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From The Times
August 21, 2006

Nervous passengers delay flight

By Dominic Kennedy
MUSLIM MPs yesterday called for an end to hysteria about terrorism after passengers refused to allow an aircraft to take off until two Asian men were removed from it (writes Dominic Kennedy).

Families began leaving the plane because they feared two young men on the Monarch Airlines flight to Manchester, from Màlaga in Spain, were suicide bombers.

Two British Asians in their twenties were heard speaking a language some passengers took as Arabic while in the departure lounge. Travellers were also suspicious that they were wearing warm clothing, though the temperature at their destination would have been 55F (13C).

The incident came days after Superintendent Ali Dizaei, one of Britain’s most senior Muslim policemen, warned of the danger of creating a new offence of “travelling whilst Asian”.

Mohammad Sarwar, Labour MP for Glasgow Central, said: “It’s a very sad state of affairs that shows how we are falling apart from each other.”

Khalid Mahmood, Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, said: “I think what happened is hugely irrational and people need to get their senses back into order.”

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