Settlement of Six Imams 'Flying While Muslim' Case 'Victory for Justice'

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today hailed what it called a "victory for justice and civil rights" in the case of the six imams, or Islamic religious leaders, who said their rights were violated in 2006 when they were removed from a US Airways flight in Minnesota and arrested.

CAIR, the Washington-based civil rights organization that has championed the imams' rights since they were removed from the plane, said the six religious leaders will receive an undisclosed amount in compensation for the incident and that the case was resolved to "the satisfaction of all parties."


"The settlement of this case is a clear victory for justice and civil rights over fear and the phenomenon of 'flying while Muslim' in the post-9/11 era," said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. "We thank all those who supported the imams through the lengthy and difficult legal process."

In July, a judge in Minnesota sided with the imams on key issues in their lawsuit against those involved in their removal from the plane. U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery cleared the way for a trial by denying several motions to dismiss the case and ruling that a law passed by Congress after the incident does not grant protection from lawsuits to those sued by the imams.

Judge Montgomery also ruled that the actions of the imams prior to their flight did not justify their detention. She noted that the imams were subjected to "extreme fear and humiliation of being falsely identified as dangerous terrorists."


CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787 or 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

Source: Council on American-Islamic Relations