Fear is the mind-killer.

July 23, 2004 2:32 PM

Air Marshals Say Passenger Overreacted. "The source said the air marshals on the flight were partially concerned (Annie) Jacobsen’s actions could have been an effort by terrorists or attackers to create a disturbance on the plane to force the agents to identify themselves." (Second story down, via atrios)
posted by solistrato (33 comments total)

“We followed up with the casino,” Adams said. A supervisor verified they were playing a concert. A second federal law enforcement source said the concert itself was monitored by an agent.

“We also went to the hotel, determined they had checked into the hotel,” Adams said. Each of the men were checked through a series of databases and watch-lists with negative results, he said.

...

Jacobsen, a self-described freelance writer, has published two stories about her experience at womenswallstreet.com, a business advice web site designed for women.


I wonder how much she got paid for causing innocent people so much grief. I also wonder if she'll now write an appropriately apologetic third story.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 2:44 PM on July 23, 2004

I was hoping to see another perspective on this case. Thanks!
posted by KirkJobSluder at 2:47 PM on July 23, 2004

Oh, this is fucking sweet. I love it.

I've said that if things happened exactly as she described, then I'd have been nervous, too. I didn't really believe they did, and now I'm pretty sure they didn't if the marshalls weren't concerned. Her account may have embellishments. But at the least it's a hyperawareness of anything confirming and a complete unawareness of anything discomfirming.

By the way, has anyone linked to the article (in NRO, so I'm not going to link it) where the Syrian band is identified? It's one main guy and his band. Um, the guy that sat in first class, apparently.

Really, she should be carefully watched by the FBI. She just may be working for Al Qaeda in attempts to flush out the Air Marshalls. It's possible. In fact, I think that all suspiciously fearful white passengers that ask about Air Marshalls should be detained, carefully questioned, and searched.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 2:50 PM on July 23, 2004

The Syrian Wayne Newton - Clinton W. Taylor
posted by hama7 at 2:57 PM on July 23, 2004

What is the name of the band?
posted by KirkJobSluder at 3:03 PM on July 23, 2004

The source said the air marshals on the flight were partially concerned Jacobsen’s actions could have been an effort by terrorists or attackers to create a disturbance on the plane to force the agents to identify themselves.

So it turns out that the woman crying "terrorist" was in fact making the marshals nervous ... because they were concerned she might be a terrorist. Oh, this is rich.
posted by Orb at 3:07 PM on July 23, 2004

Oh, this is fucking sweet. I love it.

The only reason I entered this thread was to express those exact sentiments. ;)
posted by The God Complex at 3:27 PM on July 23, 2004

sorry excuse for a JacobsEn
posted by jacobsee at 3:48 PM on July 23, 2004

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
*wipes tear from eye*
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
posted by TungstenChef at 3:58 PM on July 23, 2004

I love how she's a "self-described freelance writer." Doesn't take much to be able to call yourself that, really.
posted by GaelFC at 3:59 PM on July 23, 2004

Armitage Shanks, iirc her second story played on her "facts that nothing was followed up after the flight. If I was her editor, after reading the article's portion you quoted - I'd have second thoughts on all her published writings’ sources. As she was claiming no one checked to see if these were real musicians, a real booking or played an actual concert. She needs to title her writings - my sources have rambling fears.
posted by thomcatspike at 4:11 PM on July 23, 2004

Very cool to see a follow-up. I only wish their were as many responses to this thread as to the original. Some people, myself included, should be very contrite.
posted by xammerboy at 4:15 PM on July 23, 2004

Of course the syrian was a terrorist. Just look at who he's been hanging out with.


posted by delmoi at 4:17 PM on July 23, 2004

am i the only one that heard michael jackson when reading about how the air marshal was thinking "annie, are you ok?"
posted by mrplab at 4:23 PM on July 23, 2004

Jacobsen's concerns may have turned out to be unfounded, but the only statements in this piece that imply that the air marshals were actually concerned about her behavior are from an anonymous "source close to the secretive federal protective service." Is that really any more credible than her original article?
posted by transona5 at 4:47 PM on July 23, 2004

“I was freaking out,” Kevin [Annie's hubbie] replied.

“We don’t freak out in situations like this,” the air marshal responded.

Words to live by.
posted by five fresh fish at 4:50 PM on July 23, 2004

Is that really any more credible than her original article?


By a factor of 1,000.
posted by solistrato at 4:55 PM on July 23, 2004

Annie Jacobsen is the new Blair Hornstine.
posted by majcher at 5:05 PM on July 23, 2004

am i the only one that heard michael jackson when reading about how the air marshal was thinking "annie, are you ok?"

I was thinking of Alien Ant Farm ;)
posted by dagnyscott at 5:07 PM on July 23, 2004

No, her original article suggests that they were terrorists because they behaved in ways that most people would see, post-September-11th, as very suspicious. Of course, her account could have been exaggerated if she remembered that behavior as being more alarming than it actually was because they were brown.

If some talk radio site were running a piece saying that the air marshals on Jacobsen's flight thought that the musicians actually were suspicious, but none was actually willing to go on record confirming that, I doubt many of you would find it credible.
posted by transona5 at 5:08 PM on July 23, 2004

Awesome. This is truly awesome. Drinks on me.
posted by John Kenneth Fisher at 5:43 PM on July 23, 2004

Hmm. Talk radio. Sounds about as reliable as the Washington Times
posted by keswick at 5:58 PM on July 23, 2004

Awesome. This is truly awesome. Drinks on me. - John Kenneth Fisher

Whoo Hoo! Bartender, I'll have a cosmo, served lightly upon that man, there.
posted by dejah420 at 7:03 PM on July 23, 2004

transona5: No, her original article suggests that they were terrorists because they behaved in ways that most people would see, post-September-11th, as very suspicious.

I think that her accusations went quite a bit beyond that. She not only considered the behavior of these men very suspicious, but she also made a couple of damning claims that she provided no evidence for:
1: cases and bags were not examined by security before boarding.
2: flight crew and law enforcement did not take the issue seriously during the flight.
3: no investigation occured after the flight.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 7:04 PM on July 23, 2004

i've been out of the loop and missed the hubbub,
but
music is not like flying an airplane.

the end
posted by firestorm at 9:10 PM on July 23, 2004

I was thinking of Alien Ant Farm ;)

Yes, but Annie is certainly not a smooth criminal.
posted by jonp72 at 11:31 PM on July 23, 2004

Hmm. Talk radio. Sounds about as reliable as the Washington Times

You're right. Local news radio is surely no more reliable than a newspaper funded by someone claiming to be the Messiah.
posted by solistrato at 11:36 PM on July 23, 2004

My money says her next column will be about the injustice of a white woman being treated like terrorist while the real brown devils were plotting right under their noses.
I'll go put on some popcorn...
posted by 2sheets at 12:57 AM on July 24, 2004

Air Marshals were afraid their "anonymity" might be compromised?!? Let's see -- every single person on a recent flight I took (in 80+ degree weather) was wearing casual clothes and athletic shoes. Except, of course, for the two clean-shaven guys wearing suits, ties, and shiny leather shoes, carried no luggage, and didn't board with the rest of us. Do you think . . . ?

Now, I agree she's a pathetic, whiny nimrod, and I also agree with the general "'brown skin = terrorist' is stupid" idea, but I think the Air Marshal service is as deluded as she is if they believe their marshals are "anonymous" in flight.
posted by wdpeck at 3:04 AM on July 24, 2004

Air Marshals were afraid their "anonymity" might be compromised?!? Let's see -- every single person on a recent flight I took (in 80+ degree weather) was wearing casual clothes and athletic shoes. Except, of course, for the two clean-shaven guys wearing suits, ties, and shiny leather shoes, carried no luggage, and didn't board with the rest of us. Do you think . . . ?


Well, from what I've heard Air Marshels do wear casual cloathes, baseball caps, etc. Certanly in cases where they have had to act.



What's also intresting about this is that could explain the 'definant stare' she says one of the guys gave her. If she'd been acting all psychopatic, the guy might have thought she was racialy profiling them and gotten pissed.
posted by delmoi at 12:57 PM on July 24, 2004

As "aware" Americans, my husband and I exchanged glances,


BUWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Is this woman for real? What an asshole!

Her writing style reminds me of some 50's era chhez G-man novel, or the Hardy Boys. I can't read anymore if it.

Her heightened sense of hyper awareness borders on pathetic. I bet she isn't prejudiced at all either. Because after all, not all arabs are terrorists, but so far, all terrorists have been arab, right?

Ridiculous.
posted by a3matrix at 2:42 PM on July 24, 2004

None of this makes it explicit that the air marshalls were on the plane to handle the situation due to all the Syrians (they obviously were, but that would be racism, right?)
posted by abcde at 2:48 PM on July 24, 2004

delmoi:
Well, from what I've heard Air Marshels do wear casual cloathes, baseball caps, etc. Certanly in cases where they have had to act.

I believe you are mistaken: Air Marshals believe the Federal Air Marshal Service dress code compromises their anonymity and makes their work more dangerous. Pilots and flight attendants apparently agree.
posted by wdpeck at 10:42 PM on July 24, 2004