'I'll be watching you': Muslim American Airlines passenger 'singled out by attendant and kicked off plane'

Complaint: The passenger is said to have been told he was being 'too sensitive' when he challenged the steward
Getty/AFP
Sebastian Mann21 July 2016

A Muslim passenger was allegedly kicked off an American Airlines plane after being told by a flight attendant: “I will be watching you.”

Mohamed Ahmed Radwan was singled out because of his name and later removed from the flight because he made the steward “uncomfortable”, it is claimed.

The allegations are made by the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ (CAIR) Civil Rights Department in a letter to the US Department of Transport requesting a federal investigation.

The complaint alleges that Mr Radwan was warned he was under watch shortly after taking his seat on board an internal flight last December.

It says: "As Mr Radwan took his designated seat, a female flight attendant loudly announced: 'Mohamed Ahmed, seat 25-A: I will be watching you.'"

"The flight attendant was positioned in the aisle towards the rear of the plane and passengers in the surround vicinity heard her statement.

"After approximately one minute, the flight attendant repeated the announcement, this time stating: 'Mohamed Ahmed, that is a very long name, seat 25-A, 'I will be watching you'."

American Airlines rejected the claims and said a “thorough” review concluded “no discrimination occurred”.

The complaint goes on to claim no similar statements were made to other passengers.

Mr Radwan is said to have confronted the flight attendant about her behaviour – and was told she was watching everyone.

After he challenged her and said no one else had been singled out in an announcement, she allegedly accused him of being “too sensitive”.

Mr Radwan was eventually asked to leave the aircraft because his actions made the flight attendant "uncomfortable", the complaint adds.

The letter says: "American Airlines humiliated Mr Radwan by making statements that falsely portrayed him as a potential terrorist and threat.

“Given the continuing rise of anti-Muslim rhetoric and hate crimes occurring throughout the United States, this type of reckless and harmful conduct should not be tolerated by our nation's airlines.”

A spokesman for the airline said: "American [Airlines] was contacted by CAIR earlier this year. We thoroughly reviewed these allegations and concluded that no discrimination occurred.

“We serve customers of all backgrounds and faiths and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind."

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