SNAKES ON A PLANE:
Imams act suspiciously and get booted - CoverUps.com

April 2007

Isn't One 9-11 Enough?

Hey, we went through this once already! When people are acting suspicious anywhere near an airplane, WE MUST BE BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY to suffer another 9-11. Too bad if sometimes cultural sensitivities are stung. You would even think those who are culturally sensitive would appreciate the occasional slip of cultural sensitivity if that very slip saves their lives and the lives of the other passengers - unless that is not the goal? You be the judge.

 

• April 9, 2007 -- Exhibit A in defense of the notion that America doesn't take Islamist terrorism seriously enough has to be the curious Case of the Flying Imams.
• Last November, US Airways removed six Muslim clerics from a flight preparing to depart Minneapolis after several passengers - including other Muslims and Arabic speakers - noted them behaving suspiciously.
• Their activities included moving between seats, praying ostentatiously and repeatedly bringing up Osama bin Laden's name in Arabic.
• They were spoiling for an incident.
• Responding to passenger concerns, the captain kept the plane on the ground and alerted the FBI. The imams were removed and questioned for several hours.
• Last month, claiming civil-rights violations, the clerics filed a federal suit against US Airways and the Minneapolis / St. Paul Metropolitan Airports Commission.
• The suit also seeks to force the airline to reveal the identities of the "John Doe" passengers who reported the possible threat, so that they, too, can be sued - individually.
• Such an action must be seen for what it is - rank intimidation.
• If the imams are successful, what potential witness would ever want to come forward to report suspicious activity?
• New York Rep. Peter King (R-Nassau) introduced legislation in the House to protect people who report suspicious behavior from legal liability.
• King's amendment passed, 304-121, but faces an uncertain future in the Senate.
• But such is the power of the tort bar.
• Mayor Bloomberg supports King's bill and encourages New Yorkers to feel free to step forward.
• That's refreshing, given the conflicting messages that the city is inadvertently sending: On the one hand, subway stations and cars are filled with signs that say, "If you see something, SAY something."
• Conversely, Omar Mohammedi, a member of the city's own Human Rights Commission, is the lead lawyer representing the imams.
• But this suit is about more than just a runaway tort bar.
• Its genesis comes from a key Muslim activist organization in the United States , the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) - which is paying Mohammedi.
• CAIR promotes itself as a "civil rights" group - when in fact it has expressed support for such terrorist groups as Hamas and has seen several of its former officials and staffers convicted of terror-related charges. (It has also received millions in funding from Saudi sources.)
• Previously, CAIR focused its intimidation strategy on media and political figures who dared to criticize the organization or any actions undertaken in the name of Islam.

Get The Full Scoop

New York Post Opinion Piece

THE SUING IMAMS
No byline.

Our Take

We said it above – BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY! Would you feel insulted if people of your own race were behaving like terrorists to stir tensions were removed from the plane? I wouldn't. Neither would anyone whose concern is the safety of the airline passengers – which should trump all ethnic concerns.