Green Party official targeted By airport officials and blocked from flight-Disputed!

Green Party Official Prevented From Boarding an Airliner Because of her Opposition to the Afghan War-Disputed!

Summary of eRumor:
Nancy Oden, USA Coordinator for the Green Party, was grabbed by armed government agents as she was about to board a plane in Bangor, Maine. She claims she was told that she was targeted by authorities because of the Green Party's opposition to the bombing of innocent civilians in Afghanistan. She describes herself as having been surrounded by military personnel with automatic weapons who were instructed to prevent her from boarding any other flights. She also says the airport was shut down. She was on her way to Chicago for a Green Party function.

The Truth:
The incident did happen at Bangor International airport on Thursday, November 1, 2001.

Nancy Oden does claim that she was singled out because of the Green Party's views of the war in Afghanistan. An official statement from the airport says it was not Oden's political views or activities that resulted in her being scrutinized, but rather the manner in which her ticket was purchased. They didn't specify what that meant about her ticket, but under new screening guidelines, a person, for example, who has purchased a ticket on the same day of the flight and used cash to buy it may be selected by computer for additional screening. The airport statement says Oden refused to cooperate with the screening, and that by Federal Regulation, she could not be allowed to board the flight.

Susan Libby, one of the screeners on duty on the day of the incident, also says Oden's views had nothing to do with her being detained. In a statement from the Bangor, Maine airport website, she says that none of them knew who she was or what her views were. She says she was bothered by Nancy Oden's rudeness to the National Guardsmen.

Oden says that since she wasn't arrested, that meant she didn't do anything wrong, but she did miss out on other flights to Chicago.

A real example of the story as it has been circulated:

Green Party USA Coordinator Detained At Airport: Prevented By Armed
Military From Flying To Greens Meeting In Chicago
Louis Lingg (Indymedia)
2 Nov 01

Armed government agents grabbed Nancy Oden, Green Party USA coordinating
committee member, Thursday at Bangor International Airport in Bangor
Maine,
as she attempted to board an American Airlines flight to Chicago.

"An official told me that my name had been flagged in the computer," a
shaken Oden said. "I was targeted because the Green Party USA opposes the
bombing of innocent civilians in Afghanistan." Oden, a long-time organic
farmer and peace activist in northern Maine, was ordered away from the
plane. Military personnel with automatic weapons surrounded Oden and
instructed all airlines to deny her passage on ANY flight. "I was told
that
the airport was closed to me until further notice and that my ticket would
not be refunded," Oden said.

Oden is scheduled to speak in Chicago Friday night on a panel concerning
pesticides as weapons of war. She had helped to coordinate the Green Party
USA's antiwar efforts these past few months, and was to report on these to
The Greens national committee. "Not only did they stop me at the airport
but some mysterious party had called the hotel and cancelled my
reservation," Oden said.

The Greens National Committee -- the governing body of the Green Party USA
-- is meeting in Chicago Nov. 2-4 to hammer out the details of pesticides,
genetic engineering, and the Party's involvement in the burgeoning peace
movement.

"I am shocked that US military prevented one of our prominent Green Party
members from attending the meeting in Chicago," said Elizabeth Fattah, a
GPUSA representative from Pennsylvania who drove to Chicago.

"I am outraged at the way the Bill of Rights is being trampled upon."

Chicago Green activist Lionel Trepanier concluded, "The attack on the
right
of association of an opposition political party is chilling. The
harassment
of peace activists is reprehensible."

For further information, please call 1-866-GREENS-2 (toll-free)