Michael, victim of the 9'11 phobia
 

Michael, a Virgin F/A, is now fighting for 7 months against the security phobia, in the US.
As it is a very complicated one, and to make a long story short: he is facing "terrorist charges" as he simply discovered a bomb threat in the a/c toilets on a flight from LHR to the US !

Please, help your collegue by signing the petition on his website

www.michaelphillippe.com

Unfortunately, not all the pages are available in english, yet. He's working on it...

Thanks for your help

Fonck.

The link doesn't appear to work....

It need one less l... try this

www.michaelphilippe.com

Why are none of the 'Big Wigs' from Virgin supporting him then ???

Tam Pax what makes you think they aren't supporting him??

Ozzie
 

Click on the link, then 2 the names of people supporting him and their companies ! where is Branson ??? he is normally the 1st in line for publicity.

My mistake !

I'm so sorry...It needs only one L !
Michael just sent me an email this morning, thanks to you for updating his URL
He really needs our support.

If you can speak a little frog, goto

radiocockpit

Cheers,
Fonck.

Tam Pax I think you will find that the only reason Mr Branson and Virgin haven't stepped into help is because they have probably been advised not to by there legal department.

You see Virgin is the injured party in all of this and as Michael is an employee there could be a conflict of interest.

In case your thinking "this guy is talking out of his ****" I was in a similar situation a few years ago. I can't say too much on here at the moment because I am taking legal action against a certain government.

I have been in contact with Michaels legal repersentatives in France to see if there is any assistance I can offer them.

Personally speaking and this is based on my own experience I think he needs to go to every newspaper and media outlet he can. I'm not sure a petition is the way forward. Media exposure would bring this whole ridiculous sham out into the open and expose the authorities for the idiots they are!

But thats just my point of view!!!

Oz
 

How do you know he is not guilty ?

I don't!! I don't even know the guy. BUT have you tried asking yourself WHY? WHY would he want to do it?

It doesn't make sense to me.

A couple of criminals were found innocent, beyond the pond...

By this time, President Chirac is managing the dossier. Can you imagine the French President defending a criminal ?

If you were in the same position, you should be very happy to have such a support.

The Gaul of it!
 

I do not want to change the point of this thread.
I am sorry Fonck but I can imagine a French President defending criminals. Many have done so in the past. And as for Chirac handling the dossier, God help Micheal!

I agree with NEUTRAL99 and TAM PAX. How can you ask anyone to sign a petition with out all the evidence and only one side of the story. That is why the judicial system exists to give both sides their say and present their evidence.
The only way for Micheal to prove his innocence and clear his name is to go through with the correct procedures. And if he is innocent and has all the relevant evidence to prove so then he will be found not Guilty.
Fonck you do not say whether Virgin carried out their own investigation into the incident.

Dear MaxMet,

I don't have the answer.

The only thing we know, is that Michael wrote a letter to Sir Branson, and unfortunately didn't recieve any response. Exept a letter from Virgin's top managment saying the airline will stay out of this situation of conflict.
We can understand that. Virgin operates many transatlantic routes, and don't have to take part in the debate.

Michael's story reminds me the case of these British planespotters in Greece, last summer.

Michael was arrested 2 month after the incident...
How was the FBI aware of him flying back to the states ? A phone call to Virgin planning may be ?

Why was he arrested in the States ? The flight diverted to Iceland, the situation was investigated then everybody continued the flight.

Why don't we have any insight from the Virgin people ? Where are you guys ? Nobody to tell your side of the story ?

I'd like to have the truth out of this as well and we only have Michael version, but I still wonder why he is being judged in the States. Can't understand that, that's why I signed the petition.

I don't know anything about this, but I've heard some talk from Virgin guys. Maybe it's no coincidence there's not lots of support from Virgin at any level, top or bottom.
Is it true that in his short time with the company Michael single-handedly and wth no witnesses put out two fires, one in the galley and one in a toilet?
Either he's been unlucky and a hero, or ..................... not? :confused:

It's stupid to sign petitions alleging "injustice" when you don't know the facts and don't know if it is injusice.

Alty Meter interesting post. However after 16 years of flying I have come to the conclusion that what crew don't know they make up.

If you read my earlier posting regarding the silence of the Virgin management in Michaels case you'll see that as a damaged party they cannot legally get involved in all of this.

OzzieO
Sorry, I don't understand what you mean by "as a damaged party (Virgin) cannot legally get involved in all of this."
If what you mean by "involved" is trying to influence decisions of the FBI or Prosecutors (one way or the other), then I agree that would be very wrong even though not necessarily against the law - depending upon what they did/said.

Hi, by "damaged party" I mean the incident took place on a Virgin aircraft which diverted. Therefore the airline would have incured financial losses (ie the dumping of fuel etc). So therefore by damaged it suffered financially as a consequence of the diversion.

Unlike you (I assume by your name you have some legal knowledge) I do not have any legal qualifications I speak from personal experience.

Innocent until proven guilty. Now! where did I put my black hat?
 

Fonck

You have still not said whether Virgin atlantic carried out their own investigation into the bomb alert on Micheals flight. I am sure that they would have done so after such a serious incident. Micheal and the whole crew must have been interviewed as soon as they returned to base by management officials. What was the outcome of this investigation or is it still continuing and are Virgin awaiting the results of the American Courts? Is Micheal still employed by Virgin atlantic at this time?

As I have already posted I do not see the need for Micheal to return until after the Court Case. He is not being held in custody in a grim jail but rather with a family in their own home with time as it would appear to visit Disney World/Land?

If Micheal is not guilty of the charges against him and has the evidence to prove it then he should stay in the States and go through with proper legal proceedings. If he is found not guilty then there will be ways in which he can claim compensation back from the U.S. Government and the F.B.I.

Micheals plight seems like a fairly straight forward but unfortunate case. Unless of course their are difficulties surrounding the evidence put forward by the defending party.

I still think that it unwise for anyone to sign a petition when not all the evidence is available. Micheals case is hardly like signing a petition for the prevention of a new motorway or the felling of an ancient forest.

It's been a week since the interesting questions from MaxMet were asked. How unfortunate that no answers are given yet....