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| Southwest Airlines kicks Muslim off a plane for saying ‘inshallah’, meaning ‘God willing’ in Arabic | Southwest Airlines kicks Muslim off a plane for saying ‘inshallah’, meaning ‘God willing’ in Arabic |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Muslim man was told to leave a Southwest Airlines flight after another passenger overheard him speaking Arabic on his mobile phone. | A Muslim man was told to leave a Southwest Airlines flight after another passenger overheard him speaking Arabic on his mobile phone. |
| Khairuldeen Makhzoomi, a 26-year-old Berkeley graduate, was removed from the plane at Los Angeles International Airport in April this year. | Khairuldeen Makhzoomi, a 26-year-old Berkeley graduate, was removed from the plane at Los Angeles International Airport in April this year. |
| Once seated, he had made a brief call to his uncle in Baghdad, telling him how excited he was to ask a question to the UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, during a dinner the previous day. | Once seated, he had made a brief call to his uncle in Baghdad, telling him how excited he was to ask a question to the UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, during a dinner the previous day. |
| Before hanging up, he said the Islamic phrase in Arabic of "inshallah", meaning "God willing". | Before hanging up, he said the Islamic phrase in Arabic of "inshallah", meaning "God willing". |
| He noticed a woman staring at him as he hung up the phone. He thought at first she had been irritated by how loud he was speaking. | He noticed a woman staring at him as he hung up the phone. He thought at first she had been irritated by how loud he was speaking. |
| "One guy came with police officers within two minutes — I can't believe how fast they were — and told me to get off the plane," he told CNN. | "One guy came with police officers within two minutes — I can't believe how fast they were — and told me to get off the plane," he told CNN. |
| An agent escorted him outside and asked him why he was speaking in Arabic considering "today’s political climate". | An agent escorted him outside and asked him why he was speaking in Arabic considering "today’s political climate". |
| "You need to be very honest with us with what you said about the martyrs. Tell us everything you know about the martyrs," the agent said to him. | "You need to be very honest with us with what you said about the martyrs. Tell us everything you know about the martyrs," the agent said to him. |
| The political science graduate explained he had only said “God willing”, and the questioning soon ended - but not before dogs were brought in to sniff his luggage, he was searched and his wallet was taken away. | The political science graduate explained he had only said “God willing”, and the questioning soon ended - but not before dogs were brought in to sniff his luggage, he was searched and his wallet was taken away. |
| "The US is the land of freedom. People respect the rule of law. How could people be humiliated like this? That was the real shock," he told The Independent. | "The US is the land of freedom. People respect the rule of law. How could people be humiliated like this? That was the real shock," he told The Independent. |
| "I lived under Saddam Hussein. I know what discrimination feels like," he added. | "I lived under Saddam Hussein. I know what discrimination feels like," he added. |
| Mr Makhzoomi came to the US in 2010 as a legal refugee with his older sister. | |
| He was not allowed to reboard the Oakland-bound plane, and was given a full refund. He booked another flight with Delta. | He was not allowed to reboard the Oakland-bound plane, and was given a full refund. He booked another flight with Delta. |
| Southwest Airlines could not be immediately reached for comment. | Southwest Airlines could not be immediately reached for comment. |
| The student said he was left feeling "shaken" and could not sleep for days afterwards. He has called on the airline to apologise since they have failed to do so since 6 April. | The student said he was left feeling "shaken" and could not sleep for days afterwards. He has called on the airline to apologise since they have failed to do so since 6 April. |
| The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has filed a complaint with the US Department of Transportation Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings against Southwest Airlines for "racial and religious profiling of a Muslim passenger". | The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has filed a complaint with the US Department of Transportation Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings against Southwest Airlines for "racial and religious profiling of a Muslim passenger". |
| "By removing Mr Makhzoomi from his flight solely because he spoke in his native Arabic language, Southwest Airlines discriminated against Mr Makhzoomi in violation of 49 U.S.C.S. § 40127(a), which prohibits an air carrier from subjecting 'a person in air transportation to discrimination on the basis of race, colour, national origin, religion, sex or ancestry’," wrote Saba Maher, the civil rights coordinator of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of CAIR. | "By removing Mr Makhzoomi from his flight solely because he spoke in his native Arabic language, Southwest Airlines discriminated against Mr Makhzoomi in violation of 49 U.S.C.S. § 40127(a), which prohibits an air carrier from subjecting 'a person in air transportation to discrimination on the basis of race, colour, national origin, religion, sex or ancestry’," wrote Saba Maher, the civil rights coordinator of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of CAIR. |
| Mr Makhzoomi said he is applying for his masters in California and is grateful that the US has provided him with "the best education, and so many opportunities". | Mr Makhzoomi said he is applying for his masters in California and is grateful that the US has provided him with "the best education, and so many opportunities". |
| "This our home. We don't have another home. The experience [in April] was just unpleasant," he said. | "This our home. We don't have another home. The experience [in April] was just unpleasant," he said. |