Imams Thrown off US Flight 'For Praying'
Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:54 pm
A US Islamic advocacy group has called for an investigation after six imams were removed from a US Airways flight and detained, due to what the group suspected was persistent "fear and prejudice" against Muslims.
The imams were among the passengers on Flight 300 from Minneapolis to Phoenix, and had been attending a conference of the North American Imams Federation. They were removed after three of them prayed before boarding the plane, a leader of the group said.
"We call on relevant authorities to investigate whether proper procedures were followed by security personnel and members of the US Airways flight crew," said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair). "We are concerned that crew members, passengers and security personnel may have succumbed to fear and prejudice based on stereotyping of Muslims and Islam."
A passenger initially raised concerns about the group through a note passed to a flight attendant, according to a spokeswoman for US Airways. She said police were called after the captain and airport security workers asked the men to leave the plane and the men refused.
"They took us off the plane, humiliated us in a very disrespectful way," said Omar Shahin, one of the six clerics. "Six scholars in handcuffs. It's terrible."
Mr Shahin expressed frustration that - despite the efforts of Muslim leaders - many Americans still know so little about Islam. "If up to now they don't know about prayers, this is a real problem," he said.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1953833,00.html
The imams were among the passengers on Flight 300 from Minneapolis to Phoenix, and had been attending a conference of the North American Imams Federation. They were removed after three of them prayed before boarding the plane, a leader of the group said.
"We call on relevant authorities to investigate whether proper procedures were followed by security personnel and members of the US Airways flight crew," said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair). "We are concerned that crew members, passengers and security personnel may have succumbed to fear and prejudice based on stereotyping of Muslims and Islam."
A passenger initially raised concerns about the group through a note passed to a flight attendant, according to a spokeswoman for US Airways. She said police were called after the captain and airport security workers asked the men to leave the plane and the men refused.
"They took us off the plane, humiliated us in a very disrespectful way," said Omar Shahin, one of the six clerics. "Six scholars in handcuffs. It's terrible."
Mr Shahin expressed frustration that - despite the efforts of Muslim leaders - many Americans still know so little about Islam. "If up to now they don't know about prayers, this is a real problem," he said.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1953833,00.html
@ Mike