Sand*** Cultists Sue Airline Passengers

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/3/30/150541.shtml?s=ic

Friday, March 30, 2007 3:02 p.m. EDT
'Flying Imams' Sue Airline Passengers

Six Muslim men removed from a plane last fall after being accused of
suspicious behavior are suing not only the airline but the passengers who
complained - a move some fear could discourage travelers from speaking up
when they see something unusual.

The civil rights lawsuit, filed earlier this month, has so alarmed some
lawyers that they are offering to defend the unnamed "John Doe" passengers
free of charge. They say it is vital that the flying public be able to
report suspicious behavior without fear of being dragged into court.

"When you drive up the road towards the airport, there's a big road sign
that says, 'Report suspicious behavior,'" said Gerry Nolting, a Minneapolis
lawyer. "There's no disclaimer that adds, 'But beware if you do that, you
might get sued.'"

The six imams were taken off a Phoenix-bound US Airways flight on Nov. 20
while returning home from a conference of Islamic clerics in Minneapolis.

Other passengers had gotten nervous when the men were seen praying and
chanting in Arabic as they waited to board. Some passengers also said that
the men spoke of Saddam Hussein and cursed the United States; that they
requested seat belt extenders with heavy buckles and stowed them under their
seats; that they were moving about and conferring with each other during
boarding; and that they sat separately in seats scattered through the cabin.

The plane was cleared for a security sweep, nothing was found, and the jet
took off without the imams.

The Muslim clerics say they were humiliated, and are seeking unspecified
damages from the airline, the Minneapolis airport and, potentially, the John
Does.

Omar Mohammedi, the New York City attorney for the imams, said the intent is
not to go after passengers who raise valid concerns about security. But he
suggested some passengers may have acted in bad faith out of prejudice.

"As an attorney, I have seen a lot of abuse by the general public when it
comes to members of the community creating stories that do not exist,"
Mohammedi said.

He denied the imams were talking about Saddam, and said that their seats
were assigned and that they requested extenders because their seat belts
didn't fit.

Some fear such lawsuits could weaken what has become the first line of
defense against terrorism since Sept. 11 - an alert public. At airports and
train and subway stations around the country, travelers are routinely warned
to watch for unattended bags and suspicious activity and to notify
authorities.

Ellen Howe, spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration,
which oversees security at all U.S. airports, would not comment specifically
on the imams' lawsuit. But she said the TSA counts on passengers to help the
agency do its job.

"'See something, say something' is certainly a common mantra in this day and
age," Howe said. "We would always remind passengers to be both vigilant and
thoughtful."

In reaction to the imams' lawsuit, Congress has taken steps to legally
protect passengers who report suspicious activity. Earlier this week, the
House approved an amendment to a rail transportation security bill that
would make passengers immune from such lawsuits, unless they say something
they know is false.

Mohammedi said he has not yet identified any of the complaining passengers.
An airport police report listed a passenger and two US Airways employees as
complaining about the imams. All three had their names blacked out before
the lawsuit was filed by invoking a Minnesota law that allows it, airport
spokesman Pat Hogan said.

Nolting said he has been contacted by several potential John Does.

Passenger Pat Snelson, who lives in a Twin Cities suburb, said he and his
wife were not among those who reported suspicious behavior. But he said his
wife noticed the men praying, and he saw them moving around the cabin while
others were boarding.

"These guys were up to no good," Snelson said. "We think the airport people
did a real good job in taking care of it."

Bomb-sniffing dogs examined the men and their baggage. FBI agents and other
federal law enforcement officers questioned the men for several hours before
releasing them.

Billie Vincent, a former director of security for the Federal Aviation
Administration, said he is troubled by the mere attempt to identify the
passengers who raised concerns.

Airline passengers "are your eyes and your ears," said Vincent, who now owns
an aviation security company. "If attorneys can get those names and sue
them, you put a chilling effect on the whole system."



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