Fear has become a dangerous weapon

According to the Seattle Times - Man forced off plane by fellow passengers article, Pablo Gutierrez Vega, a Spanish university professor with a long beard and dark complexion said Thursday he was briefly forced off an airliner during a layover on the Spanish island of Mallorca by passengers who feared he was an Islamic terrorist.

Apparently, three German passengers approached him on the Air Berlin flight and asked to search his carryon luggage. After realising that the passengers were NOT undercover officers, the professor refused.

The pilot spoke to the professor in private stating that the small group were fearful because they think he looks like a terrorist.

Usually, the passenger at the center of the incident would have been removed from the plane, detained by security, questioned, then put on the next plane.

However, the pilot actually asked the professor if he wanted the three German passengers expelled from the aircraft, or place his carryon luggage in the cockpit to pacify the other "fearful" passengers. The professor chose the latter.

Comments

Posted by: Spanien
Posted on: January 2, 2008 07:17 AM

Thanks for the post!