Muslim official says he was illegally detained at McCarran

Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2002 | 9:45 a.m.

SUN STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

While U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley inspected McCarran International Airport security Tuesday an official of an American Muslim group said he was illegally detained at McCarran because of his name and heritage.

Muhammad Ali Khan, treasurer of the American Muslim Council, made the charge at a Washington, D.C., press conference, saying the incident occurred July 29 while he was attempting to board a Northwest Airlines flight to Minneapolis.

Khan, a U.S. citizen, said he was prevented from boarding the plane and detained for an hour and 45 minutes by Northwest employees, Metro Police and two agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He took a later flight on a different airline.

"I was just thinking, why in the heck is this happening?" Khan, of Valparaiso, Ind., said at a news conference at which he announced he would sue the airline, Metro and the FBI.

Khan's name appeared on a "no-fly" list, and he was detained until his identity could be verified, FBI spokesman Special Agent Daron Borst said.

"His name and physical description were nearly an exact match," with someone on a federal watch list, Borst said. "Our agents responded and interviewed him for 10 minutes. They determined he was not the same person and he was sent on his way."

Khan, a 37-year-old investment banker, said the Las Vegas incident was the third time he had been stopped by police since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Arab-Americans and Muslims say they have been unfairly treated by airlines since Sept. 11. Lawsuits have been filed against three airlines for asking passengers to leave planes because others on the flight have expressed fear of flying with them.

Khan and his lawyer, Stanley Cohen, were especially critical of the airline and Metro Police.

Khan said he was kept waiting at the ticket counter for 20 minutes after presenting his driver's license. He also said that Metro Police questioned him in front of other waiting passengers.

"It was really humiliating," Khan said.

Metro Police spokesman Lt. Vincent Cannito said that Metro Police were working with federal partners and that everything they did was within the guidelines. He refused further comment, noting pending litigation.

Northwest spokeswoman Mary Beth Schubert said Khan was treated, "in accordance with federal security regulations," but added the airline apologized for the inconvenience.

American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada Executive Director Gary Peck said that he wasn't surprised by Khan's allegations.

"We have over the past couple of months received credible complaints from people who feel they were racially profiled by airlines," Peck said. "It hardly surprises me to hear about this alleged incident."