The 'terrorist' profile
 

Hi everyone,

Had a reunion which started in Belfast last week. I was with two other mates of mine, both caucasian. As we went through the security checkpoint in Belfast City, my two mates got through without any hassle, yet I was made to stand to one side and patted down. I just made a joke of it and the guard was friendly enough.

I've been getting this a lot lately, especially considering I'm an indian, British passport, arabic stamps in said passport and sporting a rather good looking goatee. So I look fairly middle eastern, fair enough.

My point is, why don't caucasians get pulled to one side? I mean is it really only the people from around here that fit the terrorist profile? If so, that constitutes a huge hole in the security measures that the airports are taking.

Don't mean to start a big slagging match, just my opinion. What do you think?

Cheers.

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My point is, why don't caucasians get pulled to one side? I mean is it really only the people from around here that fit the terrorist profile? If so, that constitutes a huge hole in the security measures that the airports are taking.
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Because your assumption is wrong ! We do get pulled aside in accordance with the profiling and random checks. I am not sure why you make such an assumption ?

On september 11th 2001 the world got a big wake up call which had the effect of sending those responsible for security into a frenzy. All of the terrorists involved in that event were of middle eastern origin, and I believe 19 were Saudi arabian citizens. As unfair as it might be, that had the effect of raising the profile of such origins in the minds of those responsible for new security measures. I expect this will change over a period of time, but surely you cannot be surprised at the current status quo ? In any event, good defence requires the ability to be as flexible and adaptive as the potential aggressor, so I am sure profiling of individuals is always dynamic, evolving and subject to additional random checks.

Perhaps ironically, Belfast (to where you were travelling) has for many years been a high profile destination / origin for security concerns. In this situation the terrorist threat was indeed caucasians for the most part, and no doubt the applicable profiling imperatives reflected that. Who knows who tommorows enemy will be ?

Either in France or in the Netherlands, the police officers are required to complete some sort of questionnaire(sp), when they stop a person for interogation, in order to see if a minority attracts more spot controls than others.

Although the statistics, I suspect, are confidential it would be useful to see if the persons receiving (sp) special treatment, are primarly of arabic origin.

Apologies for my poor expression, but I am low on caffeinne!


Rwy in Sight

The terrorist profile is carefully targetted which is why our closest relatives are prohibited from the flight deck.

groundfine says: "The terrorist profile is carefully targetted which is why our closest relatives are prohibited from the flight deck."

And how would such carefullness work in the case of "the next" Timothy McVeigh, the all American blue eyed kid and decorated Desert Storm veteran who one day had decided to blow up the Oklahoma Federal building and take out 150+ innocent lives?

Computer generated random selections of individuals for secondary inspections at airport screening points would achieve the same level of security as 100% screening.

It's pretty hard to get into people's minds, and the herculean efforts, especially to screen out prospective suicidal terrorists, at every screening point at every airport will never be 100%.

Daily, millions of air travelers are inconvenienced and dehumanized at airport screening points because of hyped terrorism paranoia, when in fact terrorists, or prospective terrorists, represent less than one hundredth of one per cent of air travelers.

I got more questioning from US immigration than my Indian girlfriend, mainly as I had a Moroccan stamp in the passport - they were very chatty and friendly and it took a couple of minutes. I assume you mean they looked at your passports first?

Possibly you were the n th person through and got a search?

Would suspect that the stamps in the passport have more to do with it than ethnic origin, since although those men on 9/11 were Western in dress and apparent attitudes, the passport stamps would show their more suspicious travels I would imagine.


Also being Indian, surely you are Caucasian?! Just Indian caucasian rather than white caucasion...

In the months after 911 I entered the US with an American passport.
My company provided me with tickets home on my days off. Economy class. Before 911 we always wore our uniforms on these tickets such as Delta, USAIR, this was done because if a seat was available in business class or first class we would be recongnised as cockpit crew and would be upgraded as a professional courtesy.
After going through Imagration in JFK, Atlanta to include Charlotte many times I was always pulled aside and questioned because I had KSA Visas,Algerian Visas and other middle eastern countries in my passport, plus wearing a uniform. I am just a southern boy from South Carolina and only possesed these visas due to my job requirements to enter these countries.
In no way do I look middle eastern what so ever.
Tonight entering my compound in KSA my vehicle was searched, me and my family had to produce our residence ID cards.
They are checking everone, everywhere.
Beard or no Beard.
With the situation as it is and based on past events, they cannot be too careful.
Dont take it personal.
You should be grateful that they are taking this security issue seriously.