Pilot Severely Sanctioned For Speaking In Support Of Attacks On US.
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Pilot Severely Sanctioned For Speaking In Support Of Attacks On US.
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It amazes me how any professional pilot, wherever he/she is from and whatever his/her beliefs are can support the Sep 11th attacks.
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 The American Consulate in Ghana has withdrawn the pilot’s visa due to concerns over security.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.
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.
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Is that all he said ?
Criticism of the US or repeating a widely-held view that removing OBL will not solve the issue does not constitute 'support of the WTC attack' in my book. Specially if as reported he had been goaded by being called names due to his appearance.
Calmer heads required I think.
Criticism of the US or repeating a widely-held view that removing OBL will not solve the issue does not constitute 'support of the WTC attack' in my book. Specially if as reported he had been goaded by being called names due to his appearance.
Calmer heads required I think.
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Given the current climate and what we are all going through, I do believe calm thinking did prevail and all actions taken against him rightly justified.
Provided he had made it to here in New York on his airline he would have been imprisoned under the terrorist prevention act. I say he got off way too easy, how can he discrace the Pilot profession with his most unprofessional and in-humane way of thinking. I am glad to see things are prevailing as such. Thank you.
Provided he had made it to here in New York on his airline he would have been imprisoned under the terrorist prevention act. I say he got off way too easy, how can he discrace the Pilot profession with his most unprofessional and in-humane way of thinking. I am glad to see things are prevailing as such. Thank you.
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How ridiculous. Making Bin Laden a martyr WILL create many more like him, it is a widely-expressed view and one I happen to believe true (although he should be found and held accountable). Doesn't mean I think flying planes into buildings is a good idea, doesn't mean this Ghana Airlines pilot thinks so either. If expressing such a view in the US really makes a person liable to arrest under anti-terrorism law (is this the infamous "Patriots Bill"?) then I'm glad I'm not going there any time soon.
This is what may be the case, (provided they fly to New York):
(The Ghana pilot makes the statement,
The U.S. gets wind of it,
U.S. tells Ghana Airways, 'if that guy is flying past 60W and your plane is 1 mile off course, it will be shot down'
Ghana tells pilot to stay home.)
Thats my simple theory.
Personally I can trust many countries, mostly European.(better than most US ones
) I do feel uneasy about others from places where there may be a lack of resources to prevent another action. Small freighter types fit in this category.
(The Ghana pilot makes the statement,
The U.S. gets wind of it,
U.S. tells Ghana Airways, 'if that guy is flying past 60W and your plane is 1 mile off course, it will be shot down'
Ghana tells pilot to stay home.)
Thats my simple theory.
Personally I can trust many countries, mostly European.(better than most US ones
) I do feel uneasy about others from places where there may be a lack of resources to prevent another action. Small freighter types fit in this category.
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the beauty of living in "a free world" is that everybody is entittled to an opinion and to the power of free speech. whilst iin no way what so ever share the same beleifs as those that hate america - they are still entittled to an opinion, no matter how much oposition to their beleifs.
[ 22 November 2001: Message edited by: BOEINGBOY1 ]
[ 22 November 2001: Message edited by: BOEINGBOY1 ]
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Depends how he said it.
If he expressed the view that the US/allies action might be counterproductive, then fair enough. If that's all he was doing, seems unlikely this action would have been taken.
On the other hand, if he was being sympathetic to Bin Laden, he deserves what he got and what he gets.
I for one wouldn't want to share a flight deck with him. The risks are too great at the moment to take chances.
If he expressed the view that the US/allies action might be counterproductive, then fair enough. If that's all he was doing, seems unlikely this action would have been taken.
On the other hand, if he was being sympathetic to Bin Laden, he deserves what he got and what he gets.
I for one wouldn't want to share a flight deck with him. The risks are too great at the moment to take chances.
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He has a right to his opinion, but the company has the right to take action based on those opinions. Free speech only applies to whether the government censors you, not what private entities do. Nobody has prevented him from saying what he wants, but he has to put his money where his mouth is and face the consequences of his speech, which can include being considered a security risk, having the company fire him for not wanting to appear that he represents their opinion, etc.
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I hate to say it but what the bloke apparently said seems only too true, i.e. killing OBL will simply martyr him in the eyes of many an extremist-in-the-waiting; and which surely, if taken to its logical conclusion, means we'd also better kill every one of his ten's of thousands of current followers too - uhm, and then we'd better kill all their brothers & cousins, lest they too coming looking for revenge..... so where / when do you stop, would you also kill this bloke, just in case ?!
In any event, based on what he said ( if that indeed was all he said ) , one might say that his punishment doesn't fit his crime.
In any event, based on what he said ( if that indeed was all he said ) , one might say that his punishment doesn't fit his crime.
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If you read the article closely you will find the following:
I would expect that the US embassy questioned him about his views and made their descision based on that rather than the fairly obvious observation he made about OBL being martyred.
Captain Kwakwa further noted that the American Embassy invited Kahldi for a discussion after which they withdrew his visa.
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>“as most critics of the US say, even if >Osama is killed today, 60,000 more Osamas >will emerge.”
This is cr@p and he shouldnt have said
it. Period.
You could have said this about Hitler
Most moslems think the guy is as a
terrorist especially in
Afghanistan.-where he is losing againt the moslem Northern Alliance
This is cr@p and he shouldnt have said
it. Period.
You could have said this about Hitler
Most moslems think the guy is as a
terrorist especially in
Afghanistan.-where he is losing againt the moslem Northern Alliance
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Yes, OBL will become a martyr in the eyes of his followers. He won't be taken alive, so the chances of apprehending him to face trial in a court are almost zero.
If his death creates another 100 zealots, so be it. I find it amazing that there are those that still think appeasement is the best way to end world terrorism. If these people are determined to fight western democracies the only option for those countries is defence. Neutralize the enemy.
Edited to remove a comment about Hitler, it seems RVR 800 above beat me to it.
[ 23 November 2001: Message edited by: X-QUORK ]
If his death creates another 100 zealots, so be it. I find it amazing that there are those that still think appeasement is the best way to end world terrorism. If these people are determined to fight western democracies the only option for those countries is defence. Neutralize the enemy.
Edited to remove a comment about Hitler, it seems RVR 800 above beat me to it.
[ 23 November 2001: Message edited by: X-QUORK ]
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Tyranny can only thrive if the oppressed submit.
We have for to long allowed the liberal mindset, social engineers to erode our self worth to this point, where we see such drivel as lets find a peaceful resolution to tyranny.
Kill them.( The terrorists such as OBL )
.............................................
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no.
We have for to long allowed the liberal mindset, social engineers to erode our self worth to this point, where we see such drivel as lets find a peaceful resolution to tyranny.
Kill them.( The terrorists such as OBL )
.............................................
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no.
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RVR 800,
I agree! Alot of people out there believe that we (USA) should refrain from this war on terrorism because it will only spawn more future OBL's. However, these are the same bunch who said the Iraqi Republican guards would make "mincemeat" of the US Marine's, they also were on this very web-site 4 weeks ago telling us how the Taliban would decimate the Allied forces as they did the Russians and English a couple hundred years ago, their Grandfathers were most definately the same people who pleaded with Chamberlain to pacify Hitler. Well we did a "number" on Adolph and Tojo and I have'nt seen thousands of Junior Adolph's terrorizing the world since 1945. In a word, many of these "experts" are really scared and afraid, and to them it sounds intellectually superior to preach against war, but others of us who actually will have to fight know better.
Back to the original thread....I would assume that this pilot said alot of wrong things at his interview at the US Embassey, and that is what lead to his current situation. By the way, as an American I could give 2 **** @ what alot of these third world cra&holes have to say about why these terror attcks occured. The US didn't divide Palestine, or set up colonies in Africa and the middle East, but were often blamed for it. Take care of the situation yourselves, lets see what enlightened solutions for solving the middle-east problems spawn forth from Ghana, Syria, Libya, etc......If it were up to me I'd like to see the rest of the world take care of its own business and stop whinning when the US doesn't give you a big enough hand-out!!!!! I feel much better now! Thank You
I agree! Alot of people out there believe that we (USA) should refrain from this war on terrorism because it will only spawn more future OBL's. However, these are the same bunch who said the Iraqi Republican guards would make "mincemeat" of the US Marine's, they also were on this very web-site 4 weeks ago telling us how the Taliban would decimate the Allied forces as they did the Russians and English a couple hundred years ago, their Grandfathers were most definately the same people who pleaded with Chamberlain to pacify Hitler. Well we did a "number" on Adolph and Tojo and I have'nt seen thousands of Junior Adolph's terrorizing the world since 1945. In a word, many of these "experts" are really scared and afraid, and to them it sounds intellectually superior to preach against war, but others of us who actually will have to fight know better.
Back to the original thread....I would assume that this pilot said alot of wrong things at his interview at the US Embassey, and that is what lead to his current situation. By the way, as an American I could give 2 **** @ what alot of these third world cra&holes have to say about why these terror attcks occured. The US didn't divide Palestine, or set up colonies in Africa and the middle East, but were often blamed for it. Take care of the situation yourselves, lets see what enlightened solutions for solving the middle-east problems spawn forth from Ghana, Syria, Libya, etc......If it were up to me I'd like to see the rest of the world take care of its own business and stop whinning when the US doesn't give you a big enough hand-out!!!!! I feel much better now! Thank You
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Cat Driver when you wrote, "Tyranny can only thrive if the oppressed submit"
Speaking as a Palestinian, I whole heartedly agree, and one can but hope that America, and its lack of CI Agency, will see the light and stop meddling in Middle Eastern affairs which don't concern them.
Much of what the West does in this respect is outwardly done in the name of 'freedom' - when it really should read, OIL - and as a process of which it props-up despotic states like Saudi Arabia, etc, e.g. does anybody else remember the amount of aid that the West used to chuck at Iraq during the Iran / Iraq wars ? Oh how the times have changed !
So let's do stop fooling ourselves about why the West is so desperate to be involved in the Middle East, because you can be sure that if it had no OIL, then the West wouldn't give a sh!t about what goes on there, just like much of Africa.
Also, it's been said before in these forums, but if the West instead of supplying arms to various Middle East nations spent just one tenth of what those munitions cost in supplying properly delivered aid then a lot of what we're seeing now would not be happening.
Perhaps it's a case that ultimately, and as per the proverb, as yea sow, so shall yea reap !
Ps. Roc, it's just a shame you got your big horses arse kicked in Vietnam, in what would otherwise have been yet another classic example of American foreign policy !
[ 24 November 2001: Message edited by: 5by5 ]
Speaking as a Palestinian, I whole heartedly agree, and one can but hope that America, and its lack of CI Agency, will see the light and stop meddling in Middle Eastern affairs which don't concern them.
Much of what the West does in this respect is outwardly done in the name of 'freedom' - when it really should read, OIL - and as a process of which it props-up despotic states like Saudi Arabia, etc, e.g. does anybody else remember the amount of aid that the West used to chuck at Iraq during the Iran / Iraq wars ? Oh how the times have changed !
So let's do stop fooling ourselves about why the West is so desperate to be involved in the Middle East, because you can be sure that if it had no OIL, then the West wouldn't give a sh!t about what goes on there, just like much of Africa.
Also, it's been said before in these forums, but if the West instead of supplying arms to various Middle East nations spent just one tenth of what those munitions cost in supplying properly delivered aid then a lot of what we're seeing now would not be happening.
Perhaps it's a case that ultimately, and as per the proverb, as yea sow, so shall yea reap !
Ps. Roc, it's just a shame you got your big horses arse kicked in Vietnam, in what would otherwise have been yet another classic example of American foreign policy !
[ 24 November 2001: Message edited by: 5by5 ]
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5by5 wrote:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ps. Roc, it's just a shame you got your big horses arse kicked in Vietnam, in what would otherwise have been yet another classic example of American foreign policy !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SPARE ME! Had it been a properly managed war, we probably could've kicked butt in Vietnam to the same degree it's happening in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, political correctness was already rearing it's ugly head way back then. We were too concerned about the sensitivities of other countries worldwide who were "worried" when our B-52s were rearranging Hanoi. A civil war where the "north" was trying to take over the "south" just didn't get everyone worldwide as roweled up as planes being flown into skyscrapers.
That's because the scenario at the WTC could very easily happen in YOUR country, too. A cause for concern? You bet. You'd better quite supporting Israel and put down that issue of PLAYBOY or else the same thing could very possibly happen to you. The Islamic Fundamentalists aren't going to be satisfied until we're all walking, talking, thinking, eating and sleeping just like they do.
No one can win a war with one hand tied behind their back. Vietnam was a mismanaged war, without a plain and simple focus --- victory. We were too busy trying to appease the "nervous Nellies" who feared a larger conflict.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ps. Roc, it's just a shame you got your big horses arse kicked in Vietnam, in what would otherwise have been yet another classic example of American foreign policy !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SPARE ME! Had it been a properly managed war, we probably could've kicked butt in Vietnam to the same degree it's happening in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, political correctness was already rearing it's ugly head way back then. We were too concerned about the sensitivities of other countries worldwide who were "worried" when our B-52s were rearranging Hanoi. A civil war where the "north" was trying to take over the "south" just didn't get everyone worldwide as roweled up as planes being flown into skyscrapers.
That's because the scenario at the WTC could very easily happen in YOUR country, too. A cause for concern? You bet. You'd better quite supporting Israel and put down that issue of PLAYBOY or else the same thing could very possibly happen to you. The Islamic Fundamentalists aren't going to be satisfied until we're all walking, talking, thinking, eating and sleeping just like they do.
No one can win a war with one hand tied behind their back. Vietnam was a mismanaged war, without a plain and simple focus --- victory. We were too busy trying to appease the "nervous Nellies" who feared a larger conflict.
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5by5
Your answer, witty as you may think is precisley the problem as I see it. First, why should one penny of our money be given to you as Aid...What have you done to warrent such aid? and why do you feel we should give you anything!!! Take care of your own problems!!! If you have a beef with Israel, negociate, stop the fighting, sit down and try to work things out, if that doesn't work, go to war!! I don't profess to have any answers to your political problems, but it seems neither do you!! But as usual, because you can't figure it out, you expect the US to do it for you or at the very least give you Aid...grow up, Americans don't pay their hard earned taxes so you can get a hand-out, we owe you nothing!! Like I said before, we didn't divide Palestine, din't colonize the world, didn't start World Wars, but were expected to pay for all this!! As for the oil, your 100% correct...the whole world wouldn't give a cr*p about the middle east if it weren't for your oil resources, so whats your point? There are alot of Arab countries, and all would like to see some end to all this violence and strife in the Midle East, sit down with Israel and try to work it out, If you can't then you will have to live with the problems. Back when Israel was founded, wasn't it the British and French that supplied Israel with arms? In 1967 wasn't the entire IAF flying French jets? the US hasn't always been the main supplier of arms. Hasn't every US president since Nixon tried to bring peace to your region? So stop acting like a child, expecting a hand-out from Daddy to save you! Who gave the US a hand-out? and by the way, your threats and predictions don't scare anyone....Good luck,
Your answer, witty as you may think is precisley the problem as I see it. First, why should one penny of our money be given to you as Aid...What have you done to warrent such aid? and why do you feel we should give you anything!!! Take care of your own problems!!! If you have a beef with Israel, negociate, stop the fighting, sit down and try to work things out, if that doesn't work, go to war!! I don't profess to have any answers to your political problems, but it seems neither do you!! But as usual, because you can't figure it out, you expect the US to do it for you or at the very least give you Aid...grow up, Americans don't pay their hard earned taxes so you can get a hand-out, we owe you nothing!! Like I said before, we didn't divide Palestine, din't colonize the world, didn't start World Wars, but were expected to pay for all this!! As for the oil, your 100% correct...the whole world wouldn't give a cr*p about the middle east if it weren't for your oil resources, so whats your point? There are alot of Arab countries, and all would like to see some end to all this violence and strife in the Midle East, sit down with Israel and try to work it out, If you can't then you will have to live with the problems. Back when Israel was founded, wasn't it the British and French that supplied Israel with arms? In 1967 wasn't the entire IAF flying French jets? the US hasn't always been the main supplier of arms. Hasn't every US president since Nixon tried to bring peace to your region? So stop acting like a child, expecting a hand-out from Daddy to save you! Who gave the US a hand-out? and by the way, your threats and predictions don't scare anyone....Good luck,
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Further to my comment on tyranny:
I am proud to say I am American in my sympathies and loyalties, even though I am a Canadian.
I will be far more comfortable now knowing that America is getting back on the correct road to rebuilding their military after the years of the goofy liberal social engeerning that we have witnessed.
I defy anyone to show me another country that has given so much to the world as the U.S.A.
There that should pretty well cover how I feel.
............................................
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no.
I am proud to say I am American in my sympathies and loyalties, even though I am a Canadian.
I will be far more comfortable now knowing that America is getting back on the correct road to rebuilding their military after the years of the goofy liberal social engeerning that we have witnessed.
I defy anyone to show me another country that has given so much to the world as the U.S.A.
There that should pretty well cover how I feel.
............................................
The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no.