Muslim Booted Off Flight For Asking To Pray

[Cruzan]

A young Muslim was booted off a plane at a North airport after asking cabin crew if he could pray before his flight, we can reveal.

The incident happened when the country was on high alert last weekend after an alleged terrorist attack at Glasgow airport.

A source told us that the man - who has not been named - boarded a Thomsonfly flight at Newcastle International Airport bound for a holiday in Malaga, Spain, with friends.

He asked staff if he could go in the galley area - which can be curtained off from passengers - and offer prayers before the flight took off.

However - according to our source - the flight attendant asked the plane's captain who promptly ordered the man off the aircraft.

Northumbria Police officers were waiting for the man in the departure lounge and searched him under terrorism laws.

All they found was a bottle of water, used by Muslims to wash themselves before prayer, a compass to ensure he was facing the holy city of Mecca, and a traditional prayer-mat.

More

[DavidDvorkin]

1. Now he needs one more item

The phone number of a really good lawyer.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. depends on the time

for strict Muslims, there are specific times for prayer.

[Jensen]

6. He could of taken a earlier or later flight ???

Every person must be seated before the doors of a aircraft is closed per strict safety regulations!

[jilln]

8. That's NOT the point.

The point is he was searched and booted off a flight for asking to pray. They could have said "Sorry, it's too late, we're taking off now" and left it at that but they had to make a big show of being "tough on terrorism".

[Az]

3. Intolerance is an interesting thing

I found myself on a flight back home to Detroit sitting next to a group of Muslims returning from a wedding. I noticed some discomfort from the other passengers but I myself found the actual gentleman we were sitting next to to be quite humane. The irony is that I was the one actually on the no fly list. My name happens to be the same as someone wanted in Canada for attempting to blow up mosques. I just found the situation rather interesting.

[LisaM]

5. I actually dislike ostentatious public prayer.

I don't care who does it. If I pray, which is often, I close my eyes and do it PRIVATELY to myself. It makes me uncomfortable when others pray around me and I can see it. Usually these are Protestants, but I have seen it with Jewish people too. I actually have not seen a Muslim person try to pray in an airport or plane, but I have seen other people do it, and I have to say, I don't like it, and don't care to see it.

[jilln]

7. Then close your eyes. (nt)

[LisaM]

9. Oh, and stuff my fingers in my ears, I suppose! LOL

No thanks. Keep your prayers in your soul when you're in public. Where they belong. Don't even get me started on politicians saying God Bless, or God Bless America. It's entirely inappropriate.

For purposes of full disclosure, I am a practicing Catholic and I would not even think of making others uncomfortable by crossing myself or performing a Rosary on a plane.

[jilln]

11. Politicians doing it during public speeches is different, I think...

but no one has a responsibility not to make you uncomfortable. If you don't like it, don't watch or go somewhere else. I could care less if someone crosses themselves in my presence.

[SoCalDem]

12. Lisa Lisa Lisa.. You mean you don't swing that smoke thing in the air

and sit..kneel, stand..sit ..stand..kneel??

:rofl:

I am with you..

Keep prayers to yourselves please :)

If you have a strict faith that requires props, then perhaps you should drive, so you can stop anytime you want :)

[Bridget Burke]

22. He asked to pray in the galley area so he would not "offend" anyone.

I'm no longer practicing, but had no problem crossing myself on the rare occasions when public prayers were offered in school. (Public school in the Bible Belt--many years ago. No, prayer was NOT a regular thing. But I was not ashamed to be "different.")

And I had no problem, flying into Guadalajara during a raging storm, when I noticed a lady with a Rosary. If my Spanish had been good enough, I might have asked whether she had a spare.

If someone tries to convert me, I won't respond favorably. But I don't get offended when other people express themselves.

[Az]

16. You don't have to like it. Thats the nature of freedom n/t

[damntexdem]

19. Well, he did want to do it out of sight.

But, then, I actually dislike ostentatious public booting off of flights.

[Posteritatis]

23. Cope. Freedom of speech holds. (nt)

[A HERETIC I AM]

10. I have been traveling most of my life. Why has this never been an issue before?

Grant you, i have never flown to the Middle East but i have flown into and out of the UK about 6 times, to Australia 6 times, several flights in Europe and more US domestic flights than i can count and have never, not one single time, seen a Muslim praying on an airplane. At Heathrow there is, if i remember correctly, a "Muslim Prayer Room" somewhere in the public areas and i know there are many airports that have small chapels and prayer rooms. I guess i just don't get why these sorts of incidents are all of the sudden becoming news.

Is God going to smite a Muslim if he misses one prayer? IT IS AN AIRPLANE for cryin' out loud, not a mosque. Shit fire, we all want to get where we are going, just hang on till we get there and then pray all you want.

Now i am going to sit over ------------>here and wait for the "Intolerance Police"

[NC_Nurse]

13. I agree.

[cobalt1999]

14. I agree with you.

Why should the plane, crew, boarding procedures have to accomodate someone's religious rituals?

Do whatever you want, pray to whomever or whatever you want, but as soon as you require special treatment, you've gone too far.

[SoCalDem]

17. Some could get messy.. Santaria worshipers come to mind

and isn't there a faith that uses marijuana in their prayer ceremony too?

[High Plains]

21. Yeah, throw him off the plane for even asking!

Where's that little sarcasm thingie?

[cobalt1999]

24. Throwing him off is up to the crew.

If your religious rituals require the crew to modify their procedures or interferes with the crew in any way, you shouldn't be flying.

Sit in your seat and play with your rosaries, rub your small statue buddha belly, read your bible or Koran, fine...that doesn't interfere or change crew procedures. As soon as you want to interfere or have the crew work around whatever silly ritual your particular belief system demands of you, you've gone too far. The captain has the authority to handle it as he sees fit.

The guy isn't getting any sympathy here.

[LisaM]

15. That is so true!

I have flown in and out of Germany, and there were a lot of Muslims, and they were not praying in public.

Not only that, I frequently fly to and from Detroit, and there are lots of Arabs and Arab-Americans and I've never seen anyone whip out a prayer rub and drop to their knees there, either.

[damntexdem]

18. Scary: who knows what he might have prayed for!!!!!

;-)

[BlooInBloo]

20. LOL! Must have missed the news for the last 7 years - America hates muslims.