Witnesses on flight 908 to Amsterdam say al Soofi and al Murisi knew each other

Sources are casting doubt on the theory that two men with ties to the Detroit area may have been on a test run for a terrorist plot.

Certain people in the federal government have been downplaying this incident – saying this was not a test run for a terror attack. They have said that in part because one U.S. government official told the Associated Press that Ahmed al Soofi and Hezem al Murisi did not know each other. But witnesses on that flight to Amsterdam tell a very different story.

Passengers shot this cell phone video of Ahmed Mohammed Nasser al Soofi and Hezem al Murisi as Dutch officials removed them from United Airlines Flight 908 in Amsterdam.

Witnesses on the plane say al Soofi and al Murisi sat next to each other on the plane, in seats 24 H and J. Witnesses say they were laughing and carrying on as if they knew each other – and sources here in Detroit confirm that they are in fact friends.

Federal air marshals were monitoring both men for the entire flight – because they had triggered security alarms. Law enforcement sources have told ABC News, al Soofi and al Murisi were allowed to fly for “investigative purposes.”

Three hours into the flight, the United Airlines crew knew only that “there were Muslims on the plane and they were being watched.”

The captain knew nothing about what was unfolding, which one witness called “unsettling.”

Investigative Reporter Chuck Goudie at our sister station in Chicago caught up with this United Airlines flight attendant.

“Was there any kind of commotion that the other passengers would have known about?,” asked Goudie. “No, no commotion, said flight attendant Debbie Kuhlman. “Were you told that there was somebody of interest or two men of some concern? I can’t comment on that I’m sorry,” said Kuhlman.

The flight crew did know that there were air marshals on board – but they were not told who they were or where they were sitting.

Goudie asked: “Have you talked to investigators, can you tell me that, on the other end? I have not talked to investigators. People on the plane have talked to investigators. Passengers? Yes,” said Kuhlman.

Al Soofi and al Murisi have not been charged with a crime. The Dutch have detained them at the airport on suspicion of conspiring to commit a terrorist act.