Air Marshals Stop A Hijacking In Flight … in Syria
The Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) have at times taken a beating in the media, in the House and in the Senate for having not prevented a hijacking in progress … however despite the political posturing between the United States and Iran … the Federal Air Marshal Service may be able to cite an incident last week in the skies over Syria where Iranian Revolutionary Guard Air Marshals prevented a hijacking in-flight.
On the 26th of November, Iran Air flight 517 flying from Tehran (IKA) to Damascus (DAM), was approaching Damascus International Airport, the capital city of Syria, when a man descried as a “mentally unstable” “counter revolutionary” announced that he had a bomb and stated he wanted the aircraft to land in a different country.
Shahrokh Nooshabadi, a spokesman for Iran Air, stated “The Air Marshals immediately arrested the offender” and “they talked to him, calmed him down and the plane landed safely in Damascus.”
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard released a statement saying “The firm and timely intervention of security agents on the plane, members of the Revolutionary Guards, thwarted the attempt by an element linked to the counter-revolution” and “This individual, whose identity is known and who is part of elements linked to counter-revolution, tried to hijack the plane by causing fear on the flight by pretending a bomb was on board.”
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard maintains an air marshal service for ‘high risk’ flights, working as under cover agents, in a similar manner to the U.S. Federal Air Marshal Service. Flights between Iran and Syrian frequently have Air Marshals on board for the particular reason that the flights fly over Iraqi air space. While Iraq’s new government is working to build relations with Syria, the relations between Iran and Iraq remain strained, placing these flights in a high-risk category for Iranian and Syrian airlines.
While the U.S. and Iran are at odds, aviation security should know no borders … so lets chalk one up Air Marshals from preventing a hijacking as it occurred.
Happy Flying!
Nushabadi not Nooshabadi.
Most interesting is that the European Parliament had the day before passed a resolution asking the United States to remove the MKO from their list of terrorist organizations/people. The hijacker is alleged to be a member of MKO an organization Iran says is trying to over throw their current government.
Of course the Iranian government would never stoop to staging such an act to initiate a media campaign to promote their political agenda. This is the job of the US and Zionist Israel, they say.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8909071649
Michael,
In fact quotes from Iran Air list their spokesman’s name as ” Shahrokh Nooshabadi,” however he is also quoted as ” Shahrokh Noushabadi” and ” Shahrokh Nushabadi.”
The Iranians may have staged something … or the organization planned it themselves to gain further exposure. I think had the Iranian Gov’t staged it, they would have done so on a flight into Iran, not out of Iran. As the crime happened in Syrian air space it appears the suspect has been turned over to the Syrian authorities.
Happy Flying!
-Fish
Google News didn’t find “Nooshabadi” and your article didn’t reference a source.
If they were flying into Iran and staged it they wouldn’t have even needed a hijacker, just a press release.
Michael,
There are multiple references to “Shahrokh Nooshabadi” aside from my story on Google – http://bit.ly/gj0lXS
My post states “Shahrokh Nooshabadi, a spokesman for Iran Air” … the source being Iran Air via Shahrokh Nooshabadi, the airline’s spokesman.
Happy Flying!
-Fish
That link is not Google News it is google and only hits to your blog post are talking about the hijacking.
Your reference would imply that you heard him say it in person. It is like me reading one of your leaks and referencing an unnamed source within the TSA.
Yeah right. Let’s applaud a man being framed as ‘mentally unstable’ by islamist zealots and henchmen of an unjust terror regime who was probably trying to escape from that country.
This is like taking over socialist propaganda slandering dissidents fleeing former East Germany!