Jun 5, 2002 Lawsuits have been filed against four major US airlines alleging that they removed passengers from their planes because of their appearance.The actions, brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of five men, are against American Airlines, Continental, Northwest and United Airlines parent company, UAL Corp.The ACLU alleges that all five men, four of whom are US citizens and the other a legal resident, were forced to leave flights because of their Middle East or Asian appearance, constituting illegal discrimination and a violation of their civil rights. Two of the men involved are of Arab descent.In a statement civil rights groups said that all the men were forced to leave flights for reasons unrelated to security. Suits have been filed in three states, California, Maryland and New Jersey.One of the men involved, who has Bangladeshi parents, claimed that he had been security cleared by a number of agencies, including the FBI, but was still not allowed on board a Northwest flightAnother, with an Arab name, said he was asked to leave an American Airlines flight because other passengers felt uncomfortable with him on board.The lawsuits ask federal courts to declare that the airlines' actions violated the men's civil rights and to order the airlines to prevent future discrimination.The carriers have re-acted cautiously to the allegations, saying they have not yet been able to study them, but both Northwest and American spokesmen denied they acted improperly. Leo/ORD