Posted on 08/02/2002 10:39:08 AM PDT by RoughDobermann
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - Four New Jersey men are suing American Airlines, claiming they were wrongly removed from an airplane in March and strip-searched because of their Arabic names.
The men, who filed a lawsuit on Friday, say they were headed home from a Florida vacation when airline officials asked them to get off the plane prior to takeoff.
Three employees then searched them in full view of other passengers for 30 minutes, the lawsuit alleges, forcing them to lift up their shirts and lower their pants. The men said the captain eventually apologized and allowed them to get back on the plane.
The men — Eyhab Matari, 25, of Prospect Park, Ehab Abdelaziz, 22, of Paterson, Osama Zeidan, 20, of Clifton, and Waesam Hamdan, 22, of Paterson — are all U.S. citizens of Palestinian descent. They seek unspecified damages in the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Newark.
"I don't feel American now," Hamdan, who was born in the United States, said Thursday during a news conference at a Teaneck mosque. "I feel second class."
A spokesman for the Fort Worth, Texas-based airline declined to comment on the suit, saying the company would not discuss pending litigation.
A slew of lawsuits have been filed against in recent months accusing various airlines of illegally removing passengers who looked Middle Eastern. The American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites), which has filed a handful of lawsuits on behalf of passengers, has blamed poor airline policies drawn up to respond to the threat of terrorism since Sept. 11.
The latest lawsuit marks the second time American Airlines has been accused of discrimination since last year's terrorist attacks. A Secret Service agent assigned to protect President Bush (news - web sites) was prevented from reboarding a flight to the president's ranch in December.
The man, an Arab-American, said he felt he was mistreated because of his ethnicity.
Those who don't feel American are welcome to leave.
It would be interesting if there were statistics on whether Arabs are searched more than others, or if it's just that Arabs feel they have grounds to sue for apparently arbitrary searches, while others do not.
Since it's not the arbitrariness of the searches that might make them illegal, but rather the ethnicity of the "victims," wouldn't such statistics be necessary to proving the case, unless the searchers admitted to bias (either at the time or in court)?
This really does suck for him, and I sympathize. BUT, I think he's being dishonest with himself if he cannot understand WHY he is now singled out. And it's not racism, but a well-founded fear of a group of people out to kill a lot of us. That group (radical islamists) is a subgroup of his larger, Arabic group. Sorry, man.
Sad, but true. I remember very soon after 9/11 witnessing a toddler being searched at the gate. Her little backpack being thoroughly searched by the crack security gods...
I agree. I feel somewhat sorry for these guys. Every time I fly, I get more angry with the genuises that search me. Hence the sympathy.
Easy for you to say. You're not the one being made to drop his drawers in the aircraft cabin under penalty of incarceration.
Pure speculation, but something tells me that these boys were out to get the spotlight. Perhaps they intentionally arouse suspicion on the aircraft? Note that they held a press conference from a local mosque. How come? P
With luck, I won't ever have to fly on an airliner again...
When airport security was in the hands of private business (the Airlines), they were not subject to the limitations of the Constitution.
Now that the Federal government has taken control of airport security, a search warrant is required.
I am currently fighting my local city because they are demanding an inspection of my home over a sump pump in the basement. If I do not comply, I will be fined $100 per month.
Being in full compliance of the law, but not willing to submit to a search of my home without a legal search warrant, I have no choice but to stand up and say no. I do not have a sump pump, but refuse to allow any city inspector into my home without the proper legal documents.
If the city could inspect my home according to the law, then they should have no problem getting a judge to sign a search warrant. After two month, they have failed to produce one. Although it would only take me 2 minutes to have my home inspected and declared in compliance with the city ordinance, I must defend the laws of this land and tell them no.
Groan, it looks like I will be running for city councel this next election. This is not something I want to do, but at least I will have a vote and may prevent this city from passing other illegal laws in the future.
Now back to the airline issue. Once again, government is in violation of the Constitution, and they must have a search warrant. The only way that citizens can enforce the rule of law is to bring it to the courts.
In a time of war, this may be difficult and I will allow the government some latitude with airport security. However, they now have the burden to justify the legality of these searches.
This is not easy, and frankly, darn scary. But if the citizens of this country fail to stand up, the government will continue to violate the very laws that they are sworn to uphold.
A private business is not required to obtain a search warrant. The government does!
Unfortunatly, the public has not realized this important change. However, in a time of war, the rules are a little different, so keep this is mind.
Good question
Might also explain why they feel like second-class citizens.
They act like first-class citizens of a foreign culture.
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