An Iraqi-born American Airlines mechanic actually sabotaged an airplane earlier this year and has been charged accordingly:
Here’s more:
MIAMI HERALD – An American Airlines mechanic charged with sabotaging a plane because he was upset over stalled labor contract negotiations was fired from another airline several years ago and briefly had his mechanic’s license suspended, according to court documents.
Abdul-Majeed Marouf Ahmed Alani appeared in federal court in Miami on Friday on a charge of willfully damaging or disabling a plane. Federal investigators say he admitted to tampering with a part that provides vital flight information to pilots.
The pilots aborted the July 17 flight before takeoff in Miami. Alani, 60, was arrested Thursday. He had worked for American since 1988 but was suspended after his arrest.
Court records from a lawsuit in California indicate that for some years, Alani worked both for American and Alaska Airlines until Alaska fired him in 2008 after several errors including failing to verify that repairs were working and installing the wrong battery on a plane. The Federal Aviation Administration suspended his mechanic’s certificate for 30 days, according to court documents.
All the headlines say he’s Muslim, and it’s probably true. But without knowing the man I hate to presume just based on his name.
However sabotaging an airplane is very 9/11 and that was decidedly Muslim:
In Miami on Friday, Alani wore shackles and tan jail clothes as he spoke to Magistrate Judge John O’Sullivan through an Arabic interpreter. Mostly, he answered basic questions about his assets and whether he could afford a lawyer. The judge appointed a public defender and scheduled a bond hearing for next Wednesday and an arraignment hearing on Sept. 20.
According to American, Alani is proficient in English.
Nothing in the criminal complaint against Alani suggests any link to terrorism, and prosecutors did not indicate that any such charges are pending.
When interviewed Thursday by investigators, “Alani stated that his intention was not to cause harm to the aircraft or its passengers,” according to the affidavit by Jose A. Ruiz, a federal air marshal who serves on an FBI terrorism task force.
Alani explained that stalled contract negotiations between American Airlines and the mechanics’ unions were hurting him financially — he said in court that he has two cars but few other assets besides property in the Sarasota, Florida, area worth about $5,500.
Alani said he tampered with the plane “to cause a delay or have the flight canceled in anticipation of obtaining overtime work,” Ruiz wrote.
It’s possible Alani is telling the truth, but if so what a numbskull thing to do. He was born in Iraq and was undoubtedly here when 9/11 occurred. Just what was the thinking sabotaging an airplane that was about to take off?
It will be very hard for him to convince everyday Americans that he didn’t have ulterior motives and I can’t blame them for being suspicious. I know I am…