Southwest airline accused of removing Muslim passenger for speaking Arabic

Santa Clara, California: A rights organization has filed a complaint with federal authorities against Southwest Airlines for what the group says was racial and religious profiling of a Muslim passenger.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations filed a complaint with the Department of Transportation Wednesday on behalf of Khairuldeen Makhzoomi.

Makhzoomi, a student at the University of California, Berkeley, was yanked in April from a Southwest Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Oakland after mentioning a terrorist group's name during a telephone conversation in Arabic.

He has said he made a passing reference to ISIS while telling his uncle about a speech he had attended by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Southwest Airlines says another Arabic-speaking passenger heard Makhzoomi mention the terrorist organisation during his conversation and reported him to the crew.

The organisation says it is calling federal authorities to hold Southwest Airlines accountable for its actions against Makhzoomi.