Four 'Muslim' passengers removed from US flight over suspect video

NEW YORK/ WASHINGTON DC: Four passengers were taken off a Spirit Airlines Inc (SAVE.O) flight at Baltimore on Tuesday after one who appeared to be Muslim viewed what another passenger thought was an Islamic State video, a government source said.

Checks of the three men and a woman and their baggage found nothing suspicious, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. They were released without charges, the source said.

Spirit said the incident took place when Flight 969 from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Chicago O’Hare International Airport was taxiing to the runway.

"A passenger alerted a flight attendant of a passenger engaged in suspicious activity on board," it said. The plane returned to the gate, and police removed the four.

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The government source said a female passenger who appeared to be Muslim was watching a video on her phone that another passenger thought was from Islamic State. The militant group has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Paris on Friday that killed 129 people.

WJLA television in Washington reported that the four passengers appeared to be in their early 30s and of Middle Eastern ancestry. They were carrying several backpacks.

A woman got up and went to the back of the plane with a small child as the plane was preparing for takeoff, said WJLA, an ABC affiliate.



First Sergeant Jonathan Green, a spokesperson for the Maryland Transportation Authority police, earlier said one of the four had been questioned and released.

All passengers were deplaned and the aircraft and luggage cleared. Flight tracking website FlightAware.com said the plane later took off at 9:27am EST, about 3-1/2 hours late.