A passenger on an American Airlines flight to Newark was duct-taped and zip-tied to his seat after allegedly initiating a verbal and physical altercation that began with a discussion about religion. The passenger, identified as Arthur Layne Lundeen, 67, a former realtor from Arizona, reportedly became enraged after speaking with his seatmate, author Jonathan Cahn.
Cahn, a Messianic rabbi and best-selling author known for his works drawing parallels between historical events and prophecy, stated in a YouTube video that Lundeen initially engaged in friendly conversation before a discussion about faith turned volatile. According to Cahn, Lundeen began hurling insults after Cahn mentioned "the reality of the real power of god on Earth and in our lives," which Cahn claims led Lundeen to blaspheme Jesus and God.
"I have never seen someone change in a split second from light to dark as I saw then, as if something had taken him over," Cahn said. "He went from the friendliest guy in the world to this dark person."
The altercation escalated as Lundeen allegedly became physically aggressive, attempting to take Cahn's laptop during the plane's emergency landing descent. Cahn reported that his laptop screen was damaged in the struggle.
Other passengers intervened and subdued Lundeen using duct tape and zip ties. The flight was diverted to Baltimore, Maryland, where Lundeen was met by law enforcement. He reportedly hurled racist and homophobic slurs at a Black flight attendant and other passengers during the incident.
Lundeen faces state charges including second-degree assault and disorderly conduct. The FBI is investigating the incident, and discussions are underway with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland regarding potential federal charges.
Long Realty, Lundeen's former employer, confirmed he is no longer affiliated with the company following the incident. His professional profile has since been removed from the company's website.
Cahn, known for books such as "The Harbinger" and "The Mystery of the Shemitah," has been described as a "Doomsday prophet" by The New York Times. His latest novel, "The Altar of Pergamon," reportedly explores the spiritual history of a 2nd Century BC Greek structure and its connection to historical turning points. Cahn did not specify if the content of his newest book directly triggered Lundeen, only that it initiated a conversation about religion.