Prayer ritual alarms U.S. air crew

[CHA2010]

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Prayer ritual alarms U.S. air crew


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - An orthodox Jewish prayer observance by three passengers aboard anAlaska Airlines flight alarmed flight attendants unfamiliar with the ritual, prompting them to lock down the cockpit and issue a security alert, officials said.
Alaska Flight 241 from Mexico City to Los Angeles International Airport landed safely on Sunday and was met by fire crews, foam trucks, FBI agents, Transportation Security Administration personneland police dispatched as a precaution.
The three men, all Mexican nationals, were escorted off the plane by police and questioned by theFBI before being released to make connecting flights to other countries, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said. No charges were filed, she said.
The three passengers had startled members of the cabin crew with what was interpreted as suspicious behavior shortly after takeoff, airline spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said.
"The three passengers were praying aloud in Hebrew and were wearing what appeared to be leather straps on their foreheads and arms," she said. "This appeared to be a security threat, and the pilots locked down the flight deck and followed standard security procedures."
It turned out the passengers were engaged in the wearing of tefillin -- small, black prayer boxes containing scripture that devout Jews bind to their foreheads and arms with black leather straps in a daily ritual accompanied by special prayers.
Asked about the authorities' reaction to the alert, Eimiller said: "We're obligated, of course, to respond when the flight calls us to clear up concerns."

Source: Reuters

[peewee_toot]

makuyawan pud ko kung naa ko ato pagkahitabu-a...

[sercor::jhumzki]

hahahha murag gi hi-jack*ss ang plane

[CHA2010]

Mura jud ug naa bomb' kay mag ritual baya na sla basta mag offer sa ila life or suicide.

[Blackbeard]

lol xenophobia.

[r51d3r19]

bisan kinsa siguro makuyawan jud ana oi! makakita lang gani ko ug kasakay nga bagag balbas...makahuna2x jud ko ug lain.

[cobraKing]

na unsa nman tawn ni oi..mosakay ta ug bus naay bomba ug eroplano naa sad bomba??ad2 ta ug mall bombahan sad unsa ning ni ron??mag lakaw nlng ta ni oi..

[tatajhun]

haha it means unfamiliar makuyawan jud ta aning tawhana haha...

[reptoid]

That is a pretty strange ritual which would raise eyebrows in most places (other than Israel). I personally don't believe conspicuous prayer is appropriate for public transport, especially after 9/11.

[masterjanuarius]

It shows how paranoid the Americans are ...