I first heard this on an email group I'm on which is taking up a very different topic...Someone by the name of Thor Magnusson, who gives a phone number and address in Iceland (below) has some curious things to say which I'd think airline travelers would like to hear about...sounds ominous, yet I'm not sure if these allegations are part of anything substantiated.

I did a short-lived search for more information, but couldn't find anything on the searches I tried at this site and other indy sites which might have something. Since I don't watch the mainstream news, I'm completely out of touch with what's happening; so in case this is all old news, sorry about that. Anyway, here's the information I came upon on my email group:

1. PLEASE FORWARD TO YOUR CONTACT LISTS, MEDIA AND AIRLINES
From:  airsafetyalert@peace2000.org
Date: 09 Dec 2002 12:06:37 +0000

Dear friends,
Peace 2000 is still cut off from the Internet and the smear campaign against us continues. The police are still holding our computers. The airline and the government are now trying to lie about the agreements they made for transporting NATO troops and weapons. The following letter needs to be sent to the airlines currently involved. Many of them do not publish their management or head office contact addresses on their website. Please assist us sending this to them by looking up their email and fax numbers in your local telephone directory and forward the following letter to them. Since we are currently off the Internet, please call +354 557 1000 if you need any further information. You could also try to send a message to my emergency email box:  thormag@myrealbox.com. We are using a friends dial up connection to send you this and appologize that at this time nothing
can be
done with maillist removal requests as we have no technology to handle
that
that due to the Icelandic police refusing to return our computers and
main
file server. We ask for your understanding and patience in these
difficult
times in Iceland.

Kind regards
Peace 2000 Iceland
Thor Magnusson

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HERE COMES THE TEXT OF THE LETTER:
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URGENT ATTENTION!
FORWARD IMMEDIATELY TO YOUR HEAD OFFICE FOR ATTENTION OF CHIEF
EXECUTIVE
OFFICER:

This message is for the following airlines:
Air France,
Iberia,
Virgin Atlantic,
Malaysia Airlines,
Saudia Airlines,
Air Algerie,
Excel Airways,
Garuda Indonesia,
Air Asia,
Southern Winds Arilines,
Nigeria Airways,
Aeromar.

8 December 2002

REF: Notice of air passenger classaction suit for life threatening
negligence

Dear Sir,

On the 1 December 2002 Peace 2000 Iceland notified you of a Warning to
Air
Passengers that includes the name of your airline due to your use of
aircraft supplied by Air Atlanta of Iceland. In the interest of
passenger
safety we requested certain information from you. Today, there is
still no
reply from your company. The office of Peace 2000 in Iceland has
repeately
written to Air Atlanta with request for informaton and with
suggestions,
and have no replies. When attempting to speak with the company public
relations officer Mr. Erling Aspelund he threw the phone down on us!

Yesterday Icelandic newspapers carried statements from Air Atlanta
which
are false and misleading consumers. In an interview with Morgunbladid,
the
main newspaper in Iceland, Mr. Hafthor Hafsteinsson Chief Executive of
Air
Atlanta said that a contract Air Atlanta entered into with the Ministry
of
Foreign Affairs in Iceland clearly states that it is not for transport
of
weapons or anything of the sort. This statement is false. On the 21
and
22 November this agreement was presented by the Prime Minister of
Iceland
Mr. David Oddsson as a contract intended for NATO armaments transport.
We
have no record of this statement being retracted by the Prime Minister.
We
have a copy of this contract between Air Atlanta and the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs in Iceland. There is no such paragraph as Mr.
Hafsteinsson
describes in this contract. We shall be happy to provide you a copy of
this document if you wish to see it for yourselves.

The contract Air Atlanta has entered into with the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in Iceland is open in all directions. The appendix which is in
effect the essence of the agreement and that is supposed to describe
the
air transport undertaken for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is empty.
Completely blanco! In other words the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can
transport anything they wish with Air Atlanta subject to the indvidual
captain of each flight agreeing to accept the payload.

Peace 2000 has asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a copy of the
agreement made with NATO on the basis of the agreement entered into
with
Atlanta on the 20th November. Or if no formal agreement exists, a copy
of
the NATO meeting notes/transcriptions where this commitment was made on
behalf of the government of Iceland: This request is based on the
following statements by the Prime Minister are printed in Morgunbladid
Iceland 22. november:

'ICELAND has committed to pay up to 300 million Ikr. to charter
aircraft
for military transportation on behalf of NATO'
'....to strengthen the military capacity of the alliance'
'....300 million shall be the maximum of each such military operation'
'....supply transport capacity for NATO operations in the form of
Icelandic
airlines flying troops or military equipment to war areas and the
Icelandic
government paying the costs'

The Prime Minister has not withdrawn his statements. The government
response to critisism was imprisonment of Thor Magnusson President of
Peace
2000 for several days and a smear campaign against him and the
organization
in the Icelandic media. Furthermore the Internet connection of the
organization has been down for several days.

The Icelandic newspapers also report that Atlanta has been flying for
the
British Ministry of Defence and the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
to Afghanistan. They say that this is not a war zone as described by
insurance companies.

There is a strong international public debate about Afghanistan at this
time and the actions carried out under the leadership of the US
military.
Thousands of civilians have been killed by bombing raids that the
Icelandic
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Halldor Asgrimsson has described as
"international peacework and humanitarian aid". Fighting is continuing
every day - there certainly is no peace in Afghanistan at this time.
Many,
in particular the people being bombed, fear their lifes are in great
danger
from additional "peacework and humanitarian aid" by people like the
Minister of Foreign Affairs in Iceland and his allies. By lending its
aircraft to this Air Atlanta has become a party to military operations.

Another statement by the management of Air Atlanta in the Icelandic
newspapers is as follows: "the airline has never flown into war areas
or
with armaments to direct military actions..." This statements gives a
reason to questions:
1. What is a direct military action? And what is then indirect
military
action? Is there a difference?
2. Additionally this statement from the management of Air Atlanta
leaves
questions about the statements of the Icelandic Prime Minister made
from
the NATO meeting in Prague and published the 22. november in
Morgunbladid:
"Certain precedent is for assistance like this; earlier this year the
Icelandic government paid around 80 million ikr. for four Air Atlanta
flights to Afghanistan with aid- and military supplies that can be seen
as
an indirect support to the actions of the United States and its allies
in
the country".

The Icelandic Prime Minister Mr. David Oddsson, who is the
highest-ranking
executive of our country, has not retracted these statements. We can
therefore only assume the statements are true and correct. We are also
lacking firm action from Air Atlanta to distance them from this
activity.
The only convincing action would termination of the agreement with the
Icelandic Foreign Ministry. But rather than doing that as we have
suggested, the company made what we regard a rather shaggy statement in
Morgunbladid on the 29th November, a week after our warning that the
statements made by the Icelandic Prime Minister about a military
transport
contract with Air Atlanta and Icelandair creates an immediate threat of
terrorist attack against their aircraft. When the warning was sent out
there was already in circulation on the Internet both in Icelandic and
in
English text from different individuals stating that Icelandic aircraft
have become legitimate targets and that Icelandic passenger aircraft
have
now been handed over to Bin Laden on a silver platter. These
statements
arrived at several email addresses here but did not originate from
Peace
2000.

From the statements published in the Icelandic newspapers the 7th of
December, it seems clear that the management of Air Atlanta agrees with
the
warnings issued by the international peace movement. Chief Executive
Hafthor Hafsteinsson says in Morgunbladid: "If this delusive discussion
continues it can cause more damage and compromise the air safety of the
company".

It is not the international peace movement that is giving delusive
information. The problem is that instead of distancing themselves from
the
war mongering activity by terminating forthwith the agreement with the
Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other similar agreements
related
to military transportation, Air Atlanta has opted for fighting the
peace
movement on the issue. Their management even made threats in a TV
interview and in the newspapers this last Friday and Saturday to start
legal proceedings against peace organizations.

It is clear that the responsibility for endangering the lives of
unsuspecting air passengers by using aircraft under contract to the
NATO
military program, is with the airlines selling tickets for
transportation
on such aircraft, with the aircraft operator and with the Icelandic
government that has entered into these agreements knowing how it will
compromise civil air passenger safety. The international peace
movement
may consider a class action suit against your airline if you continue
to
transport people on aircraft where safety is compromised in this way.

You should be aware that Peace 2000 has repeatedly written to Air
Atlanta
and requested the following information:

1. What safety mesaures have been taken to ensure the safety of their
aircraft and passengers?
2. Does Air Atlanta plan to terminate the contract with the Icelandic
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or will this contract continue to be in
force?
3. Was Prime Minister David Oddsson lying about the essence of the
agreement that Air Atlanta has done with the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs?
The intent to use this agreement for military transport was also
confirmed
by a representative of the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs while
Thor
Magnusson President of Peace 2000 was being contained in prison for
alerting civil servants and the airlines to the danger.

We have also repeated sent the following suggestons to Air Atlanta and
Icelandair:
1. The aircraft of these companies immediately be placed under special
security measures wherever they are standing or where they arrive in
airports in Iceland and overseas.
2. Special security measures be taken with luggage and passengers.
3. The Airline should terminate immediately all contracts for
transport
that is in any way related to military actions, be these with the
Ministry
of Foreign Affairs in Iceland, NATO, British Ministry of Defence or
others.

We have alerted both airlines to the fact that all contracts for using
in
military context aircraft with civil airline markings or that are
operated
by a civil airline in public transport of people are at least rash and
severely compromise security of civil air passengers. We are also of
the
opinion that these agreements are not in the spirit of the JAR air
safety
regulations.

Presentations made by Icelandic Prime Minister Mr. David Oddsson from
the
NATO meeting in Prague the 21 and 22 november about his government
agreements with the Icelandic airlines and with NATO about military
transport with their aircraft, is likely to direct the attention of
terrorist groups to civil aircraft flying under the markings and the
flag
of Iceland. We have been advised that these statements have travelled
around the world, and were for example reported from Prague by a French
News Agency to the Middle East where it was printed in Arabic
newspapers.
This was not initated by Peace 2000.

Peace 2000 has offered to issue a certificate - PEACE 2000 CERTIFIED
NEUTRAL CARRIER - to Air Atlanta upon the following conditions:

1. All agreements for transport that is in any way connected with
military
activities have been terminated.
2. Air Atlanta signs a statement promising that the airline will never
engage in any transport activity related to military operations.
3. Air Atlanta rejects all war mongering propoganda and war activities
and
that the airline confirms this by signing the MANIFESTO 2000 issued by
UNESCO in the year 2000 - year declared by the United Nations as a year
of
peace; proposed to UN Secretary General by Peace 2000 in 1996.

Naturally we shall be happy to extend our offer to your own airline to
issue you with the PEACE 2000 CERTIFIED NEUTRAL CARRIER certificate
upon
satisfactory proof that your airline has no connections with any
military
activities or any engagement with companies involved in war mongering.

Yours truly,
PEACE 2000 ICELAND
Thor Magnusson

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Copy of letter sent to you on the 1. December 2002. No reply received:
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Reykjavik, 1 December 2002.

A Warning to Air Passengers has been issued by the Peace 2000 network,
that
unfortunately includes the name of your airline. This is because AIR
ATLANTA of Iceland have advertised that you are using some of their
aircraft.

In our opinion, passengers are exposed to additional security risks
when
flying in aircraft owned or operated by AIR ATLANTA as a result of an
agreement ATLANTA has made with the government of Iceland about
strengthening the military capacity of NATO with their passenger
aircraft.
According to news reports by Icelandic Prime Minister David Oddsson
Friday
22 November 2002, the agreement with ATLANTA and ICELANDAIR is intended
to
strengthen NATO military operations by placing the transport capacity
of
passenger aircraft at the disposal of NATO to move weapons and troops.
According to Mr. Oddsson movement of military equipment and troops with
these aircraft could start as soon as military agression is launched
against Iraq. Many believe this agreement makes the ATLANTA and
ICELANDAIR
aircraft a legitimate target for opponents in NATO warfare and that
these
aircraft may now fall within the category of targets described by Osama
Bin
Laden in his call for terror published Sunday 24th November.

Last week, Peace 2000 contacted both Icelandair and Air Atlanta asking
for
details of the agreement, and for more details about armaments
transport
the Prime Minister said already took place with Atlanta aircraft.
After
meeting with the chief of the Icelandic Air Safety Board Mr. Petur
Maack,
Peace 2000 has a reason to believe international air safety
regulations,
the JAR protocol, has been compromised. A reason for additional alarm
is
the airlines refusal to give Peace 2000 any details of the agreement or
activities related to this agreement.

It is estimated our alerts reach more than 50 million people through a
network of over 2500 peacegroups around the world. Due to the
immediate
danger exposed to passengers, we had to distribute the information
without
delay. We will advise our network of updates. We are also creating an
information website for air travellers with listings of airlines posing
a
high security risk to passengers due to their connections to war
mongering.
In order to clear your name from the WARNING TO AIR PASSENGERS, we
need
the following information:
1. Do you currently carry passengers with aircraft owned or operated
by
Air Atlanta or Icelandair?
2. Do you intend to carry passengers in the future with aircraft owned
or
operated by Air Atlanta or Icelandair?
3. Are there currently any agreements in force between your airline
and
Air Atlanta or Icelandair?
4. Has your airline entered into any agreement or negotiations
regarding
transport of armaments or troops?
5. Would you consider signing a statement that your airline will never
engage in the transportation of military equipment or troops?

We look forward to hear from you by return,

Yours truly,
PEACE 2000 INSTITUTE
Thor Magnusson

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Enclosure: WARNING TO AIR PASSENGERS
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WARNING TO AIR PASSENGERS:

WARNING: Icelandair, Atlanta, Air France, Iberia, Virgin Atlantic,
Malaysia Airlines, Saudia Airlines, Air Algerie, Excel Airways, Garuda
Indonesia, Air Asia, Southern Winds Arilines, Nigeria Airways, Aeromar.
These airlines may be using aircraft under contract to fly dangerous
weapons and troops.

The Prime Minister of Iceland Mr. David Oddsson has announced an
agreement
with civil airlines intended to strengthening NATO military operations
by
placing the transport capacity of passenger aircraft at the disposal of
NATO to move weapons and troops. Former Icelandic Presidential
Candidate,
Mr. Thor Magnusson leader of the Peace 2000 movement, was imprisoned
when
alerting police, members of parliament, civil servants and airlines to
the
immediate danger this poses to airline passengers that now may be
flying in
aircraft which form a part of the NATO military program. Mr. Oddsson
said
movement of weapons with these aircraft could start as soon as military
agression is launched against Iraq. Many believe the agreement makes
these
aircraft a legitimate target for opponents in NATO warfare.

Peace 2000 contacted both Icelandair and Air Atlanta asking for details
of
the agreement, and for more details about armaments transport the Prime
Minister said to news reporters have already taken place with Atlanta
aircraft. After meeting with the chief of the Icelandic Air Safety
Board
Mr. Petur Maack, Peace 2000 has a reason to believe international air
safety regulations, the JAR protocol, has been compromised. A reason
for
additional alarm is the airlines refusal to give Peace 2000 any details
of
the agreement or activities related to this agreement.

INTERNATIONAL WARNING:
Please be aware that if you are intending to travel with Icelandair or
Air
Atlanta you may be posed to additional security risk. In the opinion
of
Peace 2000 these aircraft may now fall within the category of targets
described by Osama Bin Laden and his followers. Bin Laden's call for
terror published Sunday 24th November in the British Press is an
additional cause for alarm.

Icelandair operates a trans-atlantic route from Minneappolis/St.Paul,
New
York, Boston, Baltimore/Washington, Orlando/Florida in the USA to:
Reykjavik, Helsinki, Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Glasgow, London,
Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, Milano and Barcelona.

Air Atlanta operates under it´s own name, but many of their aircraft
are
camouflaged in the colors and identity of other carriers. According to
Atlanta´s website these include: Virgin Atlantic, Air France, Saudia,
Air
Algerie, Iberia, Excel Airways, Caruda Indonesia, Air Asia, Nigeria
Airways, Aeromar, Malaysia Airlines, Southern Winds and various holiday
tour operators flying out of London Gatwick airport. Known routes are:
Buenous Aires to Miami and Madrid, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpor, Lagos, London
Gatwick, London Heathrow for Virgin Atlantic to Lagos Nigeria,
(...)

(more below, in reply section)