But It Really Was a Camera, Man Tells Airline

HOUSTON (CN) - United Airlines flight attendants assaulted an Arab man, called him a "terrorist" and falsely arrested him for "carrying a bomb that looked like a camera, when in fact it was a camera," he claims in court.

Khaled Ibrahim sued UAL Corp. dba United Airlines, in Federal Court.

"Plaintiff is of Middle Eastern Descent. Plaintiff is Arabic," the complaint states.

"Plaintiff bought an airline ticket from Defendant in Houston, Harris County, Texas last year for a round trip from Houston to Lima, Peru.

"Plaintiff was such a paying passenger on Flight No. 855, [when] several flight attendants, who were all the defendant's agents, servants and employees violated his civil rights, assaulted him, battered him, as well as falsely arrested and falsely imprisoned him on 1 January 2012, when he was returning from Lima, Peru to Houston, Texas.

"Several flight attendants, who were all the defendant's agents, servants and employees ethnically profiled plaintiff on the referenced flight.

"Several flight attendants, who were all the defendant's agents, servants and employees, publicly vilified plaintiff by calling him such unsavory epitaphs as 'terrorist' in front of the other airline crew members and passengers aboard the airplane in question.

"They stated that plaintiff was 'dangerous' and 'out of control.'

"They accused plaintiff of carrying a bomb that looked like a camera, when in fact it was a camera.

"They harassed, intimidated, and threatened to land the plane in Mexico and have (him) arrested there."

Ibrahim seeks punitive damages for discrimination, intentional infliction of emotional distress, assault and battery, false arrest and false imprisonment.

He is represented by Houston attorney Donald Cheatham.

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