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Media reports - November 21, 2007
Imams’ bias suit against US Airways upheld
Minneapolis, Nov. 21: A federal judge today ruled that a lawsuit filed by six imams against US Airways and a Minneapolis airport can proceed.
The lawsuit was filed by the six Imams who say that they were singled out because they prayed prior to getting on the plane. The Imams, returning home from the North American Conference of Imams on November 20, 2006, were taken off the plane handcuffed and detained for several hours.
In a 41-page opinion Judge Ann Montgomery, in Minneapolis, said that the imams have a plausible claim that their constitutional rights may have been violated.
The imams "have adequately stated a claim" that airport police may have "seized plaintiffs in violation of their Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures," Judge Montgomery ruled.
"This preliminary victory shows that any American can have a day in court," said Omar Mohammedi, attorney for the imams. The lawsuit was filed by Ahmed Shqeirat, Mohamed Ibrahim, Didmar Faja, Omar Shahin, Mahmoud Sulaiman and Marwan Sadeddin.
"The case is about civil rights violations and constitutional principles that we all cherish. Our judicial system has always been, and will remain, the hope for all minorities who seek to redress civil rights violations," Mr. Mohammedi said.
However, the judge dismissed two of the imams' complaints. The imams had argued that they suffered from emotional distress as a result of the incident, and one of the imams said he was discriminated against because he is blind.
The lawsuit originally sued "John Doe" passengers who reported the suspicious behavior as well as the flight crew and airport employees. However the "John Does" were dropped from the lawsuit after Congress passed a law giving passengers who report suspicious behavior that may lead to a terrorist attack immunity from litigation.
American Muslim civil rights groups have applauded the ruling. "We are pleased that despite the tremendous level of misinformation, unsubstantiated smears and Islamophobic rhetoric surrounding this case, an impartial examination of the facts led the judge to rule in the imams' favor," said Mr. Nihad Awad, Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Muslim American Society Executive Director, Mahdi Bray said: "Clearly the court did today what we at MAS have always urged the media and the public to do; ignore the Islamophobic hype and follow the facts.”
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