Ark-La-Tex Man Speaks Out After Being Accused Of Carrying A Bomb

"He started shouting "you got a bomb on you, I know you got a bomb on you," " Widaa Ajab, a Shreveport businessman of North African descent, said. Those are accusations Ajab says he will never forget. On August 26, he and his brother, both American citizens, were boarding an Allegiant Airlines flight headed to Las Vegas when they got into an argument with Charles Bradley Riche, the owner of a competing clothing store at Pierre Bossier Mall. The argument took a dangerous turn. According to Ajab and the FBI report on the incident, Riche made statements to Ajab about carrying a bomb and questioned whether he was a terrorist. "He tried to belittle my color, tried to humiliate me as a person in front of everyone at the airport," he said. Ajab then went to the pilot and the FBI report says Riche again accused him of carrying a bomb. Passengers overheard and the comments led to a bomb scare; shutting down Shreveport Regional Airport for hours. Riche and Ajab were taken to the Shreveport Airport Police and questioned by authorities. The FBI determined Ajab did not have a bomb or intentions to blow up a plane. Still, Allegiant Air refused to allow Ajab and Riche back on the plane. Allegiant officials say the men were not allowed back on the plane out of concern for the safety of other passengers in compliance with company policy. However, Ajab believes the ordeal was caused by his appearance and says if he were White, the accusations would not have been taken so seriously. "I didn`t come here to harm people, I came here to accomplish my hopes and my dreams," Ajab said. Though Riche admitted to making the accusations during questioning, the U.S. Attorney has decided not to file any federal charges. However, Ajab could be filing a civil suit of his own.