Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Innocent Man Assaulted on Plane (by Cop?)

Seth Stein, a Jewish architect born in NY, was flying from the Caribbean to NY when someone grabbed him from behind and said "his name was Michael Wilk, that he was with the New York Police Department, that [he'd] been acting suspiciously and should stay calm". He was of course completely innocent but the article is unclear as to what happened afterward on the plane. Afterward, he was "told by airline staff he was targeted because he was using an iPod, had used the toilet when he got on the plane and that his tan made him appear 'Arab'." Wow, we're crazy scared aren't we? Stupid too.

Ok but this gets worse. It seems that Michael Wilk first went to the cabin crew about his suspicions. The captain called and did a security check on Stein and cleared him and Wilk was told this before he grabbed Stein. "In a twist to the story, Mr Stein has since discovered that there is only one Michael Wilk on the NYPD's official register of officers, but the man retired 25 years ago. Officials have told the architect that his assailant may work for another law enforcement agency but have refused to say which one." So a secret cop assaulted a man he knew was innocent on a flight and nothing was done about it? "American Airlines apologised to Mr Stein, but withdrew an initial offer of $2,000 compensation on the grounds it would be an admission of liability."

And Americans are safer.

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