New Terrorist Threats: Follow-up

[Sleepyhead]

the flight crews and FAM were not worried

That doesn't exactly make me feel better since the FAM agency said it is their policy not to do anything until something happens.
Remember, most of the 9-11 terrorist were stopped at security and questioned and then let go. No one was worried about them either. The bad guys are not stupid, they train at blending-in. they will use our complacency against us. When are we going to wake up and start profiling. The problem is the average America doesn't really feel we are at war with anyone. During WWII I don't think the average American had any problem with profiling Germans or Japanese. Unfortunately, I don't think anything will change until we are attacked again.

 

[ivauir]

During WWII I don't think the average American had any problem with profiling Germans or Japanese.

No we just locked up families wholesale ... not our proundest moment.

BTW I am 100% not PC and in certain cases with certain limits I think profiling makes sense and we ought to do it.

 

[Flying Freddie]

We as pilots need a 45 day FBI background check. We ought to make anyone who is not a U.S. citizen get the same check before they can buy an airline ticket. After all, the constitution only protects the rights of our citizens. Just my thoughts.

 

[Spur]

Seems like the air marshals and the flight crew were not worried, except about the reported being a hysterical threat herself!

It certainly seems Mr & Mrs Jacobsen didn't act appropriately on this flight, but if it was such a non-event, why did the FAMs search the Lavs? Not to calm down the pax, for sure. They tried to do that by telling an FA to let the Jacobsens know they were onboard and aware of the "situation". Seems to me if they weren't worried at all they wouldn't have checked the lavs.

Also if the crew wasn't the least bit concerned, why did they call ahead for assistance? A "phalanx" of law enforcement showed up, granting the Syrian band some intense interviews, but no one except the Jacobsens was concerned? Sure.

But what really bothers me is why did the musicians have to be interviewed after landing in the first place? Why wasn't their story checked out BEFORE they got on a plane to the US? 14 nationals from probably the third most hostile country (not including France and Germany - but they lack the military might or national will to do anything) just hop on a plane to LA and nobody checks them out other than perhaps to compare them to a terrorist watch list? Their gig should have been checked out ahead of time and the FAMs and flight crew should have been briefed. The FBI should have known ahead of time all the answers to all the questions they asked after the flight.

Im sure many people will point to this incident and say "See there you right wing racist paranoid war mongering arrogant profiling dumb a$$, there's nothing to worry about!" But even though "nothing happened" I think this case just reinforces that our skies are not secure.