Messianic Jewish author and minister Jonathan Cahn says he was the passenger targeted in a midair confrontation that ended with another man duct‑taped to his seat and facing criminal charges after a Dallas–to–Newark flight diverted to Baltimore on Sept. 3, 2026. Cahn framed the clash as spiritual warfare tied to his latest book release, describing it as “the forces of darkness” attempting to stop his message. His account was posted in a video Monday and reported by The Christian Post’s Ryan Foley.
‘I was the one on that flight’
According to The Christian Post, Cahn used his video to identify himself as the other party in headlines about an American Airlines flight diverted after “a man duct taped to seat went crazy on the flight after shouting racial slurs.” Cahn argued those summaries “don’t even begin to touch what really happened,” asserting that the incident occurred two days after the release of his book, “The Altar of Pergamon: The Mystery of the Dark Angel and the Future of the World.”
Cahn said he often sees unusual events around new releases and called the confrontation part of a larger spiritual struggle: “the forces of darkness” trying to block his message.
From small talk to struggle, per Cahn’s video
Cahn recounted that he sat next to a man who asked about his books and family before telling Cahn he didn’t believe because of “religious hypocrites.” After Cahn shared his faith story, he said the man whispered an expletive in his ear and began cursing God, Jesus, and Cahn.
Cahn said he tried to defuse things and warned the man he could get into trouble. A flight attendant intervened, according to Cahn, and the man shouted vulgarities; Cahn suggested that may have been when a racial slur referenced in media accounts was uttered. He contended the slur was a symptom, not the reason for what followed.
Cahn alleged the man put hands on his neck “as if he was going to choke” him, threatened to punch his “Jewish face,” and struck him. He also said the man twice knocked Cahn’s laptop and then lunged for it “as if he had a mission,” while other passengers yelled for him to stop. Cahn linked the tussle to a dark blotch that had appeared on the laptop screen days earlier, interpreting both as spiritually connected.
Diversion to Baltimore and charges reported
As the situation escalated, Cahn said two passengers intervened and flight attendants duct‑taped the disruptive traveler’s mouth and restrained him to a seat. The plane diverted to Baltimore for an emergency landing. The Christian Post reported that the restrained passenger was identified as Arthur Wayne Lundeen, 67, who was arrested, released on his own recognizance, and is due in court Oct. 19 on disorderly conduct and second‑degree assault charges. The flight later continued to Newark, according to Cahn’s video.
Why Cahn says it happened
Cahn attributed the episode to demonic opposition to his new book, asserting: “It was the hatred and the rage and the fury of the enemy.” The Christian Post noted his view that media coverage centered on a slur missed what he described as the real driver: spiritual warfare directed at him and even his computer.
