British cabinet minister detained at U.S. airport

[CHIMO]

Source: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LONDON – Britain's first Muslim government minister was disappointed after being pulled aside for questioning at a U.S. airport for the second time in a year, he said today.

International Development Minister Shahid Malik said he was detained for about 40 minutes at Dulles Airport in Washington on Sunday morning and his hand luggage was tested for traces of explosives. Malik was returning to London after talks on tackling terrorism with U.S. officials.

Last November, Malik was detained for an hour at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport as he flew in to deliver a speech on tackling extremism and defeating terrorism at an event co-organized by the U.S. Homeland Security Department.



Read more: http://www.thestar.com/News/article/271329

[Fridays Child]

1. Hearts and minds...

...continue to turn against us for crap like this--and worse.

[havocmom]

2. FWM

[Bryan]

3. If this was a mistake, it's hilarious

If this was on purpose, it's more than a little disturbing.

[PDJane]

5. No. There's not one damn thing amusing about this.

It's just plain stupid. Dismally, abysmally stupid. It's no way to face the world.

[City Lights]

13. Hilarious if it was a mistake?

How so? I see nothing funny about it.

[NMDemDist2]

4. it used to be a DWB "Driving While Black"

now it's FWB "Flying while Brown"

:banghead:

[unc70]

6. UK Diplomatic passport doesn't get much respect these days

Maybe next time he should "pouch" everything -- or, maybe he did.

I'll be interested in seeing a fuller description of what happened.

[muriel_volestrangler]

16. He's an elected politcian - I don't know if he'd have a special passport

The AP has misidentified him as a 'cabinet minister' - in fact he's one level below that, reporting to the Secretary of State for International Development - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_for_International_Development . I don't know if the politicians would get a special passport when they get a government position or not.

[rodeodance]

19. He is Muslim

[Benhurst]

7. How grotesque.

I have an African American friend who flies around the United States frequently on business. Guess who is invariably pulled out of line for special scrutiny?

It's dumb beyond belief, and such behavior gives one little faith in our "homeland" security.

[daa]

21. So is Congressman John Lewis

You know, the civil rights leader that was beaten in Alabama.

[caligirl]

8. saw Rendition tonight. Meryl Streep was great with her Texas accent and

cold Cheney like character. The other actofrs were terrific as well.

[Exultant Democracy]

9. Welcome to my world Minister Malik,

I managed to hit a sweet spot where depending on the bigot I look either African American, Mexican or Arab.

[orleans]

10. i read your op and didn't catch the muslim aspect and thought it was ironic

after reading the posts here i went back and took a second look. now i get it.

so, it is racial profiling.

and i still find it ironic this happened given the part about homeland security.

[AZgirl7]

11. Anyone white, black, brown, yellow, purple........

REPORT TO THE AIRPORT 4 HOURS EARLY! It's so disgusting, I don't EVER want to fly again!

[BridgeTheGap]

12. Hey, if they can do it to Al Gore, they can do it to anyone.

They are ripping apart the fabric of this country.

[gateley]

27. And Ted Kennedy. More than once. nt

[marmar]

14. A damn shame....

It's becoming more and more embarassing to be an American.

[bdamomma]

22. digusting treatment of dignitaries.

[cali]

15. My apologies Mr. Malik

as if that means anything. This is just so outrageous and infuriating, I'm at a loss for words.

[Canuckistanian]

17. So what was this - incompetence or planned event?

For all those people who say "everything the administration does is designed to do such-and-such....", what do you have to say about this?

I say the ratio is about 80% stupidity and 20% "evil plan".

[quiet.american]

18. I don't recognize my own country. n/t

[bdamomma]

23. this was the neo con plan all along

to re write history, what monsters all of them.

[bdamomma]

20. no one is going to put up with this shit, this is disgraceful.

[disndat]

24. This is Bush's America

Scapegoat people of color; divide and conquer.

[Gen. Jack D. Ripper]

25. That's just ridiculous

I wonder how Americans would react if a member of the Bush administration was detained in a foreign country, even Britain.

[Kipper58]

26. The thing that I find strange about this incident -

is that his security detachment didn't stop this from happening. I mean, he's got to have had American and British security services personnel guarding him, hasn't he? He may not be a Cabinet Minister, but surely he would be a target for terrorist action, and therefore qualify for armed protection? I can't imagine a situation where a member of the US Administration, even a comparatively lowly one, wouldn't have armed protection in an airport in Britain.

[truebrit71]

29. Armed? Not very likely...sounds like he's a junior guy...

...I hope that El Gorddo brings this up with the US ambassador and the chimp soon...(I won't hold my breath though)....

[damntexdem]

28. Surely only a coincidence.

LOL!