Student arrested for having arabic language flash card

[Eow]

This is absolutely ridiculous. In this country people still have the right to read anything they want to. I'm sure someone somewhere still remembers the first amendment to the constitution (to say nothing of the 4th, 5th, and 6th amendments). To confiscate any reading material solely because it is in another language is consistent with the TSA's total incompetency--especially so when all the words were translated into English anyway (as all flash cards are).

What is the logic behind this? That anyone who knows anything about the Arabic language needs to be locked up because they are a threat? That words are too dangerous to let people read? The Nazis and Soviets obviously believed that, as do the Taliban and others around the world who fear that freedom cramps their totalitarian style. I guess we add the TSA to this list.

[BuffCyclist]

I blame the guy for being a dumbass and drawing the attention to himself, which is probably want he wanted so he could have the chance to sue or get free flights from the airline etc. etc. people like that are out there always looking for a handout, to get their name in the paper or start a lawsuit.

First, the article didn't say anything about him drawing the attention to himself. What makes you think he was deliberately drawing the attention? He could have just had the flashcards and the book in a backpack, and then when someone noticed his visas decided to do a "random" bag check. When you were in college, did you ever travel with a textbook or flashcards to attempt to get studying done, or at least having the intention to get studying done (because lets face it, what college student goes home on break and actually studies ).

Next, I didn't catch this the first time around, but apparently the flashcards were found at a Philadelphia airport screening. So it sounds like he never even made it on the plane to begin with (and after remembering, he missed his flight and had to get the one the next day). This wasn't passengers getting alarmed at seeing him going through flashcards and out of the corner of their eye catching the word "bomb" or "terrorist" on the card.

As he was simply in the airport, it's almost like they treated him as if they found a weapon in his bag, drilling him for everything and doing full body/baggage searches. This goes beyond the rights of the TSA and if I was put in this situation, I can't even begin to tell you how mad I'd be. Granted, I don't even think the word bomb in an airport or on a plane anymore for fear that they'll arrest me.

[TFOGGER]

Heaven forfend you might have a copy of Gun & Ammo or Shooting Times to read on the plane, while wearing a white cotton shirt, while having a beard. Or use your passport for identification while having visa stamps from the Phillipines, Indonesia, or Turkey. The TSA's glorified coatcheck girl's plain screwed the pooch on this one, and the FBI agent showed poor judgment in continuing the investigation. This ranks right up there with the 6 year old kid that got suspended from school for pointing a chicken nugget that sort of looked like a gun at a classmate...

[Troublco]

Person of interest, maybe. Cuffed and stuffed? WTF?

Apparently you can do that if you don't look like a Muslim Male between the ages of 17 and 45. But otherwise, profiling is a sin.

[SA Friday]

There's a difference between profiling and generalizations. Unfortunately, most of people in this country view both as profiling.

The most succeptable category of people in America to be victimized by violent crime are black males ages 16-25. That's a generalization.

Black people are criminals, so should be pulled over when driving through white neighborhoods. That's profiling.

[Bailey Guns]

Just my opinion, but...being arrested for this and placed in handcuffs for two hours is not defensible unless there is a whole lot of information left out of the article.

I hope a court snaps it off in the ass of the TSA and FBI. I'll gladly see my tax dollars going to pay for the abuse of this person's constitutional rights.

If they were suspicious, what's wrong with simply pulling the guy aside and asking the questions needed to determine why he had those things. Should've been able to do that in less than 5 minutes.

I find it amazing a real terrorist carrying explosives can get on a plane bound for the US with little to no trouble at all, even after the gov't has been warned about him, and damn near bring down an airliner over a US city because of the ineptitude of various federal agencies charged with keeping us safe. But they jack this guy up for 4 hours because of some flashcards?

How does this sort of behavior make us safer?

[Eow]

Just my opinion, but...being arrested for this and placed in handcuffs for two hours is not defensible unless there is a whole lot of information left out of the article.

I hope a court snaps it off in the ass of the TSA and FBI. I'll gladly see my tax dollars going to pay for the abuse of this person's constitutional rights.

If they were suspicious, what's wrong with simply pulling the guy aside and asking the questions needed to determine why he had those things. Should've been able to do that in less than 5 minutes.

I find it amazing a real terrorist carrying explosives can get on a plane bound for the US with little to no trouble at all, even after the gov't has been warned about him, and damn near bring down an airliner over a US city because of the ineptitude of various federal agencies charged with keeping us safe. But they jack this guy up for 4 hours because of some flashcards?

How does this sort of behavior make us safer?

Very well said Bailey. I could not agree with you more.

[BadShot]

I have to agree with Bailey and EoW and really couldn't have said it much better. What is more disconcerting is the response of those who find this acceptable in any fashion.

So are we to subject ourselves to hiding our interest or study material just because we're utilizing public conveyances? Are we to simply cow down to the TSA (a joke of a security apparatus to start with) or any other "law enforcement" entity?

All the while we, willingly engage in the hastening the deterioration of our rights and liberties because some $8.50 an hour high school grad failed to engage the logic train.

Not I, sorry.. I hope this guy gets enough out of the settlement, and oh yeah he's gonna get one, to pay for all of his continued education. I also hope that he see's that the system if fallible and that by joining the Foreign Service he has a chance to make a change in addition to the financial bitch slap he's going to hit the FBI and TSA with.

[Irving]

I feel like if I wanted some reading on a plane, I wouldn't bring a book about how to make home made bombs. But, if I wanted to study school work, I'd bring whatever reading materials were relevant. It is a thin line. My biggest concern is how they found the flash cards to begin with.