More on the Flying Imams

Remember them?

They are at it again! And they're suing the passengers on their flight. As if a reminder were needed, the Washington Times provides us with one anyway:

"The imams were removed from the flight after praying loudly in the gate area, speaking angrily about the war in Iraq and President Bush, not taking their assigned seats and requesting seat-belt extenders that were not necessary and that could be used as weapons, according to incident reports and officials interviewed by The Washington Times. "

And, here's why they're suing:

"Three of the imams said they 'noticed an older couple was sitting behind them and purposely turning around to watch the other plaintiffs as they prayed together' and that the man 'picked up his cellular phone and made a phone call while watching the plaintiffs pray,' according to the imams' lawsuit. "

So, they're suing an old couple for watching them pray...how quickly can this get dismissed?

Here's the text of the lawsuit, if you can bear to go through it.

Look at #4:

"Federal law expressly provides that an 'air carrier or foreign air carrier may not subject a person in air transportation to discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, religion, sex, or ancestry."

First of all - someone should've edited this, because it says "religion" twice. Second, it doesn't say you can't discriminate based on crazy behavior - you know, like switching seats and asking for unnecessary seat belt extenders while bashing what is supposedly your country (as they are all U.S. residents). THAT is what the airline and the "John Does" did.

Interestingly, lawsuit point #25 says the imams bought round-trip tickets...there's dispute about that.

#33 says "At no time did Plaintiffs discuss politics or refer to Saddam Hussein or President Bush."

and #37 and #38 nail a John Doe!

"Upon information and belief, the gentleman ("John Doe") in the couple facing Plaintiffs at gate C9 picked up his cellular phone and made a phone call while watching the Plaintiffs pray...Upon information and belief, Defendant John Doe moved to a corner near gate C9. While observing the Plaintiffs discreetly, he kept talking into his cellular phone."

What damning evidence that these imams should sue this "John Doe," who probably doesn't even know he's being sued.

Much of this lawsuit contradicts early reports of this case as well. Let's hope that nothing comes of it and we can drop the subject for good.