All Pakistanis now subject to special scrutiny at US airports
By Khalid Hasan
WASHINGTON: Immigration inspectors have been ordered at all large
American airports to examine all travellers of Pakistani descent �
including US citizens � for minor injuries such as "rope burns,"
"unusual bruises" and "scars" possibly suffered while training in
terrorist camps, according to internal US documents.
The secret documents were obtained and excerpts from them published
this week by the online journal, WorldNetDaily (WND).
A two-page "action" bulletin, labelled "For Official Use Only," warns
that recent intelligence gathered in Pakistan and elsewhere indicates
that individuals travelling to train at terrorist camps in Pakistan
may be planning to carry out terrorist activities within the United
States between now and the presidential election in November.
Even Pakistanis who have become American c! itizens are not exempt. The
bulletin directs agents at major international airports in New York,
New Jersey, Washington, Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles to "increase
scrutiny" of passengers who are naturalised US citizens or legal
permanent residents of Pakistani descent, and "who exhibit evidence of
suspicious travel, including short trips to Pakistan not related to
family or business."
According to WorldNetDaily, the closely held bulletin, dated June 17,
orders primary inspectors at the airports to refer suspicious persons
to secondary inspections areas for further questioning. The special
inspections are authorized to run at least through late July. "If we
see any irregularities," an immigration inspector told WND, "we escort
them to secondary for a very in-depth interview and search."
Inspectors also have been advised to examine travellers of Pakistani
descent for physical signs that they've engaged in paramilitary
training in Pakistan.
For example, "officers should look for indications the individual
engaged in rappelling activities (rope burns on arms/legs)," according
to the internal action report. In addition, it says they should look
for "unusual bruises resulting from obstacle course activities," and
"wounds" or "scars" suffered from the discharge of firearms.
The document lists several other key clues airport inspectors should
look for to identify potential Pakistani terrorists, including details
about travel documentation. WND has decided not to disclose them for
security reasons. Agents are advised to report data from the
"intelligence-driven special operation" to field operations official
Brian J. Humphrey, who is listed as the point of contact at Customs
and Border Protection headquarters here. Customs and Border Protection
is a bureau within Homeland Security. Asked about the Pakistani
terrorist camps, Humphrey declined comment. "I rea! lly don't have any
information that I would be at liberty to discuss," he said. Customs
and Border Protection spokesman Jim Michie also declined comment. "We
can't discuss any enforcement operations."
This would explain why many US citizens of Pakistani origin on arrival
from abroad at a US airport are taken to a special office, their
passport and customs declaration, having earlier been placed in a red
folder. If the traveller asks why he is being given this extra
attention, he receives no answer or even sometimes reprimanded and
warned not to ask unnecessary questions. Most people decide to go
along with whatever they are being subjected to, afraid that were they
to argue or question the treatment, something worse might happen to
them. "This is paranoia, that is what it is, and it is the Bush
administration that has created it, questioning even the loyalty and
patriotism of its own citizens who come from Muslim countries," said
one P! akistani who had received "the treatment" at Washington on
arrival from Europe last week.
According to WND, most, if not all, of Al Qaeda's training camps in
Afghanistan have been shut down since the 9-11 attacks. The
publication reports, "But the news of still-active terrorist training
camps in Pakistan is troubling. After 9-11, the US made the Islamic
nation an ally in the war on terrorism, even though it was one of only
three nations in the world to formally recognise the Al
Qaeda-sheltering Taliban regime in Afghanistan, and even though some
of the high-level 9-11 Al Qaeda plotters met in the Pakistani city of
Karachi. President Bush repeatedly has praised Pakistani President
Gen. Pervez Musharraf for cracking down on terrorists in his
neighbouring country. Even so, the US security bulletin says that
'recent terrorist activities in other parts of the world document that
persons of Pakistani descent are increasingly being identified with
many of these extremist activities, including supporting (and)
protecting the operations of terrorist training camps in Pakistan.' It
adds, 'Recent police raids and military operations in Pakistan also
documents the terrorist-related threat posed by individuals travelling
to train at terrorist camps in Pakistan,' specifically in the
northwestern tribal areas of Waziristan. The bulletin goes on to say
that the US government believes that 'many of the individuals trained
in the Pakistani camps are destined to commit illegal activities in
the United States.'"
By Khalid Hasan
WASHINGTON: Immigration inspectors have been ordered at all large
American airports to examine all travellers of Pakistani descent �
including US citizens � for minor injuries such as "rope burns,"
"unusual bruises" and "scars" possibly suffered while training in
terrorist camps, according to internal US documents.
The secret documents were obtained and excerpts from them published
this week by the online journal, WorldNetDaily (WND).
A two-page "action" bulletin, labelled "For Official Use Only," warns
that recent intelligence gathered in Pakistan and elsewhere indicates
that individuals travelling to train at terrorist camps in Pakistan
may be planning to carry out terrorist activities within the United
States between now and the presidential election in November.
Even Pakistanis who have become American c! itizens are not exempt. The
bulletin directs agents at major international airports in New York,
New Jersey, Washington, Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles to "increase
scrutiny" of passengers who are naturalised US citizens or legal
permanent residents of Pakistani descent, and "who exhibit evidence of
suspicious travel, including short trips to Pakistan not related to
family or business."
According to WorldNetDaily, the closely held bulletin, dated June 17,
orders primary inspectors at the airports to refer suspicious persons
to secondary inspections areas for further questioning. The special
inspections are authorized to run at least through late July. "If we
see any irregularities," an immigration inspector told WND, "we escort
them to secondary for a very in-depth interview and search."
Inspectors also have been advised to examine travellers of Pakistani
descent for physical signs that they've engaged in paramilitary
training in Pakistan.
For example, "officers should look for indications the individual
engaged in rappelling activities (rope burns on arms/legs)," according
to the internal action report. In addition, it says they should look
for "unusual bruises resulting from obstacle course activities," and
"wounds" or "scars" suffered from the discharge of firearms.
The document lists several other key clues airport inspectors should
look for to identify potential Pakistani terrorists, including details
about travel documentation. WND has decided not to disclose them for
security reasons. Agents are advised to report data from the
"intelligence-driven special operation" to field operations official
Brian J. Humphrey, who is listed as the point of contact at Customs
and Border Protection headquarters here. Customs and Border Protection
is a bureau within Homeland Security. Asked about the Pakistani
terrorist camps, Humphrey declined comment. "I rea! lly don't have any
information that I would be at liberty to discuss," he said. Customs
and Border Protection spokesman Jim Michie also declined comment. "We
can't discuss any enforcement operations."
This would explain why many US citizens of Pakistani origin on arrival
from abroad at a US airport are taken to a special office, their
passport and customs declaration, having earlier been placed in a red
folder. If the traveller asks why he is being given this extra
attention, he receives no answer or even sometimes reprimanded and
warned not to ask unnecessary questions. Most people decide to go
along with whatever they are being subjected to, afraid that were they
to argue or question the treatment, something worse might happen to
them. "This is paranoia, that is what it is, and it is the Bush
administration that has created it, questioning even the loyalty and
patriotism of its own citizens who come from Muslim countries," said
one P! akistani who had received "the treatment" at Washington on
arrival from Europe last week.
According to WND, most, if not all, of Al Qaeda's training camps in
Afghanistan have been shut down since the 9-11 attacks. The
publication reports, "But the news of still-active terrorist training
camps in Pakistan is troubling. After 9-11, the US made the Islamic
nation an ally in the war on terrorism, even though it was one of only
three nations in the world to formally recognise the Al
Qaeda-sheltering Taliban regime in Afghanistan, and even though some
of the high-level 9-11 Al Qaeda plotters met in the Pakistani city of
Karachi. President Bush repeatedly has praised Pakistani President
Gen. Pervez Musharraf for cracking down on terrorists in his
neighbouring country. Even so, the US security bulletin says that
'recent terrorist activities in other parts of the world document that
persons of Pakistani descent are increasingly being identified with
many of these extremist activities, including supporting (and)
protecting the operations of terrorist training camps in Pakistan.' It
adds, 'Recent police raids and military operations in Pakistan also
documents the terrorist-related threat posed by individuals travelling
to train at terrorist camps in Pakistan,' specifically in the
northwestern tribal areas of Waziristan. The bulletin goes on to say
that the US government believes that 'many of the individuals trained
in the Pakistani camps are destined to commit illegal activities in
the United States.'"
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