Fear of Iraqis delays flight

An American Airlines flight from San Diego to Chicago was delayed this week apparently because of concerns raised by one passenger about Iraqis on board.

American Flight 590 was supposed to leave about 11 p.m. Tuesday when a woman boarding the plane called police to complain about other passengers, said airline spokeswoman Mary Francis Fagan.

The issue was thought to be resolved at the terminal, but the dispute sparked again as the plane was backing away from the gate, Fagan said. At that point, Fagan said the flight fell under a curfew at the San Diego airport that prevented it from taking off.

The flight was canceled and rescheduled for Wednesday, Fagan said.

According to San Diego media reports and ABC 7 Chicago, the woman raised concern about the passengers because they were speaking Arabic.

One of the targeted passengers, Dave Alwatan, is an Iraqi and a U.S. citizen who was hired by the U.S. as part of a training mission at Camp Pendleton, according to ABC 7 Chicago.

"We were hired for this government. We can prove ourselves. We are good people, not a bad people," Alwatan is quoted by ABC7 Chicago. "How can we be bad if we are helping our people here -- American people? Why are we getting treated like that?"

No one was removed from the flight because of the dispute, Fagan said.

All those aboard were accommodated on other flights or the rescheduled one that left about 11 a.m. Wednesday. The flight finally arrived at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport about 4:30 p.m.