What would've happened if...

[FNFiveSeven]

What do you think would have happened if someone had illegally carried on the plane bound for the second world trade center tower and killed every terrorist aboard the plane? Do you think there would have been any serious repercussions? Would the guy be a hero or a criminal?

 

[AJ Dual]

Now that is an excelent question.

Although, by the time the passengers knew something was amiss, the pilots throats were already cut.

The person carrying illegaly on the plane would have to have been a pilot as well.

After a year-plus of incarceration while the exhaustive investigations to prove he was really an Al Queida recruit who "chickened out" and tried to be "the hero" as an alabi finaly failed, I suspect it would be the typical .gov doublespeak response of:

"He's a hero! But we can't condone breaking the law and vigilantisim... Thank God he was there, what a hero!... But the gun could just as easily been used against him..."

 

[TallPine]

Would the guy be a hero or a criminal?

For an example, look at how NYC treats its subjects.

Not to mention the "hero" would probably be charged with a hate crime for killing Arabs.

Or maybe they would just blame the whole hijacking on the guy with the gun ...?

 

[4v50 Gary]

He'd be a hero - in prison.

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

Better to be judged by twelve than to be carried by six.

 

[Mulliga]

I'd guess hero. Hell, they had a whole news story about the people aboard 93. Of course, he'd get charged with violating lots of laws, but any politician who wants to get reelected would pardon him/her.

 

[FNFiveSeven]

Gary,

No way he'd be in prison... I just don't think society would accept it. There would be some kind of people's revolt/jail bust if the feds insisted on a prison term. It sure would be an interesting sight though.

Additionally, although it's not really the point, I do think that an armed citizen on the plane could have done something... we still don't know why that last plane crashed, but clearly the people on board knew something was up before the SHTF.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Would the guy be a hero or a criminal?

He'd be in prison right now: commoners are not permitted to keep and bear arms on aircraft.

 

[R127]

Probably something stupid along the lines of "well, we're glad he saved all those people, but carrying that gun on the plane was an illegal action and vigilanteism is not something we like to encourage. He should have left the situation to be handled by the proper authorities. While we're taking his actions into consideration, he still has to stand trial for his crime."

 

[AJ Dual]

we still don't know why that last plane crashed, but clearly the people on board knew something was up before the SHTF.

The passengers knew via cell-phone and the airphones in the seats that from talking to 911 dispatchers and/or family that planes had hit the Pentagon and WTC towers.

They knew what was up, and made mention of an attendant getting a coffe pot of boiling water as a weapon etc.

I suspect they overpowered the cabin/crowd control terrorists with an unknown ammount of injuries and losses, and were fighting the suicide pilots in the cockpit when they either inadvertendly threw the plane into a manuver they couldn't recover from, nosedive seems possible, wrestling/lleaning on the yokes and pusing them in etc. Or the Al Queida pilot did so intentionaly before being grabbed.

A handgun may not have helped in any substantive way, but it sure wouldn't have made it any worse, and would have at least been an option. Perhaps even if only to kill the Al Quieda pilots quickly with headshots instead of wrestling in the cockpit. Perhaps ATC could then have talked them dowin into a belly landing on water in Lake Erie or the Atlantic.

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

Perhaps even if only to kill the Al Quieda pilots quickly with headshots instead of wrestling in the cockpit

I like that answer. They could possibly have recovered and landed the aircraft.

 

[Moparmike]

I dont know.

However, I will take my flying DeLorean back in time and let you know how things turn out.

 

[Mark Tyson]

He'd be a hero - nobody would be politically stupid or vindictive enough to prosecute someone who pulled off a deed like that.

However if the air crew was killed beforehand I don't think there'd be much chance of the passengers surviving.

 

[caseydog]

Two Words : Jury Nullification

 

[thumbtack]

Nothing would happen to them if I was on his or her jury.

 

[JJohnston015]

That's what the jurors at the surviving Branch Davidians' trial thought.

 

[Absolut]

there would not be a jury in the country that would have even fined him after 9/11

 

[BluesBear]

No doubt

H*E*R*O

Just as all of the people who did fight back were.
May we NEVER forget their bravery.