So far the New York Times has apparently yet to do any original reporting on the lawsuit filed by six imams against US Airways and some passengers who reported suspicious behavior by the imams before a flight from Minneapolis to Phoenix last year. The imams were taken off the plane in Minneapolis for behavior that included loud chanting, cursing the United States, and praising Saddam Hussein. Yet even passage by the House of a bill to protect passengers who report suspicious behavior on airlines apparently hasn't motivated the newspaper to actually cover the controversy for itself.
The Times' Muslims-in-America beat reporter Neil MacFarquhar (whose reporting is reliably pro-Muslim) has filed nothing besides a single, amazingly slanted and misleading summary of the case on December 7, 2006, in the context of a review of a Muslim-based sit-com airing in…Canada.
So far the Times has left all the lifting to an Associated Press squib, "Muslims Clerics Sue Airline and Passengers."
The AP reported:
"Six Muslim men removed from a plane last fall after being accused of suspicious behavior are suing the airline -- and the passengers who complained, a move that some fear could discourage others from speaking up if they see something unusual.
"The civil rights lawsuit, filed this month, has so alarmed some lawyers that they are offering to defend the passengers without charge. They say it is vital that the public be able to report suspicious behavior without fear of being taken to court.
"The six Muslim men, all 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. Some passengers also said that the men spoke of Saddam Hussein and cursed the United States, and that they requested seat belt extenders and stowed them under their seats.
"Omar Mohammedi, a New York lawyer for the imams, said the intent was not to go after passengers who raise valid concerns, but that passengers might have acted out of prejudice. He denied that the imams were talking about Mr. Hussein, and said that their seats were assigned and that they needed extenders because their belts did not fit."
That's apparently it for the Times. By contrast, the town's other broadsheet, the New York Sun, has taken the story seriously, finding a local angle and making it the lead story in Tuesday's edition under the headline "Suit Could Stifle Terror Fight."
For more New York Times bias, visit Times Watch.
—Clay Waters is the director of Times Watch, an MRC project tracking the New York Times.
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To me this story smacks of
April 3, 2007 - 16:41 ET by mclarksonTo me this story smacks of BS on the part of the witnesses. Wearing a turban does not make one an idiot. Any moron knows chanting about Saddam Hussein and cursing the United States will get you kicked off a flight and into police custody faster than you can say "Allah be praised". It makes no freaking sense and sounds like the days in the south when any crime could be solved by the 5 or six white "witnesses" going "it was that negro that raped that girl". Granted, it was a dumb move on the Imams' part to pray in public considering the rampant anti-muslim sentiment but this still smacks of bigotry.
Are you for real, dope? Get
April 3, 2007 - 16:53 ET by kathleenirishAre you for real, dope? Get the facts!! It wasn't just because of a few turbans, but of course, give the benefit of the doubt to imams rather than the passengers who listened and witnessed the event. I would gladly be one of the passengers who applauded when they were taken off, and deservedly so! What the hell, are you a terrorist sympathizer, friend?
If an airline can kick a family off a plane for not being able to comfort a tantrumming child, they can kick Imams for much less than what they were up to that day! Damn it, f#*! them!!!! Now, if that suit had been allowed, they could sue me for making the call or perhaps, clapping, when they were removed???
Things are more grave than I even thought in this country! Who needs enemies when we have idiots like you around?
"He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, and he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere" -Ali ibn-Abi-Talib, 4th Islamic Caliph
As a private airline that c
April 3, 2007 - 17:02 ET by mclarksonAs a private airline that can kick whoever the hell they want off. Not my point. I am commenting on how this story doesn't pass the "smells like bullshit" test. I have no problems with clapping any terroist jerk in irons and tossing him in prison so fast it will make his turban spin right off. It just doesn't sound like this is one of those situations. I fully expect I would be tossed in jail if I spouted similar garbage at an airport. Before you hit the twitch "TERRORIST SYMPATHISER" response, I suggest reading the post.
Imams
April 3, 2007 - 19:09 ET by Emma Grumpmclarkson - at precisely what moment would you become alarmed at this type of behavior??
Smacks of BS
April 3, 2007 - 17:00 ET by pilsenerBefore you issue your pronouncement of BS, I encourage you to actually go read the details of this story. The Imams took seats not assigned to them in the front, back and middle of the plane, they requested seat belt extenders even though their size made them unnecessary, they moved back and forth talking to one another even when requested to stay in their seats. In short, they actively created the suspicions that caused them to be removed from the plane.
The subsequent lawsuit naming "John Doe" passengers as targets attracted not only a legislative amendment in the house (that passed by a large margin) but pro-bono offers from a number of big-time law firms to defend the passengers.
If there is any BS in this case, it is coming from CAIR and the Imams.
"...smacks of bigotry.&q
April 3, 2007 - 17:01 ET by bassndude"...smacks of bigotry." Only to you and the rest of the tin foil hat class.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
I agree with you, mclarkson.
April 3, 2007 - 17:15 ET by Ruths husband BenI agree with you, mclarkson. I think all of those passengers, the airline, and the police conspired to deny those innocent Imman's their rights. Everyone has the right to scare the crap out of their fellow humans by playing on their fears. Especially if you belong to the religion of peace and they are all just infidels. Remember two words "Gulf of Tonkon." Google it!
Yaba daba doo! -Fred Flintstone campaign slogan
Imams
April 3, 2007 - 19:14 ET by Emma GrumpWhat is an airline traveler to do these days, now we not only have to deal with suspicious looking passengers, but also have to hope mclarkson is not on our flight.
I was wondering when Newsbust
April 3, 2007 - 16:46 ET by kathleenirishI was wondering when Newsbusters was going to pick up on this newest liberal democratic eye-opener. Yes, Virginia, there are enablers of terrorists and anti-American forces in great numbers in our Congress. Most of the Democrats in Congress did not want to protect you from terrorists, again. They voted against indemnifying John Does who report suspicious behavior to the authorities that is a part of Peter Kings' bill. Be sure, though, just as they tried to blame the intelligence failures of 9/11 on Bush, they will blame the next terrorist attack in this country, not on themselves where the blame is richly deserved, but on Republicans and conservatives in particular. The imams are obviously trying to intimidate Americans and to help the jihad and future terrorists here in America. What other explanation is there for both their bizarre behavior and now the frivolous lawsuit? I will definitely try to fly American whenever possible.
9 out of 10 of the liberal democrat congressmen from Massachusetts voted against the bill and for imams and other sleaze balls to intimidate John Does. I will e-mail the sorry lot of them, but so much for that mattering much!
And, a Special "Shout Out!" and "Thanks so much (infidel)!" from the Flying Imams to Barney Frank, a Jew! for Pete's sake! voting to help Islamofascists everywhere. Sir, you have lost your cotton-picking mind!
The Democrat Party in America: Traitors, first and foremost, today and every day. Working for the continued breakdown and dismembering of the greatest country in the world. The USA, in case you didn't immediately know, Hilary and Barry and Howard Dean and NYT and AP. That's the country that blindly gives you the freedom to knock it down as hard as you can. You suck. The imams should have been deported, period.
"He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, and he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere" -Ali ibn-Abi-Talib, 4th Islamic Caliph
This lawsuit is an act of war
April 4, 2007 - 07:50 ET by fosstenThis lawsuit is an act of war on this nation by these Muslims. These people being sued merely complained that they felt threatened, and they are being sued for that? Goodbye First Amendment!
It is high time we Americans started defending ourselves. If the courts and the legislature won't protect us, we have to resort to other means.
So I hear Alberto Gonzales we
April 3, 2007 - 17:59 ET by blarsenSo I hear Alberto Gonzales went to Yankee Stadium yesterday to throw out the First Amendment (rimshot).
And Sandy Berger went in as a pinch runner
April 3, 2007 - 18:01 ET by Carl KolchakI heard they put Sandy Berger in as a pinch runner and he stole second, because he is good at stealing.
"Put me in coach, I'm ready to play"
Kolchak, the Night Stalker (my favorite show back when)
April 4, 2007 - 18:40 ET by kathleenirishI know this is late, but if I could give an award for the best comeback of the week: yours is definitely it. Thanks for the laugh!!!!
"He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare, and he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere" -Ali ibn-Abi-Talib, 4th Islamic Caliph
Burglar/Socks Scissors...Paper
April 4, 2007 - 19:02 ET by bigtimerSpeaking of which...
Here is a great story concerning Burglar...presented last Sunday by Fox's David Asman.
It was very good...eye-opening when it it came to the National Archives the Justice dept and what all happened that Sandy got away with that we know of...thank goodness for Tom Davis and Fox in this situation.
May be a video of it too somewhere in the Fox archives...http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,262687,00.html
Jut thought I would put this in here for those who do not know about it..hope they repeat it...I was going to post it last week-end but my IP server has had numerous problems for awhile now.