Shahid Malik detained at US airport

Monday 29th October 2007 03:08:39 PM

Saw this on the UK version of Google News and the first story listed was by the BBC - Minister detained at US airport. Guess I shouldn't have been surprised when the MP in question was Dewsbury's very own Shahid Malik (because everything associated with Dewsbury in the media seems to be terror related). Fair enough, the US has to have stringent security checks in operation but you could have thought they would (at the least) go slightly easy on MP's out of all people but no ...

From the beeb

Mr Malik said two other Muslims were also detained.

"I am deeply disappointed," he said.

"The abusive attitude I endured last November I forgot about and I forgave, but I really do believe that British ministers and parliamentarians should be afforded the same respect and dignity at USA airports that we would bestow upon our colleagues in the Senate and Congress.

"Obviously, there was no malice involved but it has to be said that the USA system does not inspire confidence."

I've heard loads of stories about the awkwardness faced by British Muslims when travelling to and from the U.S for no apparent reason, even my old man was interrogated by security officials back in 2002. From what I've heard they use the same excuse with everyone which is something along the lines of "Your name matches a list of terrorists in our database", using that excuse they can detain anyone and everyone and theres not much that can be done about it.

I really do think our security alerts are over hyped to cause fear in the minds of the people, sure terrorist activities are going on around the world but when have they not? I'm sure ten or twenty years ago similar things were happening, only difference then was that the information wasn't as public and in-your-face as it is right now. As you might have guessed by now I don't believe most of the terror news bulletins that float around. We're as free as we were back then (okay maybe not as much as in the hippy 70's).

Posted by Piniyini

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3 comments Ctrl + Enter to comment

Tue 30th Oct 07 10:05:27 AM 1 Specs: Gosh Pini, that really sucks...

I don't think its a matter of it being notmade public before; Muslims ARE targeted more now...with 'random' checks that would befuddle any statistician with their 'randomness.'
Thu 15th Nov 07 12:27:30 AM 2 Apa: maybe they stopped him cos his expenditure bill came up the highest from all the other MP's?!, he claimed lots from the government and they're investigating that too,they think he's funding terrorism!
Thu 15th Nov 07 09:29:33 AM 3 Matt: [edited by pini - Matt I'm not going to have you talk like that to my sister!]

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