Bollywood star held in U.S. airport, fans outraged!!

[Ban Hammer 14,567]

There is a prevailing attitude among some Americans that the USA still stands as the beacon of the Free World, which makes it a bit ironic when we have the highest prison population among industrialized nations, and we continue to have the Patriot Act, which allows the government to eavesdrop on its citizens. I think her comments were totally appropriate in that context.

Of course you would you do the same thing all time.

Funny how some people have a problem with the government eavesdropping on their phone calls,

yet no problem whatsoever with the gov't being in charge of their healthcare and medical records.

[alienlovechild 75]

As news of Khan's detention broke on Indian television channels, which have played up attacks in Australia on Indian students, fans and actors began posting angry comments on the Internet.

Since when do attacks on Indians in Australia mean Americans are to blame?

Last month U.S-based carrier Continental Airlines apologized to former Indian president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam for frisking him at New Delhi airport.

There were no Indians that recognized their former president at the New Delhi airport? I never saw any Americans working security at Indian airports.

I'm an American and I've been pulled aside, had the lining ripped out of suitcase and had Homeland Security pamplets in my bags a couple of times at least. The car we were in was searched by police dogs in France, bags opened in China. . . and surprise, suprise I'm not a Muslim.

Indian airport security guards get really pissed as they demand everyone on the plane identify every bag on the plane. It's a tedious task but I understand why it's done.

[catknit 144]

Something here doesn't add up -

Since my move, I've been introduced to the, ahem, joy that is Bollywood. Who the heck sits thru a 3 hour movie? Seriously?

Additionally, I go thru secondary EVERY time I fly thru EWR international [i had a passport stolen 17 years ago and DOS/HLS will not allow me to clear without further processing over any US border until - get this - the original passport that was stolen is returned to DOS. So, for the rest of my life, I will go to secondary every time I try to return to the US].

Anyway - how it works at EWR - you're stopped at passport control, they tell you you're going to secondary, an armed officer escorts you to an elevator and rides down to the lower level where you are handed off to a second armed guard. They escort you into a partitioned room and you are "triaged" as to what your specific deal is. Bags and baggae handling is on the lower level also but you can NOT get to your bags from secondary, you can not see the carousels clearly from secondary [you can see the closest carousel's electronic sign that flashes which flight's luggage it's distributing]. How would they know that the bags are missing? Even if each bag is scanned from the barcode on the bag tag - it's a freakin 777 with hundreds of passengers. I have NEVER seen all the bags out and available within an hour's time. To the best of my knowledge, I've never seen people pulled into secondary because their bags hadn't been unloaded yet.

All that being said, VIPs in India sort of get line cutting rights with everything - they have been diva-ized. 66 minutes + the line + the hellos/thank you = 90 minutes? Then round that up....

As to the former president. He didn't make a fuss about it at all - as a matter of fact it only came to light more than a month after his flight. There is diplomatic protocol on the Indian side that says their current and former Pres/Prime Minister do not need to be frisked, etc. In this specific bru-ha-ha, the TSA countered that they would only follow that protocal if the high up politicos are under protective services of the secret service. Otherwise, especially if you're flying commercial on your own, you need to follow the TSA rules.

Also, the check your bags on the tarmac thing, I haven't flown to every single airport in India [yet - delhi's getting boring] but the ONLY airport I know of that does that currently is Srinagar and with good cause....

[100% Al Ahly Fan 53]

SRK sucks, i dunno how he came such a popular star...

I don't think he sucks, but definitely not one of bollywoods best. His best performance was in Dil se.

[sara..... 371]

Something here doesn't add up -

Since my move, I've been introduced to the, ahem, joy that is Bollywood. Who the heck sits thru a 3 hour movie? Seriously?

Additionally, I go thru secondary EVERY time I fly thru EWR international [i had a passport stolen 17 years ago and DOS/HLS will not allow me to clear without further processing over any US border until - get this - the original passport that was stolen is returned to DOS. So, for the rest of my life, I will go to secondary every time I try to return to the US].

Anyway - how it works at EWR - you're stopped at passport control, they tell you you're going to secondary, an armed officer escorts you to an elevator and rides down to the lower level where you are handed off to a second armed guard. They escort you into a partitioned room and you are "triaged" as to what your specific deal is. Bags and baggae handling is on the lower level also but you can NOT get to your bags from secondary, you can not see the carousels clearly from secondary [you can see the closest carousel's electronic sign that flashes which flight's luggage it's distributing]. How would they know that the bags are missing? Even if each bag is scanned from the barcode on the bag tag - it's a freakin 777 with hundreds of passengers. I have NEVER seen all the bags out and available within an hour's time. To the best of my knowledge, I've never seen people pulled into secondary because their bags hadn't been unloaded yet.

All that being said, VIPs in India sort of get line cutting rights with everything - they have been diva-ized. 66 minutes + the line + the hellos/thank you = 90 minutes? Then round that up....

As to the former president. He didn't make a fuss about it at all - as a matter of fact it only came to light more than a month after his flight. There is diplomatic protocol on the Indian side that says their current and former Pres/Prime Minister do not need to be frisked, etc. In this specific bru-ha-ha, the TSA countered that they would only follow that protocal if the high up politicos are under protective services of the secret service. Otherwise, especially if you're flying commercial on your own, you need to follow the TSA rules.

Also, the check your bags on the tarmac thing, I haven't flown to every single airport in India [yet - delhi's getting boring] but the ONLY airport I know of that does that currently is Srinagar and with good cause....

domestic in delhi does the tarmac check at least when u are heading for srinagar. and srinagar i never had to do the tarmac check just checked in the bags paid for over weight charge when leaving because u dont get the weight allowance leaving Srinagar as u do coming in as its considered domestic only

sara

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Much ado about nothing. In later interview's he plays it down...probably because he was coming off as an @ss. So his name came up on the watch list and he was held for an hour...whats the big deal. I'm a WASP and even I get extra security checks now and then.

[catknit 144]

That's too funny Sara because they have now oppositized it! There are no longer any tarmac baggage checks leaving domestics in Delhi [i saw a good 15 flights leave just a couple weeks ago and no one was checking anything on the tarmac at IGI - Srinagar bound or otherwise]. Also, they now allow carry ons [including phones/laptops] going to and from Srinagar. Outbound from Srinagar, the bags must be identified on the tarmac or they will be left in Srinagar.