Finally, The Canada Free Press displays true investigative reporting. Read this very disturbing account of the Nov. 17, 2009 Air Tran Flight #297: http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/17508
And now the plot thickens with the private email distribution of the following eye witness accounts that support the investigative reports of the Free Canada Press:
Chaplain Dr. Keith A. Robinson
Air Tran Flight 297 Incident
Copyright 2009 Chaplain Dr. Keith A. Robinson
Copyright 2009 Chaplain Dr. Keith A. Robinson
Air Tran Airways Flight 297 was scheduled to leave Atlanta at 4:43PM in route to Houston Hobby Airport. Because of my position as Corps Commander of the Houston Regional Community Chaplain Corps, I frequently wear my Chaplain jacket as I travel. Like some sort of heavenly magnet, the Chaplain jacket invites discussion with a wide variety of people who are struggling with issues in need of a comforting ear. My connecting flight was late and the door to the jet way closed prior to my boarding. So, even though I was rescheduled on a much later flight far from C‐16 I settled down with a newspaper and only 1/4th of my remaining cell phone battery.
While waiting at the distant gate, I noticed on the scheduling monitors that Flight 297 had returned to gate C‐16 and was scheduled to leave at 5:45PM. I hurried back to gate C‐16 in hopes of boarding my original flight after it strangely returned to the gate. Upon arriving at the gate I noticed that there was a look of solemn concern on the faces of the gate attendants. I asked if I could get on flight 297 when they returned to the gate. Their faces indicated a distinct level of stress that let everyone in the seating area knew that there was a problem on board. When I approached them a few moments later I said, “I am a Chaplain. Is there some way that I can be of help?” They said, “No.” Obviously, an event had occurred that they would not talk about.
Over the next thirty minutes
officials from Air Tran started arriving at the gate, flashing their
badges and going down to the plane. After 6‐7 officials exited the
door, suddenly it flew open and 12‐15 people from the flight hurried
off the plane. Anger and fear was etched on their faces as they jerked
their carry‐on and tore into their computer bags to schedule another
flight out of Atlanta.
Air Tran Flight 297 Incident Copyright 2009 Chaplain Dr. Keith A. Robinson Page
2
One gentleman confronted the
gate agent demanding his luggage be removed from the flight. As I spoke
to him he related that when Flight 297 left the concourse the first
time it began taxiing to take off when approximately 12 men of Middle
Eastern appearance stood up and began dancing and singing in an Arabic
dialect. They refused to be seated when directed to do so by the flight
attendants. Then, the singing stopped and some of the men took out
their cell phones and began taking pictures of the other individual
passengers. Again, the men were ordered to be seated by the flight crew
and refused while continuing to take their pictures. Next, the
de‐boarded passenger related that a few of the men gestured with
imaginary guns as their fingers, indicating with their triggering
action that they would shoot the people on the plane.
The flight crew declared an
emergency and the plane returned to the concourse. The 12 men were
taken to another area of the airport and questioned. It is my
understanding that their luggage was removed and checked. Then, ten of
the men were allowed to get back on the plane. That’s when the 12‐15
passengers decided that they wanted to get off that plane and take
other flights. This ordeal had gone on approximately 2 hours to this
point.
With much concern I was
allowed to go down the jet way to the plane. There I encountered a man
claiming that he was from Homeland Security to assess the situation. I
related to the Homeland Security man about the claims of the photos and
the shooting hand gestures related by the first man to exit the plane
and I told him that I was a Senior Chaplain familiar with Critical
Incident Response and would wait to help him should the passengers need
my help. He said, “Thanks.” The flight crew hurriedly walked past me
leaving the plane with their baggage. The flight attendants were
emotionally shaken, red faced, in tears and were sobbing. A new flight
crew was ordered for the flight. All remaining passengers awaited their
next crew, unsure of the ultimate destiny of this flight.
When I boarded the plane the
air was tense and filled with emotion. Many of the passengers were
obviously upset and at wits end. Often passengers would look back then
forward to
Air Tran Flight 297 Incident Copyright 2009 Chaplain Dr. Keith A. Robinson Page
3
assess any change in the
suspicious activities of the 10 hostile Middle Eastern passengers.
Although my seat was 22D I moved to the back of the plane to gain a
better view of any actions that might take place in front of me. Some
of the Middle Eastern men were in the Business Class area and the
remainder was seated in the back of the plane. They spoke only Arabic
and I did not understand what they were saying although a strange burst
of laughter would erupt as they spoke.
I struggled to see if these men were merely tragically toying with the emotions of the other American passengers or if they intended to do more. I calmed the new flight attendants and told them where I would be seated if they or any of the other passengers needed me.
I struggled to see if these men were merely tragically toying with the emotions of the other American passengers or if they intended to do more. I calmed the new flight attendants and told them where I would be seated if they or any of the other passengers needed me.
I asked the flight attendant
if she did or did not know whether we had an Air Marshal on the plane.
She said that they were never told when one was on board. I prayed for
the peace to handle whatever might happen on the flight but kept my
eyes peeled forward for any suspicious movements. One of the other
passengers in mid‐plane grew restless and began to show signs of rising
agitation. He got up from his chair looked back and then to the front
of the plane and paced back and forth between three to four rows. I
prayed that that he would not become violent with some of the men but
then he quickly sat down and remained quiet until the end of the flight.
One hour into the flight thankfully nothing had happened. The outer skin of Flight 297’s body must have radiated with prayers ascending into heaven from the passengers…and the one Chaplain at the back of the plane. Each of the Middle Eastern men remained quiet but frequently went into the overhead compartments to retrieve what appeared to be electronic devices and other packages from their backpacks. I was thankful when the men in the back of the plane appeared to nod off into a harmless sleep.
One hour into the flight thankfully nothing had happened. The outer skin of Flight 297’s body must have radiated with prayers ascending into heaven from the passengers…and the one Chaplain at the back of the plane. Each of the Middle Eastern men remained quiet but frequently went into the overhead compartments to retrieve what appeared to be electronic devices and other packages from their backpacks. I was thankful when the men in the back of the plane appeared to nod off into a harmless sleep.
One of the 10 men from
Business Class came back to retrieve a box marked as a Mac Notebook. He
brought it to the front of the plane and put it in third compartment on
the left of the plane. There must have been four or five airline pilots
in uniform on board making connecting flights
Air Tran Flight 297 Incident Copyright 2009 Chaplain Dr. Keith A. Robinson Page
4
through Hobby Airport in
Houston. One of the pilot passengers moved the Mac Notebook box to
another overhead area without anyone observing the new distant hiding
place for his package.
Finally, the pilot announced
that we were only 285 miles from Houston and under an hour of time to
go. Still nothing happened. The flight attendants appeared to be
calming down but the heads of passengers periodically bobbed forward
and back, still watching for activity from the men.
Obviously, in Atlanta the
officials from Air Tran had been placed in a difficult ethnic position
that directly resulted from the inappropriate, threatening actions of
these 12 Middle Eastern men. And, obviously vacillating between
appropriately removing these men permanently off the
plane and sequestering them for the threats they made toward these
passengers on the flight…or taking the “politically correct” action of
taking them off, questioning them and then putting most of them back on
the plane…Air Tran took the easy way out and put most of them back on
board. As in most dilemma situations both parties are never equally
affected by the resulting action. By putting 10 of the men back on the
plane, Air Tran decided that it was better to emotionally traumatize
each and every one of the remaining passengers on Air Tran Flight 297
for the remainder of the flight. They had a chance to remove the
offenders…but didn’t. Only a few weeks before this flight experience
one Middle Eastern man killed many soldiers in the name of Allah at
Fort Hood, Texas. This experience placed many in America into a 9‐12
state of mental preparedness. Most of us realize that there are pockets
of radical Islamists right here in America awaiting either an internal
or external signal to strike again at Americans…just as they did on
9‐11. The realities of these events can’t help but condition our minds for protection.
As a Chaplain I ask myself, would America have been better off if a group of passengers on Air Tran Flight 297 assumed the 9‐12 mentality of preparedness and launched a group attack on these men, forcing them into their seats until the plane parked again in its Atlanta International jet way? Were the passengers right to just put up with the obvious intimidation by these men
As a Chaplain I ask myself, would America have been better off if a group of passengers on Air Tran Flight 297 assumed the 9‐12 mentality of preparedness and launched a group attack on these men, forcing them into their seats until the plane parked again in its Atlanta International jet way? Were the passengers right to just put up with the obvious intimidation by these men
Air Tran Flight 297 Incident Copyright 2009 Chaplain Dr. Keith A. Robinson Page
5
until the flight was over?
And, could it be that we actually endorsed the actions of these men by
not taking action against them when they made their first imaginary
shooting action toward an American on that flight?
How many times would it take
for Americans forcefully to stand up for their safety based solely on
the aggressive and threatening actions of these men as people
threatening Americans, for them to see that Americans won’t tolerate
physical or psychological intimidation at all anymore?
Is it inappropriate for
Americans to stand together, draw a line in the sand, and say this will
not happen to me or any of my American brothers/sisters? Do we not have
a duty and responsibility to stand against this type of intimidation?
And this is the most
difficult question of all: For those who were passengers that evening
on Air Train Flight 297, could it be that we actually planted the seeds
for the next intimidation by those who would attack us in our own
homeland…by not acting together to stop the intimidation and threats?
As long as there are those
who would claim Jihad as the proper way to solve ideological
differences between religions, countries and civilizations,
“intimidation” and “threats” will continue to be the initial
instruments of force used against peace‐loving people. As we become
sensitized to the successive “intimidation” and “threats” we will
become less and less responsive in our own defense. Then, as we find
ourselves lulled into believing that the next intimidation or threat is
just that…it will be an actual attack on America. We will not have
learned from the deaths of all those Americans who died at the Twin
Towers in New York or at the Pentagon in Washington DC.
Even peace loving Americans
must awaken to the reality that our enemies intend to wipe us from the
face of the earth through Jihad. Intimidation and threats are merely
the precursors to the violence which will come. Ideally, all mankind
should respect the beliefs, customs and religions of others on this
earth. And, God knows that someday we may actually reach that point.
But until that time America must set boundaries that protect its people
based upon
Air Tran Flight 297 Incident Copyright 2009 Chaplain Dr. Keith A. Robinson Page
6
what is right or wrong for
America and its people. In order to survive as a nation of people
claiming American values and ethics, we must stop political correctness
as a way to temporarily appease those who would kill us in a heartbeat.
It’s time we deal in reality and speak honestly and accurately about
the facts in each situation. Face it, you cannot prevent someone from
getting their feelings hurt when you speak the truth.
If America is to survive…and
I pray to God that it does, we must enforce boundaries that define us
as Americans. If we don’t enforce American values and just bend the
truth to make people feel good…very soon America will become impotent
before the world.
I believe that God didn’t
make a mistake when he brought together the forefathers of America.
These men were tested and from the fire of the American Revolution a
new country was born. Today we can perpetuate our America or we can
remember it as a distant dream that didn’t last. I, for one, believe
that God did not make America as a mistake. And, from that belief in
America, the truth must be spoken as it is in reality. When
intimidation or threats confront an American citizen or an American
ideal, we must stand together and hold the boundary set by our American
forefathers. In truth words mean very little. How we act reveals what
we really believe.
‐‐‐ END‐‐‐
Senior Chaplain Dr. Keith A.
Robinson is the Corps Commander for the Houston Regional Community
Chaplain’s Corps in Houston, Texas. He can be reached by email at
DrKeithR@aol.com ; by phone at 713‐826‐3220; and by snail mail at 2042
Baker Trail, Houston, Texas 77094.
Tedd J. Petruna (forwarded by good friend A. Gene Hackemack)
I received this email from my good friend Tedd Petruna, a diver at the NBL
facility [Neutral Buoyancy Lab], at NASA Houston, whom I used to work with.
Tedd happened to be on this same Flt. 297, Atlanta to Houston.
In my
opinion, the muslims are all getting very brave now, since they have a Muslim
sympathizer in the white house......read Tedd's story below.
Semper
Fi
Gene Hackemack
PS...can you imagine, our own news media now are so politically correct that they are afraid to report that these were all muslims...unbelievable. Thank God for people like Tedd Petruna.
A. Gene Hackemack
979-251-2310 cell & home
buttonbox01@gmail.com
8725 Hwy 290 W
Brenham TX 77833
Gene Hackemack
PS...can you imagine, our own news media now are so politically correct that they are afraid to report that these were all muslims...unbelievable. Thank God for people like Tedd Petruna.
A. Gene Hackemack
979-251-2310 cell & home
buttonbox01@gmail.com
8725 Hwy 290 W
Brenham TX 77833
-----
Original Message -----
From: Petruna, Tedd J. (JSC-DX12)[RAYTHEON TECHNICAL SERVICES COMPANY]
To: undisclosed-recipients
Sent: Friday, November 27, 2009 11:32 AM
Subject: Long story short....
From: Petruna, Tedd J. (JSC-DX12)[RAYTHEON TECHNICAL SERVICES COMPANY]
To: undisclosed-recipients
Sent: Friday, November 27, 2009 11:32 AM
Subject: Long story short....
One week
ago, I went to Ohio on business and to see my father. On Tuesday, November the
17th, I returned home. If you read the papers the 18th you may have seen a
blurb where a AirTran flight was cancelled from Atlanta to Houston due to a man
who refused to get off of his cell phone before takeoff. It was on Fox.
This was NOT what happened.
I was in 1st class coming home. 11 Muslim men got on the plane in full attire. 2 sat in 1st class and the rest peppered themselves throughout the plane all the way to the back. As the plane taxied to the runway the stewardesses gave the safety spiel we are all so familiar with. At that time, one of the men got on his cell and called one of his companions in the back and proceeded to talk on the phone in Arabic very loudly and very aggressively. This took the 1st stewardess out of the picture for she repeatedly told the man that cell phones were not permitted at the time. He ignored her as if she was not there.
The 2nd man who answered the phone did the same and this took out the 2nd stewardess. In the back of the plane at this time, 2 younger Muslims, one in the back aisle, and one in front of him, window, began to show footage of a porno they had taped the night before, and were very loud about it. Now..they are only permitted to do this prior to Jihad. If a Muslim man goes into a strip club, he has to view the woman via mirror with his back to her. (don't ask me..I don't make the rules, but I've studied) The 3rd stewardess informed them that they were not to have electronic devices on at this time. To which one of the men said "shut up infidel dog!" She went to take the camcorder and he began to scream in her face in Arabic. At that exact moment, all 11 of them got up and started to walk the cabin. This is where I had had enough! I got up and started to the back where I heard a voice behind me from another Texan twice my size say "I got your back." I grabbed the man who had been on the phone by the arm and said "you WILL go sit down or you Will be thrown from this plane!" As I "led" him around me to take his seat, the fellow Texan grabbed him by the back of his neck and his waist and headed out with him. I then grabbed the 2nd man and said, "You WILL do the same!" He protested but adrenaline was flowing now and he was going to go. As I escorted him forward the plane doors open and 3 TSA agents and 4 police officers entered. Me and my new Texan friend were told to cease and desist for they had this under control. I was happy to oblige actually. There was some commotion in the back, but within moments, all 11 were escorted off the plane. They then unloaded their luggage.
We talked about the occurrence and were in disbelief that it had happen, when suddenly, the door open again and on walked all 11!! Stone faced, eyes front and robotic (the only way I can describe it). The stewardess from the back had been in tears and when she saw this, she was having NONE of it! Being that I was up front, I heard and saw the whole ordeal. She told the TSA agent there was NO WAY she was staying on the plane with these men. The agent told her they had searched them and were going to go through their luggage with a fine tooth comb and that they were allowed to proceed to Houston. The captain and co-captain came out and told the agent "we and our crew will not fly this plane!" After a word or two, the entire crew, luggage in tow, left the plane. 5 minutes later, the cabin door opened again and a whole new crew walked on.
Again...this is where I had had enough!!! I got up and asked "What the hell is going on!?!?" I was told to take my seat. They were sorry for the delay and I would be home shortly. I said "I'm getting off this plane". The stewardess sternly told me that she could not allow me to get off. (now I'm mad!) I said "I am a grown man who bought this ticket, whose time is mine with a family at home and I am going through that door, or I'm going through that door with you under my arm!! But I am going through that door!!" And I heard a voice behind me say "so am I". Then everyone behind us started to get up and say the same. Within 2 minutes, I was walking off that plane where I was met with more agents who asked me to write a statement. I had 5 hours to kill at this point so why the hell not. Due to the amount of people who got off that flight, it was cancelled. I was supposed to be in Houston at 6pm. I got here at 12:30am.
Look up the date. Flight #297 Atlanta to Houston.
If this wasn't a dry run, I don't know what one is. The terrorists wanted to see how TSA would handle it, how the crew would handle it, and how the passengers would handle it.
I'm telling this to you because I want you to know..
The threat is real. I saw it with my own eyes..
-Tedd Petruna
A. Gene Hackemack
979-251-2310 cell & home
buttonbox01@gmail.com
8725 Hwy 290 W
Brenham TX 77833
This was NOT what happened.
I was in 1st class coming home. 11 Muslim men got on the plane in full attire. 2 sat in 1st class and the rest peppered themselves throughout the plane all the way to the back. As the plane taxied to the runway the stewardesses gave the safety spiel we are all so familiar with. At that time, one of the men got on his cell and called one of his companions in the back and proceeded to talk on the phone in Arabic very loudly and very aggressively. This took the 1st stewardess out of the picture for she repeatedly told the man that cell phones were not permitted at the time. He ignored her as if she was not there.
The 2nd man who answered the phone did the same and this took out the 2nd stewardess. In the back of the plane at this time, 2 younger Muslims, one in the back aisle, and one in front of him, window, began to show footage of a porno they had taped the night before, and were very loud about it. Now..they are only permitted to do this prior to Jihad. If a Muslim man goes into a strip club, he has to view the woman via mirror with his back to her. (don't ask me..I don't make the rules, but I've studied) The 3rd stewardess informed them that they were not to have electronic devices on at this time. To which one of the men said "shut up infidel dog!" She went to take the camcorder and he began to scream in her face in Arabic. At that exact moment, all 11 of them got up and started to walk the cabin. This is where I had had enough! I got up and started to the back where I heard a voice behind me from another Texan twice my size say "I got your back." I grabbed the man who had been on the phone by the arm and said "you WILL go sit down or you Will be thrown from this plane!" As I "led" him around me to take his seat, the fellow Texan grabbed him by the back of his neck and his waist and headed out with him. I then grabbed the 2nd man and said, "You WILL do the same!" He protested but adrenaline was flowing now and he was going to go. As I escorted him forward the plane doors open and 3 TSA agents and 4 police officers entered. Me and my new Texan friend were told to cease and desist for they had this under control. I was happy to oblige actually. There was some commotion in the back, but within moments, all 11 were escorted off the plane. They then unloaded their luggage.
We talked about the occurrence and were in disbelief that it had happen, when suddenly, the door open again and on walked all 11!! Stone faced, eyes front and robotic (the only way I can describe it). The stewardess from the back had been in tears and when she saw this, she was having NONE of it! Being that I was up front, I heard and saw the whole ordeal. She told the TSA agent there was NO WAY she was staying on the plane with these men. The agent told her they had searched them and were going to go through their luggage with a fine tooth comb and that they were allowed to proceed to Houston. The captain and co-captain came out and told the agent "we and our crew will not fly this plane!" After a word or two, the entire crew, luggage in tow, left the plane. 5 minutes later, the cabin door opened again and a whole new crew walked on.
Again...this is where I had had enough!!! I got up and asked "What the hell is going on!?!?" I was told to take my seat. They were sorry for the delay and I would be home shortly. I said "I'm getting off this plane". The stewardess sternly told me that she could not allow me to get off. (now I'm mad!) I said "I am a grown man who bought this ticket, whose time is mine with a family at home and I am going through that door, or I'm going through that door with you under my arm!! But I am going through that door!!" And I heard a voice behind me say "so am I". Then everyone behind us started to get up and say the same. Within 2 minutes, I was walking off that plane where I was met with more agents who asked me to write a statement. I had 5 hours to kill at this point so why the hell not. Due to the amount of people who got off that flight, it was cancelled. I was supposed to be in Houston at 6pm. I got here at 12:30am.
Look up the date. Flight #297 Atlanta to Houston.
If this wasn't a dry run, I don't know what one is. The terrorists wanted to see how TSA would handle it, how the crew would handle it, and how the passengers would handle it.
I'm telling this to you because I want you to know..
The threat is real. I saw it with my own eyes..
-Tedd Petruna
A. Gene Hackemack
979-251-2310 cell & home
buttonbox01@gmail.com
8725 Hwy 290 W
Brenham TX 77833
Upon emailing Mr. Hackemack at his listed email address for verification, I promptly received the following response:
Hi,
My emails are now running into the thousands each day, which is actually
a very good sign, but it also now prevents me from answering each one personally
– a 24 hour job for the last 3 days! Let
me assure you that the events on AirTran Flight 297 did occur. Mr. Petruna
almost got fired from his job, so he is no longer available, however, now other
eye-witnesses are also stepping forth, such as Chaplain Dr. Keith Robinson who
was on that same flight. His appearance on Fox News adds the validity that this
event it deserves.
You can go to www.google.com now and type in either Chaplain
Dr. Keith Robinson or Petruna or Hackemack (or all three) and find the
information that you might be searching for when you sent me this email.
Thank you again for your email and rest assured that these events that
you are checking validity to – did indeed occur. – Gene
