Posted on 10/29/2007 9:25:09 AM PDT by LibWhacker
Britain's first Muslim minister, Shahid Malik, says he is "deeply disappointed" that he was detained by airport security officials in America.
The international development minister was stopped and searched at Washington DC's Dulles airport after a series of meetings on tackling terrorism.
Mr Malik, MP for Dewsbury, West Yorks, had his hand luggage checked for explosives when returning to Heathrow.
He said the same thing happened to him at JFK airport in New York last year.
On that occasion he had been a keynote speaker at an event organised by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), alongside the FBI and Muslim organisations, to talk about tackling extremism and defeating terrorism.
'Respect needed'
Mr Malik said he had received numerous apologies and assurances from the US authorities after that incident.
But he was again searched and detained by DHS officials on Sunday.
Mr Malik said two other Muslims were also detained.
"I am deeply disappointed," he said.
"The abusive attitude I endured last November I forgot about and I forgave, but I really do believe that British ministers and parliamentarians should be afforded the same respect and dignity at USA airports that we would bestow upon our colleagues in the Senate and Congress.
"Obviously, there was no malice involved but it has to be said that the USA system does not inspire confidence."
You gotta admit there's a little irony here.
I agree with him, but for completely different reasons. *wink*
Apparently Mr. Malik is unaware of what’s going on in the world......better to give you an “abusive attitude” Mr. Malik than to have my city blown to shreds or have my head cut off, get over yourself, grow a spine, man up and move on.
I’ve been screened at airports also. When will DHS apologize to me?
“afforded the same respect and dignity “
Hmmmmm.....
Saudi Arabia - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bibles are illegal. Churches are illegal. Easter celebrations are illegal. It is punishable by death for a non-mulsim to enter the “holy” muslim cities of Medina and Mecca.
Yemen - Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims and forbids conversions. The Government does not allow the building of new non-Muslim places of worship.
Kuwait - Registration and licensing of religious groups. Members of religions not sanctioned in the Koran may not build places of worship. Prohibits organized religious education for religions other than Islam.
Egypt - Islam is the official state religion and primary source of legislation. Accordingly, religious practices that conflict with Islamic law are prohibited. Muslims may face legal problems if they convert to another faith (up to and including death). Requires non-Muslims to obtain what is now a presidential decree to build a place of worship.
Algeria - The law prohibits public assembly for purposes of practicing a faith other than Islam. Non-Islamic proselytizing is illegal, and the Government restricts the importation of non-Islamic literature for distribution. The country has passed the “Regulation of Religious Practice” law, which stipulates a punishment of two to five years’ imprisonment and heavy fines for anyone convicted of urging a Muslim to change his religion.
Syria - The constitution requires the president to be a Muslim and specifies that Islamic jurisprudence is a principal source of legislation. Sharing your Christian faith is discouraged as “posing a threat to the relations among religious groups” and carries a penalty of up to life in prison. A Christian is not allowed to proselytize – ever. Churches who want to hold an extra service must get a government permit. Sermons are routinely monitored, as is church fundraising.
Jordan - Has the death penalty for any Muslim selling land to a Jew.
Sudan - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death.
Pakistan - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims. Christians regularly put in prison for charges of blasphemy. Islam is the state religion, and in a court of law the testimony of a Christian carries less weight than that of a Muslim. Section 295(c) of the Penal Code calls for a death sentence for anyone who defiles the name of the Prophet Muhammad and requires the testimony of four Muslims for a conviction. This fosters an environment in which Muslims can feel free to use intimidation and violence against religious minorities for personal gain. Also, if any criminal Muslim rape with any Christian female and then take plea that she has accepted Islam and marry with him. Such person is not culpable under Pakistani criminal law
Qatar - Islamic instruction is compulsory in public schools. The government regulates the publication, importation, and distribution of non-Islamic religious literature. The government continues to prohibit proselytizing of Muslims by non-Muslims.
Malaysia - Under Malaysian law, any convert to Christianity must apply to a shariah (Muslim law) court to legally renounce Islam. Many Christians prefer to remain silent converts rather than take their battle to the shariah courts, where apostasy or conversion out of Islam is punishable by whipping, fines, imprisonment and—in the most extreme application—death. In a country where Muslims account for more than half of the population, conversion from Islam is punished with a 5-year prison sentence and a $3,000 fine. A Malaysian Muslim who marries a non-Muslim and who converts the non-Muslim to Islam is rewarded with an apartment, a car, a one-time payment of $2,700, and a monthly stipend of $270.
The Maldives - In the island paradise visited by tens of thousands of tourists each year, Christianity is simply not tolerated. While local Christians – said to number around 300 out of a total population of 300,000 – do get together to worship, they do so at the risk of imprisonment or worse if discovered by the Muslim authorities. Bibles are banned, and tourists can be arrested for trying to bring them into the country.
England - Bradford, Yorkshire, UK. Pop. 300,000 - 20% Islamic. Local police required to tell community elders the location of girls who run away to escape arranged marriages. Bars and liquor stores in the Lumb Lane / Manningham Lane area of the city ‘requested’ to close on Fridays. Schools, colleges, and health clinics have to have separate areas for women, with a copy of the Koran available. Public critcism of Islam or it’s adherents, such as letters to the local paper, emails to friends, speeches etc, can and has led to criminal charges ‘Using words intentionally and wilfully to cause fear, hate, or distress. Christmas decorations not to be put up, as this may make the Moslems feel ‘culturally overshadowed’. Shops ‘requested’ not to display easter eggs for the same reason. The term ‘requested’ means not legally enforceable but local police warn that they cannot intervene if your premises get ‘damaged’ somehow. Local councillors and MPs have encouraged all this for the past 15 years. Bradford Northwest MP Ann Cryer regularly appears with long sleeves and her head covered. She once stated that women in Islam are properly liberated and that Islam is an example to us all.
I pose no security risk, yet like anyone else, I am subjected to demeaning treatment at airports. Why should this guy be treated differently?
I thought they were going to say that he was the first minister of the Muslim faith, as in Reverend. I knew that couldn’t be true, but it made me look anyway.
Usual Muslim whining. I have been stopped and checked numerous times at the airport and it’s because I may have some odd-shaped thing in my luggage that shows up on the screen, or I forgot to remove a bottle of shampoo (the famous “liquids and gels”) from my carry-on luggage, etc. Of course, I’m not Muslim, so I guess in my case it’s okay for them to search me.
Every time I go through these checks, though, I know exactly who to blame for this nuisance: Muslims.
Every time I enter the States from the Philippines, I get searched inside out from top to bottom, check in luggage, hand carry items, everything! That is on all connecting flights I get searched, and then it is the same when I’m departing the USA to the Philippines. It is not random, I am sure. I get flagged and pulled aside EVERY time, no exceptions.
I am not really complaining about that, rather, I want to say that the Muslim British MP is no better than I am — I don’t care what conferences he attends or addresses in the States.
Profile ‘em! Search em!
So said muslim minister Mohamed Azziz Skyhook Bin Osama whatever.
I say:
The abusive attitude I and my fellow Americans endured on 911, at Khobar Towers, on the USS Cole, etc, etc, I will never forget or forgive.
Cry me a river, imam.
You are a very influential member of a so-called religion that is based on terrorizing the unfaithful and advocates murder of the unbelieving...and you think I care if you got your stinking feelings hurt at an airport?
Go pound sand, you ignorant POS.
This guy has joined the Hillary and OJ crowds.
If the HSU fits, you must acquit!
I’m confused, as a Minister (but not a Secretary of State) in Her Majesty’s Government, traveling on official business, wouldn’t he have diplomatic immunity?
Earn your respect
The fact that he received apologies certainly does not inspire confidence.
I have no doubt the officers used the words “Mr.”, “Sir”, “Please”, and “thank you” quite often during the encounter. Courtesy and respect.
Perhaps with articles such as these, a “Boo Hoo” alert tag is needed.
My sentiments exactly. I am often detained even though my photo ID shows me to be a retired field grade officer, and I have seen an active duty general officer in uniform selected for search. Sorry Malik. No apology—particularly to you or any mohammedan. You are exactly the kind of people we are worried about, because you are exactly the kind of people pulling off this terrorist activity. I daresay if there were no mohammedans we would have little need to screen anyone at airports.
Things like this are why we don’t get terrorist attacks like in Iraq. No one is immune from random inspections.
He said the same thing happened to him at JFK airport in New York last year.
Same thing happens to me every time!
Heck, TSA swabs my wheelchair for explosives too!
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