Court documents reviewed by County Examiner and a report by the Associated Press reveal Chief Magistrate Judge John J. O'Sullivan allowed Alani to speak in court through an Arabic interpreter, however in the same AP news account, according to American Airlines, Alani is proficient in English and became a U.S. citizen in 1992.
Miami (AP) (emphasis mine)
"Alani, who was born in Iraq and became a U.S. citizen in 1992,
In Miami on Friday, Alani wore shackles and tan jail clothes as he spoke to Magistrate Judge John O’Sullivan through an Arabic interpreter. Mostly, he answered basic questions about his assets and whether he could afford a lawyer. The judge appointed a public defender and scheduled a bond hearing for next Wednesday and an arraignment hearing on Sept. 20.
According to American, Alani is proficient in English."According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the requirements a US Citizen must meet to obtain a mechanics certificate include the ability to read, write, speak and understand English:
Here's a copy of the minute order on file with the Southern District of Florida reflecting the
use of an Arabic interpreter at Friday's hearing:
Let me be clear. This blog post should in no way be interpreted as an assertion of wrong doing on anyone's part. The issue of Alani's English language proficiency is a serious and significant question involving airport, aircraft security which must be asked and answered.
