US targeted us on racial grounds: Australians

[rooboy]

Four young Australians on a trip to the United States last month were hauled off a domestic flight, handcuffed and held for five hours on apparent suspicion of terrorism, based on what they believe was "ethnic profiling".

The incident at Newark Liberty International airport in New Jersey has left the men, aged in their early 20s, humiliated and anxious about how terrorism fears and racial stereotyping may affect their future travel.

They say the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade did nothing to help them during or since the incident, and are demanding an apology from US authorities and compensation for the cost of rescheduling their trip.

<snip...>

They were then handcuffed and taken away in police cars, in full view of other passengers. The four Australians were frisked before being locked in separate cells.

"We were frightened and humiliated. When you've got dark skin and something like this happens, you can pretty much guess these days why they are singling you out," Mr Abeyaratne said.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/22/1077384639114.html

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Wow. This isn't just the full security search

and questioning at the gate, but wrongful imprisonment. I'm not generally an advocate of going to court, but in this case I'd love to see these guys sue the arse off the American government.

[cosmicdot]

2. Newark 'Liberty' International airport

gives "Liberty" a whole new face

Newark: the airport with the little dogs running around sniffing everything

I don't trust the 'authority' the authorities bestow on some people.

[colonel odis]

3. i was pulled out of line and searched in denver

on friday. the reservation was made in my middle name and last name (which is what i go by). my driver's license has my first name and middle initial. they promptly sent me to have my bag screened. while i stood there watching them, the crack t.s.a. agents were going piece by piece through the luggage of a couple that appeared to be indian, pakistani, or afghani. they were unrolling drinking glasses out of the papers they were wrapped in.

after my bag made it through, i was stopped at security. they pulled me to the side, still where other travelers could see. they made me take off my shoes, undo my belt, hold out my arms ("like an airplane," the agent said), while another agent went through my briefcase item by item. when i asked the guard frisking me to move so i could keep in sight the agent going through my briefcase, he looked pissed but did it.

there was a couple in front of me i'd guess were in their 80s who were going through the same procedure. that made me realize even more that the whole thing is a sham.

but thanks, george w. because you and your posse ignored the warnings about 9/11, you got a great excuse to bring govt intrusion into our lives. thanks to you and ashcroft, we can no longer move about the country freely or without providing justification to the govt. if we buy a one-way ticket or purchase the ticket less than 24 hours before traveling, we can, on a whim, be subjected to a complete search in front of people whom we'll be on a plan with a few minutes later.

but that's ok. halliburton profits are up. oil's being pumpd out of iraq. $150 million's in the war chest for the campaign. and the people who matter have become wealthier in the last three years. while the people who don't matter have lost their jobs, their dignity, and their life savings.

looks like a good day to throw a brick through a car with a bush/cheney sticker on it.