Posted on 09/24/2006 11:12:02 AM PDT by nuconvert
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Detained at JFK Airport
'We Were Detained, Threatened by Police With Being Beaten'
By IAN JAMES, AP
NEW YORK (Sept. 24) - Venezuela's foreign minister said he was illegally detained for 90 minutes by officials at a New York airport and accused them of treating him abusively by trying to frisk and handcuff him.
U.S. officials called Saturday's incident regrettable and said they had apologized to Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro. Maduro called that insufficient and said Venezuela would seek a legal challenge through the U.N. to what he called a "flagrant violation of international law" and his diplomatic immunity.
"We were detained for an hour and a half, threatened by police with being beaten," Maduro told reporters at Venezuela's mission to the U.N. "We hold the U.S. government responsible."
A U.N. diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said Maduro's trip was delayed because he had showed up late without a ticket, prompting extra screening.
Department of Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke denied that Maduro was mistreated at John F. Kennedy International Airport when he was selected for an added security check.
"He began to articulate his frustration with secondary screening right after he went through," a metal detector, Knocke said. "Port Authority officials confronted him when the situation became a ruckus."
Maduro said when one official ordered him to go to another room for a strip-search, he refused. He told CNN en Espanol that the official pushed him and yelled at him.
He told reporters the situation only worsened when he explained he was the Venezuelan foreign minister and showed his diplomatic passport.
Maduro said authorities at one point ordered him and other officials to spread their arms and legs and be frisked, but he said they forcefully refused. He said officers also threatened to handcuff him.
"We responded with the dignity of Venezuelan revolutionaries ... with strength," Maduro told reporters at Venezuela's mission to the U.N. "It's a Nazi government, a racist government."
If this is how U.S. authorities treat a foreign minister, he said, "what won't they do to Arab people for wearing a turban?"
He said his passport and ticket were seized and eventually returned, but the incident prevented him from flying home Saturday.
(see link for more)
Neither this guy nor Chavez came near Miami.
I wonder why...
This makes me smile:) U.S. Govt., please don't do too much apologizing for this.
The guy should complain to Jimmah. NYT should get Hillary!, McLame, Murtha, Rangel, etc. on the record
Sounds like profiling... Now they are profiling arrogant jackasses.
Chavez speaks of moving the UN to Venezuela and then they spark this by showing up without a ticket. Rather transparent, actually. I hope they succeed in getting it moved. Perhaps that will prompt us to leave.
Eddie Munster forehead... not cool, dude.
Isn't that a shame....
Now why would a thing like that happen....
The last major hit against a target here in the US was accomplished through the use of airplanes, so now, the authorities are a little more cautious how they let people into security areas. The least degree of loud shouting and pushing and shoving, and the custodians of the gates are all over you like white on rice.
Unless, of course, you are a Kennedy or Cynthia McKinney. Oh, that's right, they got pulled aside too.
I hope they will announce a moving date soon.
Maduro needs to grow up.
A violation of international law, huh? These are the guys who searched a protected shipment to our embassy a few weeks ago, right?
"Maduro needs to grow up"
I take it you know Spanish. If not, the irony of your statement is delicious. "Maduro" translates as mature or ripe.
It also describes the darkest, most flavorful and well-aged cigar wrappers. ;-)____ ...oOO
"We responded with the dignity of Venezuelan revolutionaries."
HUH...........? Were they carrying live chickens a la Fidel?
TSA flunkies who represent the top 1% of New York's dismal, failing school system with big old McKinney-sized chips on their shoulders, going toe to toe with a Venezualan communist with an even bigger chip on his shoulder...
Would have loved to have been there for that scene... 
Tell me why, please.
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