Officers Detained at Dulles, Call off visit

[sparklingway]

As somebody who has regularly braved the nonsense put up by the TSA officials, I think its high time America reviewed the competency of its staff.

They have zero capability of actually stopping a terrorist. The questions they ask always leave me wondering "Would a terrorist actually admit to something like this?" The way they shout at Muslim passengers like we're subhuman, the god complex is always there.

Go to the far ends of the immigration section on JFK airport and it will always be like a mini Muslim refugee camp with passengers lingering out there, cut off from the world and unable to tell their relatives who might have come there to pick them up that they are being detained, while the TSA staff is chit chatting away, taking an insane amount of coffee breaks. To top it all off, if any one makes the mistake to go and tell them "Can you please hurry it up?" They are screamed at or worse, the usual yellow or green files are replaced with red files.

I kid you not, its one of the most horrible experiences out there that modern civilization can offer.

3000% correct.

 

[Solomon2]

Definitely the Pentagon should have provided an escort to the delegation. Can't blame the passenger or stewardess - 9/11 educated Americans that every airline employee and passenger has to be vigilant.

 

[Chogy]

I knew after looking at the title of the thread that it would turn into a gigantic "THE ALLIANCE IS DEAD - TIT FOR TAT - IT'S A PLOT, AN INSULT.

The TSA overreacted, and the Pakistani delegation overreacted. An anthill became K2. Everyone involved made it worse.

I am a commercial airline pilot here. If I insinuated something or caused suspicion, you'd better believe I'd be detained, despite my uniform and I.D. We have been warned frequently that pilot uniforms are being purchased, I.D.'s are being stolen. We've had multiple bombing attempts in the last few years. How hard would it be for a group to fake some uniforms, and a letter from CENTCOM or some other authority? Not hard.

Everyone overreacted. There's no personal insult.

 

[Patriot]

Definitely the Pentagon should have provided an escort to the delegation. Can't blame the passenger or stewardess - 9/11 educated Americans that every airline employee and passenger has to be vigilant.

Here is what happened (I think largely due to language barrirer as the Pakistani Officer must have meant i hope this is last flight in USA and i can reach my destination (CENTCOM HQ) as they might have traveled in 3-4 air planes to reach there and may have been tired.
Daily Times Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Armymen cancel US visit over ‘mistreatment’


LAHORE: A group of Pakistan Army officers have cancelled a visit to the US CENTCOM to protest against the alleged misbehaviour they had to face at the Dallas Airport, a private TV channel reported on Tuesday.

The army delegation boarded a flight from the Dallas Airport to attend a US Defence Department meeting.

Once inside the United Airlines plane, one of the delegation members remarked that he hoped the flight proved to be their last flight and they soon reached their destiny. However, a passenger who overheard them mistook the officials for terrorists. The airport security staff was alerted, who “questioned the Pakistani delegation and misbehaved with them”.

The US Defence Department has apologised for the incident, however the delegation has decided to return home. daily times monitor
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By the way the guy john luke who heard the conversation still believed that these people would do something wrong and he switched the flights even after United Airlines cleared the officers for flight - That's paranoia .

http://www.wtsp.com/news/mostpop/sto...p;provider=top

Passengers spooked when men removed from Tampa flight

Tampa, Florida -- An incident aboard a United Airlines flight to Tampa resulted in nine foreign-born people being removed from the airplane and left several passengers shaken. In fact, several thought the incident was serious enough that they asked to be booked on another flight.

At least 15 passengers who arrived in Tampa Monday on a United flight were supposed to be here Sunday night. However, the incident involving the nine men changed everything.

Photo gallery: Passengers spooked after men removed from flight
International Story: Airline incident a "dry run for terror plot?

John Luke, who was on the flight, says the nine men were seated throughout the airplane. Luke says he was told the men were of Pakistani descent and one man made a comment that apparently was "inappropriate" and made a flight attendant feel uncomfortable.
(A Officer s remarked that he hoped the flight proved to be their last flight and they soon reached their destiny. However, a passenger who overheard them mistook the officials for terrorists. )

United Airlines spokesperson Megan McCarthy says at that point, the gate agent had a conversation with the men and they were asked to depart. But that's not how Luke and other passengers saw it.

Luke says the fact that the men knew each other caused concern and police came on with their hands on their guns. Then, according to Luke, the police started escorting the men off the plane.

Despite all of the security measures the TSA and the airlines have taken since 9/11, Luke says after seeing federal agents get on the airplane with guns and take the men off, he and several other passengers decided not to take any chances.

Luke says he was just using common sense and it made him feel more comfortable taking another flight.

United Airlines says it eventually became comfortable the men did not pose a threat and they were rebooked on another United flight.

While the "better safe than sorry" action is getting praise from passengers, it also is a reminder of the fact that things are still a little edgy when getting on a plane in this post 9/11 world.

I think this guy John Luke is the culprit.Caused the whole fiasco.

 

[Peregrine]

A good lesson to all those so called elites, who think after piling up wealth in their foreign bank accounts they can move their families to these states for better future.........

 

[Undivided Kashmir]

You guys are barking up the wrong tree.

It's the mistake of the General to make inappropriate remarks, He is in such a esteemed position, he should know what to talk and when to talk, rather than making callous remarks in during a flight.

Airline staff and the security acted according to the security protocols.

You guys are making it into an emotional issue.

 

[Peregrine]

You guys are barking at the wrong tree.

It's the mistake of the General to make inappropriate remarks, He is in such a esteemed position, he should know what to talk and when to talk, rather than making callous remarks in during a flight.

Airline staff and the security acted according to the security protocols.

You guys are making it into an emotional issue.

dear!!! its barking up the wrong tree
Not sure if you did this deliberately or not. Anyways, General made an inappropriate remarks or not, it would have been averted if that sneaky American passenger wasn't eavesdropping.
please remind me how the indians reacted when Chinese refused visa to indian jurnail?

 

[Spring Onion]

Pak military delegation detained at US airport
PTI, Sep 1, 2010, 10.54am IST

WASHINGTON: A delegation of senior Pakistani military officials visiting the US was deboarded from a plane, detained, "interrogated and rudely treated" by security officials after one of them made a comment to a flight attendant, prompting the team to head home in protest.

The nine-member delegation of high-ranking Pakistani officers boarded United Airlines Flight 727 from the Dulles International Airport in Washington to Tampa on Tuesday, but were pulled off the plane, Mike Trevino, spokesman for the Airlines, was quoted as saying by 'The Washington Post'.

He said they were deboarded from the plane after one of them "made a comment to a flight attendant."

The delegation was to travel to Tampa, a Gulf Coast Bay city in the state of Florida, to attend the annual conference of the US- Pakistan military consultative committee.

Though the spokesman refused to provide details, Pakistani officials said the remark came from a general in the delegation.

The general, weary of a long day of travel that began in Islamabad, said "I hope this is my last flight," or words to that effect.

That sparked a call to Dulles law enforcement officials, who "detained the delegation for two-and-a-half hours and refused to allow the officials to contact their embassy or the US military officials who had invited them to visit", the Post quoted an unnamed Pakistani military official as saying.

The Pakistanis were finally released after police at Dulles determined they did not pose a threat.

But instead of proceeding to Tampa, the delegation was ordered to return to Pakistan by their military superiors in Islamabad, in protest of their treatment, the Pakistani official said, adding that they were "verbally abused."

The Post said the delegation members alleged they were "interrogated and rudely treated by security officials at Dulles International Airport."

The officers are scheduled to depart the US on Wednesday evening.

"Pakistani officials said they received apologies from Pentagon and Centcom officials," the Post said.

The officers were originally en route to US Central Command headquarters in Tampa to attend the annual conference, said Maj David Nevers, a Central Command spokesman.

He said Centcom officials hoped to reschedule the conference.


Pak military delegation detained at US airport - Pakistan - World - The Times of India

 

[Spring Onion]

You guys are barking up the wrong tree.

It's the mistake of the General to make inappropriate remarks, He is in such a esteemed position, he should know what to talk and when to talk, rather than making callous remarks in during a flight.

Airline staff and the security acted according to the security protocols.

You guys are making it into an emotional issue.

Actually you are barking at the wrong tree.

Will you care to post and prove that what "Inappropriate remarks the Gen made?



The staff acting out of their jahalat. They need education to understand the difference between figurative speech and literal meaning.

 

[SQ8]

The fact remains, that the officers should have stayed, expressed their dismay openly but still should have stayed and conducted the meeting.
This isnt Pakistan where an offended general can make life hell for a civillian, America is a democracy at work where, till recently, you were treated as equals in most places.. regardless of whether you had metal on your shoulders or not.

 

[H2O3C4Nitrogen]

only if some one walks in shoes of ordinary Pakistanis , one can know how people feel about US , however i am really amzaed that people could get so low that they would sell there own nation just for the sake of earning a few $$s in US, !!!
The good thing abt US is , they make sure ppl living there are not namak haram, either by force , or by issuing deporting threats ,or in few cases by giving them the perks .. But what price does an International immigrant particularly of Pakistani decent has to pay , Sm ppl living there say that they are being watched and tracked so much that they have no choice but to whag there tail in favor of US no matter what , those who dont, the end up in a pretty bad situation or more likely deported.. !!!!

 

[Bhim]

dear!!! its barking up the wrong tree
Not sure if you did this deliberately or not. Anyways, General made an inappropriate remarks or not, it would have been averted if that sneaky American passenger wasn't eavesdropping.
please remind me how the indians reacted when Chinese refused visa to indian jurnail?

It wasn't the Pakistani Gonoral, but the Pakistani Birgardear.

 

[Cheetah786]

The fact remains, that the officers should have stayed, expressed their dismay openly but still should have stayed and conducted the meeting.
This isnt Pakistan where an offended general can make life hell for a civillian, America is a democracy at work where, till recently, you were treated as equals in most places.. regardless of whether you had metal on your shoulders or not.

Is this Mr 10%.

 

[Patriot]

It wasn't the Pakistani General , but the Pakistani Brigadier .

yes, that is correct.The head of delegation was not a Army General as well..Delegation head was 2 Star Naval Officer (Rear Admiral).Fixed the spelling mistakes for you (I know it was delibrate) anyway Jurnail is not a offensive word General in Urdu is called Jurnail.

 

[karan.1970]

The fact remains, that the officers should have stayed, expressed their dismay openly but still should have stayed and conducted the meeting.
This isnt Pakistan where an offended general can make life hell for a civillian, America is a democracy at work where, till recently, you were treated as equals in most places.. regardless of whether you had metal on your shoulders or not.

At the risk of being shouted down, I think we people from the subcontinent make too much noise about these things. I agree that at times these checks start bordering on ridiculous, but then I would prefer being at the receiving end of a nonsensical delay than looking at the business end of a weapon while in flight.

Recently there was a nautanki that Shahrukh Khan indulged in when he was detained. I mean we folks from the subcontinent cry foul just too fast.