on November 22, 2006 at 4:40 PM
Why are you white Christian neocons so intolerant of the religious practices of others?
RightWinged on November 22, 2006 at 4:51 PM
Of course they made Anti-American comments! But it’s their right as an FPM (Federally Protected Minority) under the FMPA (Federal Minority Protection Act) to inconvenience other people with their opinions and LOUD prayers, Prase Allah, while non-FPM’s politely and quietly await their plane !
And should ANYone make mention of being the slightest bit uncomfortable, annoyed, or offended by their forcing of others to put up with this behaviour “PROFILING” & “RACISM” will be screamed, charges will be filed, and lawsuits WILL follow!
Bearhopi on November 22, 2006 at 4:53 PM
Before I became a F/A, I was an Operations Agent (Boarding/Gate Agent) for SW and one time I had a group of about 10 muslims on prayer rugs facing east, going up and down and all of that. I was watching this and wishing I were in civilian clothes, I would’ve sat down in the chair right in front of them and said “No no, that’s ok, you don’t hafta worship me, but … since your down there ya might as well BLOW ME!”
Tony737 on November 22, 2006 at 5:07 PM
From the description of the event that I’m getting from most mainstream sources it sounds like overreaction to me -
They prayed in the airport (devout muslims do this 5 times a day and it doesn’t cut it if you don’t do the whole face Mecca up/down thing)
They got on the plane.
Passengers complained.
They were escorted off the plane.
Sounds like one big overreaction. However, then I start hearing other details (and rumors of other details) such as the fact that they sat in the wrong seats and refused to move (red flag), they asked for seatbelt extensions and didn’t need them (ummm…I didn’t even know this was something you COULD ask for on a plane….regardles…red flag), etc.
Peggy Noonan once wrote that if middle-aged blonde white American women had been conducting terrorist activities and she received extra scrutiny at an airport because she fit that discription, she might be a little annoyed, but she’d understand and she’d thank them for doing their job.
Are passengers profiling muslims? Absolutely! Is it completely unjustified? Haha…funny question. As long as there continues to be a credible threat from Muslims, there will continue to be credible reasons to scrutinize them closely when they are flying. Is it annoying as hell if your a muslim and you know you are innocent and you’re just trying to get home after a long conference? You betcha. It was also annoying when I had to throw away my expensive lip gloss even though I knew for sure it was not a compenent for explosives. Do what the rest of us do and suck it up.
JadeNYU on November 22, 2006 at 5:40 PM
My suggestion: countersue.
Grounds: Emotional distress – through impersonation of a terrorist.
RD on November 22, 2006 at 6:08 PM
Samuel Jackson said:
“I want these mother%##$^& sheiks off the mother#%&$ plane!”
Kevin M on November 22, 2006 at 6:58 PM
I fly large jets for the airlines. When you step on a plane your rights are “infringed” on immediately. “You must follow all “crew members instructions, signs and placards…”, “….federal offense if you do not”. Its not like much is asked, wear seat belt, sit down, put your tray table up, don’t use electronic device. You agree to be search when you go to an airport and subject to the crews control on the plane. No if and or but’s. As soon as a passenger says NO I WILL NOT, they are a security risk. Its best to deal with it right than at the gate, than at 37,000 feet. Its the law. I’ll not put up with any confrontation, contempt or disrespect to my cabin crew. If a passenger is being belligerent or militant, OFF THEY GO, depending on the severity. We might give them a chance if they amend their attitude. From my experience it usually does not get better when you take off.
I don’t care or ask what race, color, creed, national origin, religious affiliation they are or what style of dress they wear. YOU MUST FOLLOW CREW MEMBERS INSTRUCTIONS, and I don’t mean for capricious reasons either. There’s NO room on a Jet, even wide body, during boarding for people to put prayer rugs out, much less cruise. These Gentleman where just belligerent and that’s enough.
Any person who disturbs other passengers for what ever reason is also a problem. It’s for the good of the majority. There are NO RIGHTS to fly. It’s the Captains discretion with the flight attendants input. The Captain is in charge if the ship, there is no debate, and I never go against my cabin crew.
I suspect these Muslims where not going to take orders from a female FA. Back in the day, I or the First Officer could go back and tell a passenger to comply, which usually put some fear into them and worked. A male in uniform confronting them usually took the wind out their sails. Now a days, we don’t bother to go back, you’re gone. I don’t disregard my crews input. If a passenger is rude, disruptive or non-compliant, good bye. I’ll divert and land if I have to. By the way non-muslims do stupid things as well which gets them kicked off.
This is serious business. I have no fear of being accused of profiling, my primary concern is for the safety of everyone, passengers and crew. IT’S NOT A RIGHT TO FLY. You are there because you are allowed to be there. Usually its the friendly skies and our passengers are honored guest which is our privilege to serve, but that goes out the window if they act foolish. We are not screwing around. If I was in traditional wardrobe and Muslim I would go out of my way to act normal and non treating. Lets not have muslim-phobia, but lets not be complacent.
If you SEE or hear anything on a plane, tell the crew! Please, thank you.
gmcjetpilot on November 22, 2006 at 7:05 PM
Anti-American? Whould’ve thought?
Emmett J. on November 22, 2006 at 7:43 PM
JetPilot gets a standing ovation!
Tony737 on November 22, 2006 at 9:07 PM
Sounds as if this was a setup, with CAIR already having the complaint typed up.
Of course, it could have been these yahoos were actually praying loudly, hoping one of the jihadiots they just fired up at their conference, wasn’t getting on their plane to meet ahole-ah.
91Veteran on November 22, 2006 at 9:43 PM
Exactly. They were checking what they could get away with (seatbelt extensions?). When they get booted from the plane, they cry “Islamophobia!” so that passengers and crew eventually become less likely to report on the suspicious activity of muslims.
Free Kurdistan on November 23, 2006 at 1:23 AM
Practice Makes Terror.
Free Kurdistan on November 23, 2006 at 1:41 AM
Okay. So the strategy moving forward is, DON’T back down. Become even more outspoken, defiant and dismissive of these yahoos’ whining. Invite the confrontation. And air the debate in front of the nation.
If they press the issue in court, it’s time to start digging into these gentlemen’s backgrounds, start asking them even more questions. Time to make them wish they’d never even thought about opening their miserable claptraps.
And no judge in some ivory tower can be allowed to hijack (to borrow a word) this process, make a quick ruling on the subject before public opinion is allowed to build in support of the captain’s decision.
RD on November 23, 2006 at 2:07 AM
There is an element of risk to escalation: if the public is not behind the USAir flight crew, then we lose big. But if that’s the case we’re already lost…
RD on November 23, 2006 at 2:09 AM