NZ student questioned as suspected terrorist

[DBoon]

See: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3482250a11,00.html

Bay'an Hedayaty, 30, formerly of Auckland, was questioned by FBI agents after photographing Metro railcars in a Hollywood Metroline station.

Mr Hedayaty was taking the pictures for a photography class assignment when he was bailed up by deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the Valley Star newspaper in Los Angeles reported.

"I am part Middle Eastern, but I never knew I looked like a terrorist," he said. "I was taking pictures and noticed people were running away from me. I turned around and eight cops had me surrounded".

He said a deputy slammed him against the wall and demanded, "Are you a terrorist?" The deputies searched his backpack and made a fuss over a box cutter in his bag, which he uses to open parcels.

...

After an hour, he was let go, and a deputy told Mr Hedayaty: "You're in our file now, next time think twice about what you do".