Posted on 07/14/2005 1:09:00 PM PDT by traumer
British Muslim leader Sheikh Dr Zaki Badawi has said he has been refused entry to the US without explanation.
The head of the Muslim College said he flew from London to New York to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in New York but was turned back. Dr Badawi said he was detained for six hours on Wednesday and that immigration staff were "very embarrassed".
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement authority was unable to confirm the details.
A spokesperson said she was still trying to find out what had happened.
Religion lecture
Dr Badawi, who is also a leader of the Council of Mosques and Imams, had been due to give a talk entitled The Law and Religion in Society.
Mike Sullivan, of the Chautauqua Institution, said all he knew was that Dr Badawi was back in London.
"We have no explanation as to why this happened," he said.
Dr Badawi appeared with fellow British faith leaders, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, on Sunday to deliver a joint statement condemning last week's "evil terrorist" attacks on London.
He most recently visited the US in 2003 - in the same year he was a guest of the Queen at a state banquet for US President George Bush.
Don't let the screen-door hit you...
He ought to go to his local Mexican embassy...I hear they're handing out how-to guides for sneaking into the US
I'd have been embarassed if they had let him in!
They say this like it's a bad thing.
This thread is going to overflow with suggestions as to why poor Dr. Badawi was refused admittance.
Hmmm...looks like the PC atmosphere in Washington only goes so far. Amazing. Surprised Foggy Bottom didn't invite him to the White House for one of those "we love Muslims" luncheons.
One down...
"Who will run 7-11!?!?"
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement authority can screw up in a good way too :o)
Keeping out high-profile guys like this isn't too hard. My concern are those coming in on "student visas." With liberal unversities shouting that we need more diversity, a few future cell-leaders are bound to slip in.
I was actually wondering this: is there a list of nations from which student visa applications are scrutinized more carefully than others? ... at least I hope so.
"British Muslim leader Sheikh Dr Zaki Badawi has said he has been refused entry to the US without explanation."
Tough S--T! You have been profiled for the good of the UNITED STATES. That, of course, does not include your buddies, the LIBERAL DEMOCRATS.
Take a hike and cry me a river.
KIll A Commie For Mommie
I think they are all scrutinized more carefully now. I work at a university that has a big international student program, but enrollments have dropped considerably since 9/11. People in the department cite the new visa regulations as the reason. Of course, they are all leftists, so who knows if they are telling the truth. I can't think of another reason for the decline, though.
"This thread is going to overflow with suggestions as to why poor Dr. Badawi was refused admittance."
They should have been embarrassed on 9-11.
Looks like you nailed it!
We should have stopped all visas to muslims and all muslim immigration IMMEDIATELY after 9/11. I don't care what race or ethnicity someone is, but until islam reforms itself into something compatible with civilization, we should at a minimum stop importing these troublemakers...
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