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The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority has barred a Ghana Airways pilot from entering restricted areas of the Kotoka International Airport following statements he allegedly made in support of Osama Bin Laden’s September 11 attacks on the United States.
Photographs of the pilot, Talal Kahldi have been posted at the arrival hall of the Airport with notices to that effect. JOY FM enquiries revealed that Talal Kahldi admitted making the statements in support of the attack after one pilot, Mills Lamptey reported him to the authorities of the airline. The American Consulate in Ghana has withdrawn the pilot’s visa due to concerns over security.
Mr. Khaldi told JOYFM that he was dressed in a smock and walking down the arrival hall of the KIA when some officials of the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) started hailing him as “Osama bin Laden”. A woman by name Veronica Lamptey who is the wife of one of one of the senior pilots of Ghana Airways asked him why he was being called “Osama”, to which he explained that it was probably because of the smock.
Mrs Lamptey then retorted “Osama will be arrested by all means.” In reply, Mr Kahldi said that “as most critics of the US say, even if Osama is killed today, 60,000 more Osamas will emerge.” Information available to JOYFM indicates that security personnel at the arrival hall of the Kotoka International Airport might have heard the conversation and reported it to the authorities.
The Head of Flight Operations at Ghana Airways, Captain Kofi Kwakwah confirmed the restrictive measures taken against Kahldi to JOYFM. According to him, Kahldi confirmed that he made those statements when he appeared before the management of the airline.
The airline had no alternative than to suspend him because following the September 11 attacks, the American Embassy in Ghana had issued directives demanding a thorough check up on people who board the airlines including flight crew. Captain Kwakwa further noted that the American Embassy invited Kahldi for a discussion after which they withdrew his visa.
Mr Kahldi is however contending the disciplinary action taken against him by the management of GCAA and Ghana Airways. According to him, the authorities are not being fair to him, especially when investigations into the matter have not yet been concluded. Kahldi noted that the posting of his pictures at the Airport seeks to criminalize him although he has not proven guilty.
Mr Kahldi told JOYFM that he received a letter from Ghana Airways on the 13th of this month informing him that an committee of enquiry has been set up to investigate the statements he made. However, nothing was heard from them till Wednesday when he was informed that his pictures had been posted at various places of the Airports announcing that he had been barred from entering any part of the Airport.
It amazes me how any professional pilot, wherever he/she is from and whatever his/her beliefs are can support the Sep 11th attacks.