Photos taken in airplane leads to interrogation - these are "sensitive times."

Question: Last fall, three friends and I flew from Lisbon to Los Angeles by way of Philadelphia. On the flight from Philadelphia to Los Angeles, I was showing them my new camera and took a few pictures of our surroundings. A flight attendant came to me and told me to show her the pictures, which I did. On our arrival, armed officers escorted us off the plane, separated us and made us wait for the authorities. They asked ridiculous questions ("What's your eye color?"), and in the end they let us go with no apologies. Why would this happen? Did we do anything wrong?

-- Jose Silva, Lisbon

Answer: In taking photos, Silva and his friends didn't violate any Federal Aviation Administration or Transportation Security Administration rules, their spokesmen told me.

If the use of electronic devices was permitted at that point in the flight, they were in the clear.

....

But assuming that Silva is correct, what could prompt such a reaction?

He said the authorities later told him that these are "sensitive times."

http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-tr-spot14-2008sep14

These are "sensitive times" you know.

Shit... since when can you not take pictures on an airplane anymore? :grr:

thanks to a sheep like lemming mentality in this country along with a lap dog corporate press!

"sensitive times" bullshit

without the "authorities" harassing you. That is, if you're a puny ordinary citizen.

Now, corporations and government having hidden cameras everywhere--surveillance in every square inch of department stores, public streets, ad infinitum--is perfectly okay. :argh:

They were really cool - they called their buddies over and posed for us - it was fun

sorry I don't have the pics - they are on our old computer that crashed