After a strange incident in which they were kicked off a flight with little in the way of an explanation, two Muslim imams from Memphis have filed a personal injury lawsuit against Delta Airlines for the alleged deprivation of their civil rights.

In their lawsuit, which was filed at the end of the year, the two religious leaders claim that they were booted from the plane based solely on their appearance, according to a report from WREG News in Memphis.

The series of events that led to their dismissal from the plane were bizarre. First, according to the men, Masudar Rahman and Mohamed Zagloul, they passed through an initial security checkpoint with no trouble.

Then, the men, who were dressed in traditional religious garb, were subjected to a second search at the checkpoint, which they also passed with no incident.

However, shortly after the men boarded their flight, which was headed to Charlotte, the plane returned to the gate and the two religious leaders were asked to step off the flight.

After they left the plane, the men were subjected to a third search, which again did not reveal anything suspicious, and they were told they could re-enter the aircraft. The pilot, however, refused to let them on the plane, so the men missed their flight and a conference they were supposed to attend in Charlotte.

According to their lawsuit, Rahman and Zagloul claim that they were given no explanation for the pilot’s refusal to let them board the plane. The men believe that they were discriminated against based on their beards, their clothing, and their foreign appearance.

Since the incident, the two men have had no trouble flying (which they frequently do, as Rahman is a renowned professor at the University of Memphis), which adds even more mystery to their shunning by Delta Airlines.

When interviewed by local media, the men claim that they simply want to prevent similar discrimination from striking other people, and they do not suggest that they are only seeking monetary damages.

The airline, however, is staying quiet. In a brief statement, the company that owns Delta Airlines says that it cannot comment on a pending lawsuit, but it did claim that its employees always act in the best interest of passengers’ safety.

The issue of racial profiling at airports has drawn a considerable amount of attention in recent years, and many people with foreign attire or appearances have complained of discrimination at various American airports.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of such actions, consider contacting a local injury attorney to learn more about your legal rights. There is a fine line between protecting the safety of passengers and allowing reasonable freedom of movement for other citizens. Sometimes airlines have a hard time recognizing this distinction.