( CNN ) -- Two imams heading to a conference on prejudice against Muslims said they were forced off their North Carolina-bound flight to undergo an additional security check -- only to have the pilot take off without them , even after they were cleared . Atlantic Southeast Airlines said in a statement that it was investigating the incident , which took place Friday night aboard a flight out of Memphis , Tennessee . Masudur Rahman and Mohamed Zaghloul , both imams in the Memphis area , were clad in Islamic attire when they were told to leave the aircraft as it was taxiing toward the runway . Their lawyer , Mo Idlibi , told CNN on Saturday that neither man had done anything out of the ordinary , nor were they praying or chanting . Rahman , who is also a professor of Arabic at the University of Memphis , said he and his colleague cooperated throughout the process and thanked Transportation Security Administration agents and others for their kindness and courtesy . But he said , through intermediaries , that they had difficulty finding out why they were ever kicked off the plane . One representative of Delta Air Lines , who claimed to be advocating on the two men 's behalf , came out visibly red-faced after a long talk with the pilot , according to Rahman . This was after the plane had returned to the gate and Rahman and Zaghoul had gotten off and gone through a secondary screening process . Shortly thereafter , the plane took off -- without the men , who had n't been allowed back on board . `` He did n't give any reason , '' said Rahman , referring to the pilot . `` ( The representative ) said only that the pilot is not allowing you to go . '' Atlantic Southeast Airlines , which runs Delta Connection and United Express flights , apologized `` for any inconvenience that this may have caused . '' Atlantic Southeast did not say why the two men were taken off the flight , but did claim they were given the opportunity to fly on a different flight . `` Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 5452 from Memphis to Charlotte returned to the gate to allow for additional screening of a passenger and the passenger 's companion , '' the statement said . `` We take security and safety very seriously , and the event is currently under investigation . '' Ibrahim Hooper , spokesman for the civil rights group Council on American-Islamic Relations , told CNN the two men contacted his office and said they were told that other passengers did not want them on board the small commuter plane . `` TSA came on and pulled them off and said the pilot was refusing to fly with them because passengers were uncomfortable with them , '' Hooper said , referring to the Transportation Security Administration . Earlier , Rahman told CNN affiliate WCNC that the incident reminded him of the prejudice Rosa Parks faced during the civil rights movement . `` That history I found today in that plane , and it should n't happen with any other person , '' he said . Incidentally , the two men -- both of whom hold high religious positions in the Memphis community , with Zaghloul being an imam at Masjid Al-Noor -- were headed to a conference on Islamophobia . The meeting is sponsored by the North American Imams Federation . Rahman , with Zaghloul by his side , eventually got to North Carolina and talked to CNN from there . The men 's attorney said they have not yet decided whether to sue the airline or anyone else involved in the case . `` We 're keeping all options open , '' Idlibi said . `` We do want to make sure that the pilot is held accountable for his actions . '' CNN 's Rick Martin , Craig Bell and Maria Ebrahimji contributed to this report .
An imam says he initially was n't given a reason he was kicked off a plane . Both men are prominent imams and dressed in Muslim attire . The airline apologizes but does not say why the men were ordered to leave . Comment: