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| Muslims told to register before air travel |
| 2005-11-07 |
| The head of civil rights for the US Department of Homeland Security is urging Muslim air travellers to register with the federal government before flying to reduce the chances they might be stopped at an airport because their name is on or similar to names on an anti-terrorism watch list. Registering by completing a form and providing copies of documents will not completely eliminate the chance that a Muslim traveller will be singled out for closer scrutiny before or after flying, but the department wants to improve its relations with Muslims and Arab-Americans, said Daniel Sutherland. âWe need to listen to their concerns,â he said at the seminar on Homeland Security sponsored by the Knight Centre for Specialised Journalism. âWe need to build a level of commitment and trust thatâs unprecedented in our nationâs history, not an âus-versus-themâ perception in the community.â One way to do that is by having Muslim and Arab-American travellers complete the form on the webpage of the Transportation Security Administration, a division of Homeland Security responsible for protecting mass transit systems including airports. The two-page âPassenger Identity Verification Formâ asks for personal information including name, address, birth date, height, weight, eye and hair colour, and requires copies of three of the following documents: passport, visa, birth certificate, naturalisation certificate, voter registration card, government identity card or military identity card. Once completed, the Homeland Security department shares the information with airlines, who then are able to compare it against security lists that might otherwise red-flag a passenger. The goal is to distinguish a traveller from people whose names - or close variations thereof - appear on US no-fly lists compiled by intelligence and law enforcement agencies. It does not remove a name from the list, but seeks to differentiate between a person of interest and someone who has no connection with them. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #9 And of course only law abiding muslims will complete the paperwork; terrorists or other ne'er-do-wells would NEVER, EVER think to do the same and thus avoid suspiscion. Another dumb idea. i spent 9 long months (post 9/11, laid off from an aerospace company) working for the TSA, until I found a real job. What a cesspool. And as the economy improved, those that had any ambition moved on, leaving only the drones. |
| Posted by: USN Ret. 2005-11-07 22:55 |
| #8 And if they don't like it, they can head back to the desert. |
| Posted by: Phaitch Unerelet9355 2005-11-07 22:16 |
| #7 If Ted Kennedy fills out that form, do you think they might take him off the no-fly list? Yeah, but perhaps he should be on the no-drive list. |
| Posted by: DMFD 2005-11-07 18:50 |
| #6 #5: ..but the department wants to improve its relations with Muslims and Arab-Americans, said Daniel Sutherland. Why? Does DHS and TSA fear a labor strike? Ahhh, the following explains it....enough said. At the U.S. Department of Education, Mr. Sutherland provided legal and policy advice on issues such as racial preferences in postsecondary education, the development of race-neutral approaches to diversity, disability law and the harassment of Arab-Americans. He also served as the Chief of Staff, helping to manage the operations of one of the largest civil rights offices in the federal government. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2005-11-07 11:24 |
| #5 ..but the department wants to improve its relations with Muslims and Arab-Americans, said Daniel Sutherland. A word of advice: DHS' job is not to "improve relations with Muslims and Arab-Americans". Its job is to protect us all regardless of who or what we are, and if that involves closer scrutiny of certain groups/individuals, then that's how it has to be. Anyone in the government that has a problem with that needs to find other employment, preferably non-governmental. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-11-07 10:54 |
| #4 Business class commerical airline seats are too small and intravenous Chevas Regal feeding tubes are not permitted. He's never stoop to traveling with the masses anyway. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2005-11-07 10:47 |
| #3 If Ted Kennedy fills out that form, do you think they might take him off the no-fly list? |
| Posted by: KBK 2005-11-07 09:24 |
| #2 If Ted Kennedy fills out that form, do you think they might take him off the no-fly list? |
| Posted by: KBK 2005-11-07 09:23 |
| #1 Registering by completing a form and taking this capsule, providing copies of documents will not completely eliminate the chance that a Muslim traveller will be singled out for closer scrutiny before or after flying, but the department wants to improve its relations with Muslims and Arab-Americans, said |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2005-11-07 01:07 |