St. Paul, MN - Muslims Removed from Plane

St. Paul MN - Six Muslim imams were removed from a US Airways flight at Minneapolis- St. Paul International Airport and questioned by police for several hours before being released. The six were among passengers who boarded Flight 300, bound for Phoenix.

A passenger initially raised concerns about the group through a note passed to a flight attendant, and 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. Three of the Muslims stood and said their normal evening prayers together on the plane, 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."

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.