How is this possible - Airline mistakes toddler for terrorist

[ArtfulDodger]

A child was pulled off flight by JetBlue employees on Tuesday, the family believes it is because they are Muslim but the airline blamed glitch over no-fly list confusion.

Video interview & story here .... Airline mistakes toddler for terrorist: The Australian « The Airport Informer (http://wp.me/p2jrV4-yd)


I find it somewhat unbelievable that there's no leeway given in cases like this, where's just a blind following of percieved security rules and common sense just walks out of the window.

Surely someone in this debarkle realised that there was something not quite right when a toddler is flagged on a 'no-fly' list!!!

[BOAC]

Nappy bomb?

[giblets]

Just like to see the look on the security officer when he investigated the 'bulky object' being carried in the babies nappy! :E

[No_Speed_Restriction]

Deviating only slightly from the topic, an excerpt from Wikipedia (take it as you wish)...........



The 'Baby Suicide Bomber' refers to a photo that received media attention in 2002.




http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/88/Suicide-bomber-baby01.jpg

During a search done on 29 June 2002, of a house belonging to a Hamas militant in the town of Hebron, The IDF claims to have found a photo showing a 18-month infant standing wide-eyed in a baby suit, Red wires strapped to his waist, with a pretend explosives belt, and across his head tied a red bandana of Hamas.

According to BBC News the baby's grandfather, Redwan Abu Turki, said that the dressing of the infant baby as a bomber was from a rally at the university and that "the picture was taken just for the fun of it".

Israeli newspapers published the photograph under headlines such as "Terror in Diapers" and "Born to Kill".Israeli Prime Minister Sharon's advisor Dore Gold said the picture "symbolizes the hatred and incitement which the Palestinian leadership has been feeding a whole generation of Palestinian youths." At the U.S. State Department, spokesman Richard Boucher stated that he considered the image as "a highly objectionable display."

While Palestinian officials dismissed it as a propaganda trick, Haaretz reported that a Palestinian journalist in the Hebron area said she did not believe the picture was a fake and expressed surprise at the furor it caused in Israel.

"I can find you many, many photos like this," she said. "Many kids imitate adults and wear toy masks and guns, especially during marches. It's not strange at all". She added that she had seen children as young as the one in the photograph wearing similar costumes: "In our society it happens a lot. It's a kind of phenomenon."

Other photos of children dressed up as terrorists have been published since then.




So, with that in mind......A little OTT? Perhaps, but under the current climate the threat is alive and well.

[DX Wombat]

Do not forget that on occasion the IRA was not above stooping so low as to transport bombs and weapons in a pram whilst the rightful occupant was still in residence.

[willl05]

You mean the current climate of hysteria?

[No_Speed_Restriction]

not hysteria, reality.

[riverrock83]

I've personally heard of a 15 year old on a school skiing trip from the UK to the US matching a name on the list a couple of years ago. On arrival he was separated from the rest of the group, strip searched, put through an extended interview with his guardians (teachers) not allowed access to him. He was held there for something like 6 hours.

Its just not funny - blindly following rules with zero common sense. I just hope that someone else with the same name as me gets put on one of the lists. Will be no fun for anyone!

[No_Speed_Restriction]

I do agree; they need to think outside the box.

[Shack37]

I do agree; they need to think outside the box



No, they just need to think!