LAX Police: Passenger Broke No Law When He Spoke Arabic On Phone On Southwest Plane
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — Los Angeles World Airports Police Department said investigators have concluded a passenger broke no laws when he spoke in Arabic on his mobile phone while on a Southwest Airlines plane.
Officer Rob Pedregon said Monday that officers from his department and agents from the FBI both interviewed Khairuldeen Makhzoomi after he was kicked off before the flight departed from Los Angeles to Oakland on April 9.
Southwest Airlines said another Arabic-speaking passenger heard the UC Berkeley senior mention a terrorist organization during his conversation and became alarmed.
The 26-year-old said he made a passing reference to Islamic State while telling his uncle about a speech he had attended by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
"The statement he made was not illegal, there was nothing that involved threats or anything like that so he was released," Pedregon said.
He said airport police consider the case closed.
Southwest wrote in a statement that the airline doesn't tolerate discrimination.
"Prior to the departure of Flight 4620, our crew made the decision to investigate a report of potentially threatening comments overheard onboard our aircraft. A group of our employees including the flight crew made the decision to review the situation," Southwest said.
Southwest added, "It was the content of the passenger's conversation, not the language used, that prompted the report leading to our investigation. Once the report was made, an Arabic-speaking Southwest Manager at LAX participated in the decision to request the passenger leave the aircraft and continue the conversation in the gate area. We provided the passenger an immediate refund of his unused ticket."
Makzhoomi said he is still waiting for southwest to offer him a formal apology. "Admit you have done something wrong," he said. "We are a part of this country."
A Southwest Airlines spokesperson said they tried to contact Makzhoomi multiple times since the incident.
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