6 Muslim leaders put off plane in TwinCities

[Lord Umbarger]

Six Muslim imams were removed from a US Airways flight at Minneapolis- St. Paul International Airport on Monday and questioned by police for several hours before being released, a leader of the group said.

The six were among passengers who boarded Flight 300, bound for Phoenix, around 6:30 p.m., airport spokesman Pat Hogan said.

A passenger initially raised concerns about the group through a note passed to a flight attendant, according to Andrea Rader, 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, of Phoenix.

The six Muslim scholars were returning from a conference in Minneapolis of the North American Imams Federation, said Shahin, president of the group. Five of them were from the Phoenix-Tempe area, while one was from Bakersfield, Calif., he said.

Three of them stood and said their normal evening prayers together on the plane, as 1.7 billion Muslims around the world do every day, Shahin said. He attributed any concerns by passengers or crew to ignorance about Islam.

"I never felt bad in my life like that," he said. "I never. Six imams. Six leaders in this country. Six scholars in handcuffs. It's terrible."

Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations, expressed anger at the detentions.

"CAIR will be filing a complaint with relevant authorities in the morning over the treatment of the imams to determine whether the incident was caused by anti-Muslim hysteria by the passengers and/or the airline crew," Hooper said. "Because, unfortunately, this is a growing problem of singling out Muslims or people perceived to be Muslims at airports, and it's one that we've been addressing for some time."

Hooper said the meeting drew about 150 imams from all over the country, and that those attending included U.S. Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, D-Minneapolis, who just became the first Muslim elected to Congress. Shahin said they went as far as notifying police and the FBI about their meeting in advance.

Shahin expressed frustration that _ despite extensive efforts by him and other Muslim leaders since even before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks _ so many Americans know so little about Islam.

"If up to now they don't know about prayers, this is a real problem," he said.

Reached by cell phone just after his release, Shahin said he didn't know where they would spend the night or how they would try to get back to Phoenix on Tuesday. Hooper said US Airways refused to put the men on another flight.

Hogan said more information would likely be released Tuesday.

The other passengers on the flight, which was carrying 141 passengers and five crew members, were re-screened for boarding, Rader said. The plane took off about three hours after the men were removed from the flight.

___

AP reporter Gregg Aamot contributed to this story.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/11/21/D8LH9VQO0.html

If this had been people on a plane in 1943 speaking in German, it would have made me nervous also. Right or wrong, this is not a good time in history for muslims to be calling attention to themselves on a plane in the United States.

Edited November 21, 2006 by Lord Umbarger

[Michelle]

Do they really think that the imams would have brought attention to themselves if they had planned anything?

[UconnHusky]

Just another sad effect of the happenings of 9/11. A few "Muslims" tarnished the image of all Muslims.

Edited November 21, 2006 by 420

[Lord Umbarger]

Many Americans are skittish about Islam. Rather they would or would not call attention to themselves in no longer the issue. Americans are just not willing to chance it.

[Dando Kast]

Many Americans are skittish about Islam. Rather they would or would not call attention to themselves in no longer the issue. Americans are just not willing to chance it.

Any further attack on North American soil won't be by a text book muslim. It'll be some one that looks just like any other, probably even be caucasian.

[Avinash_Tyagi]

"Arrest them!! Their expressing their faith!!"

[AROCES]

If I was in an airplane about to take off and see 3 muslims praying to Allah like they were about to meet them. Heck, I throw them out the plane myself or get out the plane myself!

I'm not going to play russian roulette just to be politically correct.

Edited November 21, 2006 by AROCES

[SilverCougar]

Ahh.. ok. Now I know what to do the next time I hear people talk about.. oh.. God, republicans in a good light, democrates, speak in a different language, pray to.. anything... have a crying baby... speak about anything really.

Just because it'll make me nervious....

[AROCES]

- Be my guest if you would more worry about their feelings.

- I won't worry much about crying babies for I have not heard any of them blowing

up buildings, high jacking planes or cutting heads on video.

Edited November 21, 2006 by AROCES

[Avinash_Tyagi]

Since americans are so ignorant maybe when I get on the plane tonight I should start praying in Hindi just to scare everyone

Oooh, then when I get pulled off the plane I can sue (I want a new 50 inch LCD)

Edited November 21, 2006 by Avinash_Tyagi

[SilverCougar]

Not every muslim should be hounded and mistreated for the actions of a select few.

But hey, go ahead.. treat people with disrespect to craddle your fear. It's ok... just make sure your security tata and blanket is packed next time you fly. X)

(And because my energy is low due to lack of sleep.. concider this argument closed!)

[Michelle]

This has happened in other countries, too, AT.

[Avinash_Tyagi]

This has happened in other countries, too, AT.

Perhaps, but Americans need to stop living in fear of people with brown colored skin

[AROCES]

Since americans are so ignorant maybe when I get on the plane tonight I should start praying in Hindi just to scare everyone

Oooh, then when I get pulled off the plane I can sue (I want a new 50 inch LCD)

Call us ignorant if you want, but out the plane you go. Thru the window if I happen to be in that plane.

[Avinash_Tyagi]

Call us ignorant if you want, but out the plane you go. Thru the window if I happen to be in that plane.

Fair enough, you're ignorant

[wcturnersr]

I would have got off the plane. That's just my opinion. Sorry if this offends anyone, but would a Palestinian trust getting on the bus with a bunch of Israeli soldiers that are loading there guns? Would a Shiite politician get on a plane with a few Sunni's aboard?

You have to look at this in different ways. Don't be one-sided. Times are different but the good always have to suffer for the bad.

[AROCES]

Perhaps, but Americans need to stop living in fear of people with brown colored skin

Your propaganda won't work. We know what the reality of the problem is and you are trying your best to put the Americans to sleep.

Brown colored skin??? Typical, using the race card as a tool. Where will you guys be if not for the word racist, huh?

[Avinash_Tyagi]

I would have got off the plane. That's just my opinion. Sorry if this offends anyone, but would a Palestinian trust getting on the bus with a bunch of Israeli soldiers that are loading there guns? Would a Shiite politician get on a plane with a few Sunni's aboard?

You have to look at this in different ways. Don't be one-sided. Times are different but the good always have to suffer for the bad.

I always thought that Americans were more intelligent and tolerant than all that

[Avinash_Tyagi]

Your propaganda won't work. We know what the reality of the problem is and you are trying your best to put the Americans to sleep.

Brown colored skin??? Typical, using the race card as a tool. Where will you guys be if not for the word racist, huh?

Wow, you are a paranoid person

Don't know about me, but here in the US there would probably still be segregation

[AROCES]

Fair enough, you're ignorant

Coming from you makes me thankful you don't think otherwise.

[Avinash_Tyagi]

Coming from you makes me thankful you don't think otherwise.

Well if you enjoy your ignorance then so be it

[Thanato]

If they are going to ban on religion they should ban them all from Airplanes.

No Bibals no prayers, nothing.

Its only fair, treat everyone equal. Whether that means everyone has the freedom to practice there religion on the flight no noone does.

~Thanato

[Pinky Floyd]

If I was in an airplane about to take off and see 3 muslims praying to Allah like they were about to meet them. Heck, I throw them out the plane myself or get out the plane myself!

I'm not going to play russian roulette just to be politically correct.

And I'm right behind you..

Like it or not, the Islamic faith is going to have to deal with the fact that there is a stigma in the country (heck..the world) about their faith when mixed with airplanes. These nimrods should have known better than to temp civil tolerance in this day and age. Don't blame the people on the plane, the airlines or this country for that matter. I would imagine that this stunt in Madrid or Heathrow or Even DeGaulle Airport would have resulted in the same thing. Keep quiet and praise Allah (or Scooby Doo for all I care) before you get anwhere near that airport, or wait till it's all over.

Further proof that moderate, modern muslims (say that 3 times really fast) need to be more angry at the radicals for bringing this stigma upon them. And as long as Al-Quada is spouting off threats, blowing up buses and trains and what have you, there's always going to be this stigma.

Call us ignorant if you want, but out the plane you go. Thru the window if I happen to be in that plane.

Fair enough, you're ignorant

So whut? So am I.

But in this case, we're in the plane and you're on the tarmac..

[.AKUMA.]

Call us ignorant if you want, but out the plane you go. Thru the window if I happen to be in that plane.

Wow your Ignorance is sickening but its ok Your only American After all.

[AROCES]

Wow your Ignorance is sickening but its ok Your only American After all.

Oh yeah, when I get off the plane just about everyone will follow me including the crew

and you be there yelling ignorant to us, all alone with the Muslims praying.

Edited November 21, 2006 by AROCES