“Prosecutors said at his detention hearing in September that FBI investigators learned Alani lied about taking a trip to Iraq in March to visit his brother. They also found out he told a fellow American Airlines employee in June that his brother had been kidnapped and was a member of the extremist Islamic group known as ISIS. Prosecutors said Alani allowed the FBI to search his smartphone and agents found a ‘disturbing’ ISIS video in which a person was being shot in the head, and that he sent the video to someone with an Arabic message asking ‘Allah’ to take revenge against non-Muslims.”
Yet despite all that, “Alani was not charged with a terrorism-related offense.”
Apparently to have charged him with terrorism would have been “Islamophobic.”
“American Airlines mechanic pleads guilty to sabotaging plane at Miami International,” by Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, December 18, 2019:
An American Airlines mechanic accused of sabotaging a navigation system on a Miami flight with 150 passengers aboard pleaded guilty Wednesday to attempting to destroy the aircraft in a plea agreement designed to avoid a maximum sentence up to 20 years in prison.
“I do admit the guilt,” Abdul-Majeed Marouf Ahmed Alani, 60, said through an Arabic interpreter in Miami federal court.
Alani, a veteran AA employee who had lived in California and commuted to his job at Miami International Airport, now faces up to three years in prison under a joint recommendation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and his defense lawyer. His sentencing is set for March 4.
At his detention hearing in September after his arrest, federal prosecutors suggested that Alani may have possible links to a Middle East terrorist group, but that allegation never came up at his plea hearing before U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke.
His defense attorney, Jonathan Meltz, made that point outside the courtroom when asked by reporters about the allegation. “This case is only about what you heard in court,” said Meltz, who added that his client “has been leading a law-abiding life for 30 years.”
After his arrest, Alani told federal investigators that he disabled the aircraft’s navigation system on the morning of July 17 because he was upset over stalled union contract negotiations with the airline. He said he wanted to generate some overtime for maintenance on the plane.
Alani also said that he meant no harm to anyone.
The Miami-Nassau flight was aborted before takeoff at Miami International Airport after an error alert appeared on the navigation system.
At Wednesday’s hearing, prosecutor Randy Hummel summarized the evidence against Alani, stressing that the AA flight’s navigation system was “deliberately obstructed” with foam by Alani and that the “aircraft was deemed not airworthy.”
Alani was accused of tampering with the plane’s so-called air data module, a system that reports aircraft speed, pitch and other critical flight data to pilots.
Alani was not charged with a terrorism-related offense. However, prosecutors said at his detention hearing in September that FBI investigators learned Alani lied about taking a trip to Iraq in March to visit his brother. They also found out he told a fellow American Airlines employee in June that his brother had been kidnapped and was a member of the extremist Islamic group known as ISIS.
Prosecutors said Alani allowed the FBI to search his smartphone and agents found a “disturbing” ISIS video in which a person was being shot in the head, and that he sent the video to someone with an Arabic message asking “Allah” to take revenge against non-Muslims. In addition, they said Alani sent $700 to someone in Iraq, where he was born and has family….
Francis DeFranco says
Today is Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year, and the 31st anniversary of the destruction of Pan Am Clipper Maid of the Seas (Flight 103) over Lockerbie, Scotland.
Seems the world has forgotten those 270 innocents mass murdered by Kaddafi’s goons.
Mecca delenda est.
Chris D says
3 years for sabotaging a plane?! I wonder what his time had been if 150 people had been killed when the plane went down due to his sabotage??
The people who worked out this deal, instead of giving him 20 years for terrorism – they should have somebody with the same extremist beliefs work on their next flight, along with their families. As they are putting all of us in danger for not dealing with Terrorism.
Maddening.
Lion Heart says
He should be executed ! That’s the BEST solution to deal with Islamic terrorists! and I am a Canadian Christian guy originally from Iraq and we know how evil Islam is more than any other nation in the world as we have been suffering from Islam since its rise especially after the fall of Saddam’s bloody regime. Once again , I will repeat the proverb said by our Christian ancestors in Iraq hundreds of years ago: “ If a Muslim is a piece of gold, don’t put it in your pocket otherwise it will rip through “ which means that Muslims would stab non-Muslims especially the Christians in the back when they have the chance to do it especially when they take Islam seriously and we saw their betrayal to Iraqi Christians after 2003 especially in Baghdad and Mosul .
Shirley Ann says
Muslims control Airports, because they are the Employees of Choice at the Airports. After 9/11, the Airlines & Airports seemed to follow Mr.Bush’s Suggestion of Winning the Hearts of Islam.
Abdul was accompanied by CAIR Gentlemen, I believe, who made sure Abdul was NOT charged with Terrorism. They are completely above our Laws. As if they were all members of the U.S. Congress. Very Disappointing.
ana says
That poor Bush2 is a sincerely kind but very naive man. He actually thought that with a little love and kindness and a few trillion dollars Iraq would become a post-stone age nation. Wrong. The Iraq war would have been a success if the USA had simply done to Iraq what was done to Japan and Germany after WW2. Give them a constitution we like and control all their government agencies for a couple of decades.
Can you imagine what a hell hole Japan would be today if the USA had just left their militants in charge?
gravenimage says
It would have been impossible to civilize Iraq and Afghanistan given that these are majority-Muslim countries.
NITZAKHON says
It’s not just Bush 2. I talk with people who, with all sincerity and honesty, say “Islam means ‘peace'”! And when I bring up information about Islam’s history, it’s blood-soaked history spanning over a millennia, they don’t react by asking “Wow, where can I learn more?”… they outright dismiss it. And then call me an Islamophobe.
To which I usually whip out my phone and say “Shall I call my Sunni Muslim wife for a second opinion”? (She is, but she is slowly, slowly moving towards converting. Last night she was going to have a glass of wine, and I said “Time for you to learn the prayer for wine”. And she said it. She also says the Shema with the kids at bedtime.
gravenimage says
Many Muslims would “Honor Kill” a Muslim woman for marrying an Infidel–and kill her husband, as well.
Lion Heart says
Shirley Ann : you’re right , and that SCUM Abdul Majeed l should be executed ! That’s the BEST solution to deal with Islamic terrorists! and I am a Canadian Christian guy originally from Iraq and we know how evil Islam is more than any other nation in the world as we have been suffering from Islam since its rise especially after the fall of Saddam’s bloody regime. Once again , I will repeat the proverb said by our Christian ancestors in Iraq hundreds of years ago: “ If a Muslim is a piece of gold, don’t put it in your pocket otherwise it will rip through “ which means that Muslims would stab non-Muslims especially the Christians in the back when they have the chance to do it especially when they take Islam seriously and we saw their betrayal to Iraqi Christians after 2003 especially in Baghdad and Mosul .
Savvy Kafir says
We need to start giving Muslims the same amount of legal wriggle-room that non-Muslims get in Muslim-majority countries. We should always operate on the assumption that they are hostiles (as their religion commands them to be, over & over & over again) and treat them accordingly.
Beneath the Veil of Consciousness says
“…said Meltz, who added that his client “has been leading a law-abiding life for 30 years.” Yes, and Jeffrey Dahmer behaved as a perfect gentleman 99% of the time- burp. Is there any way the people on the plane in question can file legal action against this follower of the pedophile, rapist, sex slave owning, murderer? How are the rights of these people being represented? Shame on the prosecutors.
ploome says
from the Wall Street Journal……the Pope has given up
Pope Francis, in Christmas Message, Says Church Must Adapt to Post-Christian West
maybe we need more transgender priests?
…..Bless You Robert and Merry Healthy Christmas and New Year
abad says
Alani needs to be deported.
ana says
The prosecutor and judge need to be promoted to new positions as immigration specialists located in Syria.
Quazgaa says
He’s a veteran AA employee yet he needs an interpreter? How was he able to perform his job?
gravenimage says
Good question.
Huh!?! says
I have this creepy feeling that if 150 plus people did die on a plane this islamist sabotaged that he would be judged as being mentally ill and not charged with terrorism. islam and jihad preaching, following the way of allah, could not possibly be responsible. No matter how much these islamists follow the dictates of islam, no matter how terrible the terrorist act, it is up to the West to figure out how to avoid facing the reality of the hatred of islam. This is pathetic.
mortimer says
Anyone who writes an Arabic message asking ‘Allah’ to take revenge against non-Muslims” … should not be working anywhere near a secure site like an airport, train station, etc.
Meanwhile, Western countries are not learning that jihad is an intrinsic part of Islam and that the only way to stop jihad is to convince Muslims to leave Islam.
We must massively convince Muslims that the Koran is of human origin and the jihads will stop simultaneously.
mortimer says
It’s possible that Alani cooperated with the authorities and gave them valuable information about other terrorists. If that is the case, he will be wanted by those he betrayed and will have to go into hiding.
mortimer says
15% of Muslims say that they support jihad terrorism (about one in six). About 1 Muslim in 10,000 will be a potential jihadist who is ready to kill.
It is disturbing that a mechanic with knowledge of machines and thus able to sabotage them was discovered to be a potential jihadist.
SemiDave says
The other 85% support it privately if by no other means, in their silence.
ana says
15% of practicing muslims admit to supporting jihad. The other %85 follow the koran by being lying bastards and denying it to us.
Lydia Church says
What will it take these days?!
Even Osama bin laden would not get slapped with a terrorism charge nowadays!
James Lincoln says
So Abdul-Majeed Marouf Ahmed Alani used a piece of foam to sabotage the plane’s air data module system — which reports aircraft speed, pitch, and other CRITICAL flight data to pilots.
This could have easily ended up very differently – a crashed airplane with a dead crew – along with 150 passengers.
A plea-bargained sentence of 3 Years Is WAY too light.
Deport after his sentence – if at all legally possible.
A little off topic…
Abdul-Majeed Marouf Ahmed Alani. A name with 27 letters – difficult to say / spell / remember..
Likely a high correlation between Islamic terrorist attacks – and number of letters in the name of the perpetrator…
gravenimage says
+1
ana says
Better yet deport him to his 72 virgins today. Those virgins are calling to you Abdul. Don’t leave them waiting.
gravenimage says
Florida: Muslim who wrote about taking revenge on non-Muslims not charged with terrorism for sabotaging plane
………………….
More suicidal willful denial.
ana says
Wow. Some dumb teenager steals a car and he might get 5 years. This jihadi maggot risks an airliner full of passengers crashing and he gets 3 years. This is the sort of stupid shit that we do in Europe. Our prosecutors and judges need to be upgraded all across the Western world.
You folks in the USA at least have Trump trying to improve things. In Spain we have delusional imbecile socialists running the show. Your swamp needs way more draining and so does ours.
gravenimage says
+1
Classy Infidel says
He didn’t mean to hurt anyone!
This is a big lie.
Tay says
If hes been living there for 30 years (or so) then why did he need an interpreter?
Or is he another one of them who suddenly cant speak or understand English in a court?
Kilauea says
We need protection from a government that will not prosecute these animals and that allows savages to immigrate into the country.
GD Johnson says
Apparently you can only charge a Muslim with terrorism if they actually killed someone. Unless of course, it’s the FBI who created the entire sting, then recruited some moron to go through with it and then arrested that person prior to it going live. Is it now considered Islamaphobic to get off by telling co-workers (did he need an Arabic interpreter for that?) that his brother belongs to ISIS and his phone video has a great head shot death scene as well?
s says
As Sharia compliance is implemented more and more… the result will be this… mental problems… misguided… cultural differences… all will be good with the religion of Peace…
Mr. Fred says
Why was this not reported on the main stream media? Even Fox ignored it!
Steve says
it would be Islamophobic or they will say, political corrects will doom this nation in 10 years.
gravenimage says
Mr. Fred, this story was reported in the Miami Herald–this is indeed mainstream media.
gravenimage says
This story was also reported by CNN, NBC, CBS, USAToday, the New York Times, the Washington Times, the Wall Street Journal, and–yes–Fox News:
https://www.foxnews.com/us/american-airlines-mechanic-accused-of-sabotaging-plane-denied-bail-over-possible-terrorist-ties
Stephen says
3 years for this, what were these prosecutors thinking, that is insane. What the hell happened to my America?
toomanyhobbies says
OH? so precisely what is sabotage an aircraft for the CULT of islam then?
sidney penny says
Isn’t every airline employee who is upset over stalled union contract negotiations with an airline, disables the aircraft’s navigation system.That is so common isn’t it?
sidney penny says
““I do admit the guilt,” Abdul-Majeed Marouf Ahmed Alani, 60, said through an Arabic interpreter in Miami federal court.”
How does American Airlines give him a job as a mechanic if he cannot speak English?
gravenimage says
Damn good question.