Rasool body-searched 'because he is Muslim'

Vox Populi Vox Dei

Vox Populi Vox Dei

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Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool was body-searched at London's Heathrow Airport this week because he was Muslim, he told delegates at the World Editors' Forum.

On Wednesday Rasool said he was stripped down to his pants and shirt on Tuesday night, ironically after attending the Islam and Muslims in the World Today conference, opened on Monday by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and British prime minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown.

* * * * *


Delegates were addressed by prominent Muslim clerics from around the world, as well as Britain's Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly and UK opposition Conservative leader David Cameron. Blair, in his keynote speech, said Britain had to make a greater effort to listen to moderate Muslims. Ah yes all those "moderate" Muslims who refuse to condemn their own people who have caused much pain

* * * * *


Rasool attended the conference in London on his way back from the World Islamic Economic Forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He said his experience illustrated the sentiment, felt by many Islamic nations, that their money was welcome in many countries, but they were not.
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Source: IOL

Hmm...I wonder why Muslims aren't welcome in countries which have had terrorist attacks...jeez this requires a Doctorate to figure out. :rolleyes:
 
IMO, It's crazy for them to be treated differently at the airport. If you are not happy for someone to be in your country then deny them a visa, but treat people the same when you allow them in. I am not saying the muslim clerics or anyone else is blameless as they need to take a hard line with exremists, but countries like the US and UK have the right to refuse people access. It's like "it's alright for people to run around the UK and potentially blow up a shopping centre, but don't get on the flights". It also takes half a brain to have a look and see you are dealing with a provincial Premier to avoid yourself embaressment. Customs officials should have a list of all foreigners and their occupations. It could only help in determining potential threats.
 
I think its stupid, stooooooooopid.. the world never ever learns about classifying people.
 
Ag, shame man, poor Rasool...body searched in the uk..

Mean while back at home at our airport :
http://allafrica.com/stories/200706080813.html
GRACE Kwinjeh, a senior official for a faction of Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was on Wednesday detained at the Johannesburg International Airport moments after arriving from London.

Kwinjeh, a victim of a violent assault by Zimbabwean police in March which drew worldwide condemnation, was in South Africa for a medical review on injuries suffered during the savage beatings.

Kwinjeh, 33, is the deputy secretary for international relations in the MDC faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai. In recent weeks, she has been living in London with friends.

Friends have expressed fears about her mental state since she was assaulted alongside MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai on March 11.

Friends who spoke to New Zimbabwe.com Thursday said her behaviour had become erratic in recent weeks, and she was given to "uncharacteristic behaviour".

It was not clear late Thursday if she had been released from police holding cells at the airport, with police said to be weighing two options of deporting her to Zimbabwe or back to Britain from where she took a direct flight.

MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa confirmed that Kwinjeh had been barred from entering South Africa, but the party was still seeking to establish the facts.

Chamisa charged that Kwinjeh's detention had been politicised, insisting that her visa does not expire until June 20 this year.

It was suggested that South African authorities were probably viewing Kwinjeh's activities as "work", contrary to the strict visa conditions barring holders from becoming "a prohibited or undesirable person". The guidelines also state that a visa holder "shall not conduct any work in South Africa".

Chamisa said: "Kwinjeh was arrested and detained at the airport at around 7:30am (Wednesday). We are highly exasperated by her detention considering that she is being denied entry into the country and access to doctors.

"Looking at the conditions on her visa, we can interpret that she is now an undesirable person in South Africa. We believe that her detention is being politicised since she holds a valid visa."

Immigration officials at the airport seized all her particulars including her passport amid claims that she had also been denied access to lawyers and her attempts to reach out to journalists frustrated.

An airport official, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not cleared to talk to the media, said: "There was a threat to deport her back to London late on Wednesday."

South Africa's Home Affairs spokesman Jack Mashapu confirmed Kwinjeh's detention but said the department was on strike and he was unable to assist with media enquiries.

After suffering serious injuries during the Harare beatings, Kwinjeh was flown to South Africa following a legal battle. She was admitted at the Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg. She travelled to London on her release.

Milpark Hospital spokesperson, Melony Boucher, confirmed that Kwinjeh was expected to see her doctors for medical reviews.

"Grace Kwinjeh and Sekai Holland were treated here in March and had an appointment to come and see doctors for check-up. We are consulting with doctors on how they can access her," Boucher said.
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Abe said:
IMO, It's crazy for them to be treated differently at the airport. If you are not happy for someone to be in your country then deny them a visa, but treat people the same when you allow them in.
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I think the point is missed. He wasn't searched because he was a Muslim - that is just in Rasool's head. They search people regularly. FFS I was searched 3 times by the same people at Cape Town once in what they claimed was a random search (I should have bought a lottery ticket). I didn't get all paranoid - I just told them their suspect picking methods needed revising:rolleyes:. OK, I was a but sweaty and flustered from being delayed for 3 hours ...

On the other hand, Rasool is a known Palestinian rights activist - so perhaps he IS on a list.
 
Heathrow When I visted in Dec 2006 required everyone to remove their belts, shoes and jackets, plus the usual ie keys wallets, cellphones etc Not just some but all! Then body search ie wand and pat down plus scanners
 
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Go visit US, UK or Israel with a popular muslim name with a beard and from cape town :P its fun. *And i really do mean that, cause u know u did nothing wrong yet u kinda pulled aside*
 
Abe said:
It also takes half a brain to have a look and see you are dealing with a provincial Premier to avoid yourself embaressment. Customs officials should have a list of all foreigners and their occupations. It could only help in determining potential threats.
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So let me get this straight then...

A "provincial Premier" is above reproach and could never, ever be a naughty boy?

:eek:
 
Actually Rasool was searched because they thought he was French and might be hiding the painting of The Fallen Madonna With The Big Boobies by van Klomp.
:D
 
You may think that profiling is bad, but hey, it's a fact of life and a necessary one at that.
If the country has had a problem with people of a specific origin or association, then it's understandable that they'll be looking at them more carefully when they enter.

Look at the trouble a few moslem clerics have caused in the UK - one is bannished to Lebanon, and a few others sit in UK jails now and will be deported when they've served their sentence.
 
Ive been searched at the airport and I am not muslim. Oh yeah.. government... all they know how to do is play the race card.
 
Nah its bad!!! You get into crap for anything and nothing just because of your name.

They just keep you in a room, no food, dont give a crap what you have to do who you there to see, no phone calls, and they allowed to do that.
 
JK8 said:
Nah its bad!!! You get into crap for anything and nothing just because of your name.

They just keep you in a room, no food, dont give a crap what you have to do who you there to see, no phone calls, and they allowed to do that.
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Well you know who to complain too :o
 
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