Judge rejects imams’ request

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE:
A federal judge will not block the public from accessing court documents or attending hearings in a lawsuit filed by a group of imams who say they were wrongly removed from a US Airways flight.

The imams’ lawyer, Omar T. Mohammedi, had asked U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery in Minnesota to “remove members of the media” from the court’s electronic case filing distribution list and hold proceedings in closed session.

Mr. Mohammedi did not respond to a request for comment, but he told the judge his clients had received death threats and had been unfairly criticized in press reports and Internet blogs.

The six imams are suing the airline, Minnesota Metropolitan Airports Commission, and “John Doe” passengers who reported the men were behaving suspiciously aboard Flight 300 from Minneapolis to Phoenix on Nov. 20 before their removal.

“After reviewing the parties’ submissions, the court declines to treat this case in the extraordinary manner that you request,” Judge Montgomery said.

“Under the First Amendment, the public and the press have a significant interest in full access to all judicial proceedings, both criminal and civil. You have provided no legal authority supporting your request to limit public access to this case,” Judge Montgomery said.

“While it is regrettable that anonymous individuals have threatened violence, the Court Security Officers will insure that the United States Courthouse here in Minneapolis is secure,” the judge wrote.

Scott Johnson, a Minnesota lawyer, described the federal courthouse as “armed with state-of-the-art security” that is “top of the line.”

The imams filed suit in March saying they were racially discriminated against and that theydid not disrupt the flight but prayed quietly beforehand. They had attended a conference in Minneapolis sponsored by the North American Imams Federation and were returning to Phoenix.

Passengers and flight crew said the imams prayed loudly before boarding, switched seating assignments, asked for seat-belt extensions and criticized President Bush and the war in Iraq.

The first court hearing on a motion to dismiss the lawsuit will be heard in early August.