Pilots may return home tonight

TWO BWIA pilots who were detained last week in the US because their names appeared on a list of alleged terrorist suspects, could return home tonight. The delay in their return home was in part due to the long four-day holiday weekend. The pilots, Captain Anthony Wight and First Officer Rawle Joseph, were detained by FBI agents in Miami and New York last week following the discovery of their names on the “no fly list.” BWIA Corporate Communications Manager, Clint Williams, yesterday told Newsday the airline was awaiting today’s opening of the offices of the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, to submit the already signed papers which will ensure the pilots’ names are taken off the list, and allow them to return home.

Williams said once the process is completed, the pilots will be allowed to leave the US and resume duties with the national airline. Williams could not say exactly when the pilots would arrive in Trinidad, but Newsday sources said the pilots could return home as soon as tonight. The national airline has been working closely with officials at TT’s Embassy in Washington to speed up the process of having the pilots returned home, but the long weekend-closure of the Department of Homeland Security delayed the matter. Officials of the department, who were responsible for the pilots’ names being on the list, have however assured that today the matter will be cleared up. Captain Wight and First Officer Joseph who flew into Miami and New York last week on separate flights were detained by the FBI agents upon their arrival and quizzed for several hours, after their names appeared on the “no fly list.” The list contains names of persons allegedly with suspected terrorist links. The fully-armed FBI agents’ approach to the men caused them great humiliation and embarrassment. Joseph said he was surrounded by five armed FBI agents who reportedly shouted, “We’ve got you!” The agents proceeded to go through his flight bag and his Bible.

The pilots’ passports and visas were taken away and they were confined to their hotels as checks by the FBI were carried out. The travel documents were later returned to them, but attempts by Joseph to return to Trinidad on Christmas Day, as he was scheduled to do, were thwarted as other FBI agents advised that he did not have clearance to leave the US. The pilots were however allowed telephone calls from friends, family and officials of Government, and the airline. But sources close to Joseph said he was disturbed by the fact that only his fleet manager and a junior representative from BWIA’s legal department had contacted him. Speaking about the experience to colleagues, Joseph, 50, a father of three, said he was frustrated by the whole incident, more so since he was not informed when he would be allowed to leave the US. Joseph who was initially staying at the Martinique Holiday Inn on Broadway, NY later checked out and is now booked at the Holiday Inn, Manhattan. Newsday was told that the pilots’ accommodation was being paid for by BWIA, but the pilots had to pay for their own meals.

Yesterday someone identifying himself as Joseph contacted Newsday but when the call was returned, a recording informed us that the line was “disconnected and no further information was available.” Meanwhile, relatives of Captain Wight who was detained at the Holiday Inn, La Jeune Road, Coral Gables, said they didn’t have much information on his detention in Miami because they had not been in constant contact with him. Wight’s sister-in-law, Helen Wight, told Newsday the family was traumatised by the incident. The US last week raised its terror alert to “orange” because of threats of more terrorist activities over the Christmas holidays. Those threats cancelled Air France’s flights from Paris to Los Angeles, but the US is now concerned that an announcement by Air France about the cancellation may have tipped off “alleged terrorists,” as several persons booked on the flight did not turn up at the airport.