Reply #3: Seems to have dropped out of UK news totally

[dipsydoodle]

I'd otherwise have given you further links.

Your link said :
"A U.S. government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject, said that crew members and air marshals observed the passengers attempting to use cell phones and passing cell phones back and forth while the airliner was taking off."

That's complete crap. Most of our cellular phones are camera phones - people are always handing their 'phones around for others to see their stored still pictures and videos. Only way for the airlines to stop that would be to ban 'phones in the cabin area.

Chances are that the whole bunch of them are innocent of any guilt other than "travelling while looking Asian" - hardly surprising on a flight to India.