Phoenix-based airline US Airways has issued an official comment on the events of Monday at Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport, when six Muslim imams were removed from a flight bound for its home airport in Arizona.

The airline said it was "diligently conducting its own investigation" into the incident, which saw the Islamic passengers placed in handcuffs and escorted from the aircraft before it left the tarmac of the Minnesota airport.

Apparently on their way home to Phoenix after attending the North American Imams Federation conference in Bloomington, MN, the Muslim scholars had "aroused suspicion" among other passengers when praying in the terminal prior to boarding the aircraft.

Bushra Khan, a spokeswoman for the Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, told the Contra Costa Times: "All these men did was pray and it was misunderstood.

"The bottom line is that they were Middle Eastern-looking men . . . and that scares some people," Khan added.

Having been taken in for questioning by police, they were all released shortly afterwards. [Link]