Los Angeles, USA - Pilots on an Alaska Airlines flight from Mexico City to Los Angeles locked down the cockpit and alerted authorities when a flight crew grew alarmed at the behavior of three men who turned out to be conducting an elaborate orthodox Jewish prayer ritual.
The three Mexican men began the ritual that involves tying leather straps and small wooden boxes to the body, and the crew of Sunday's Flight 241 alerted the cockpit, airline spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said.
The cockpit was placed on a security lockdown for the rest of the flight - meaning the door couldn't be opened even for pilots to leave briefly. Normal protocol calls for the cockpit to be locked, but on longer flights the pilots will leave and return from the flight deck.
FBI and customs agents along with police and a full assignment of fire trucks met the plane at the gate at Los Angeles International Airport, and the men were escorted off.
After questioning from the FBI, the men were released without being arrested. Airline officials later learned from law enforcement the men were performing the ritual known as laying the tefillin.