A British Muslim family heading to Disneyland was barred from boarding a flight to Los Angeles by U.S. authorities at Gatwick airport here, prompting a lawmaker to seek Prime Minister David Cameron’s intervention into the matter.
Mohammad Tariq Mahmood, who was travelling with his brother and nine of their children, said the U.S. officials gave no explanation for refusing to allow them to board the flight. “It is because of the attacks on America — they think every Muslim poses a threat,” he was quoted as saying by the Guardian .
Opposition Labour party MP Stella Creasy has written to Mr. Cameron urging him to press U.S. authorities on the issue.
A Downing Street spokesperson said Mr. Cameron will investigate the lawmaker’s claim and will “respond in due course”.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials have so far provided no explanation for why the country refused to allow the family of 11 to board the plane even though they had been granted travel authorisation online ahead of their planned December 15 flight.
Mr. Mahmood said the airline told them that they would not be refunded the $13,340 spent on their tickets.
They were also forced to return everything they bought at the airport’s duty-free shops before being escorted from the airport. “I have never been more embarrassed in my life. I work here, I have a business here. But we were alienated,” Mr. Mahmood said. Ms. Creasy said she is concerned about the increasing numbers of British Muslims being stopped from entering the U.S. with no apparent reason.
