'You're all going to die... Allahu Akbar!': Southwest flight forced to make emergency landing after passenger 'shouts threats in Arabic'

Suspect: Ali Reza Shahsavari, 29, from Florida is escorted barefoot from the flight in Amarillo

A flight was forced to land today after a passenger dressed in black began shouting: 'Allahu Akbar... you're all going to die'.

Southwest Airlines Flight 3683 was forced to made an unscheduled stop after the pilot made an emergency call to the nearest airport.

The plane was en route from Los Angeles to Kansas City when it landed at Amarillo Airport, Texas at 3.30pm.

Ali Reza Shahsauri, from Indialantic, Florida, was arrested at the airport on a charge of interference.

An emergency call to the flight tower at the Texas airport initially reported that the 29-year-old passenger was trying to get into the flight deck

However Amarillo Aviation Director Patrick Rhodes later said he was 'not trying to break into the cockpit, but was unruly and had confronted the cabin crew'.

Passengers claimed he stood at the back of the plane and shouted: 'You're all going to die. you're all going to hell. Allahu Akbar.'

However, the FBI said the incident did not appear to be terrorism related

A spokesman said: 'The FBI continues to investigate, but initial indications are that there was no terrorist intent. This guy is a U.S. citizen.

Another passenger Doug Oerding told the Amarillo Globe-News that Shahsavari started screaming obscenities at fellow travellers during the flight.

Attendants attempted to calm Shahsavari but he went to a bathroom at the rear of the plane and started making a commotion.

Mr Oerding said: 'All of us guys were looking at him like are we going to have to do something.'

The suspect's father Mohammad Shahsavari confirmed the suspect was his son but that he had no idea what lead to the incident.
Mr Shahsavari told the Associated Press: 'I don't know what to say.'

Ashley Dillon, spokesperson for Southwest Airlines, said: 'Flight 3683 was en route from Los Angeles to Kansas City.

It landed at Amarillo after a passenger became disruptive on board.

The passenger was removed from the flight by authorities. We are working with them to establish what happened.'

None of the 136 passengers and five crew members were injured in the incident and the plane completed its journey to LA.