Targeted citizens will undergo extra screening for weapons.
Related Articles
Obama administration officials announced Sunday that citizens of 14 nations, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria, will be subjected to intensified security screening at airports in 2010, but American citizens will not.
The Administration's new global security system intentionally treats non-Americans differently, based on what country they are from. The new security measures were imposed after the attempted "boxer bombing" by a Nigerian citizen who flew undetected with explosives from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day, officials said.
American citizens, and most others who are not flying through these nations on their way to the United States, will not face the intensified security procedures.
Citizens from the following countries will go through increased airport security procedures: Cuba, Iran, Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Algeria, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen.
Passengers with passports from these nations, or taking flights that originated or passed through any of these countries, will be required to undergo a full-body pat down and have their carry-on bags searched before they can board a plane flying to the United States.
In countries with the equipment, these passengers will also be required to pass through a whole body scanner that can spot hidden explosives or weapons, or be checked with a device that can find minute traces of explosives.
Civil rights group decried the announcement on Sunday. Nawar Shora, legal director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, felt the rule unfairly casts suspicion on all citizens of certain nations.
“I understand there needs to be additional security in light of what was attempted on Christmas Day,” Mr. Shora said, “But this is extreme and very dangerous. All of a sudden people are labeled as related to terrorism just because of the nation they are from.” Shora intends to file a formal protest on Monday.
Like this article? Kelly is a business owner, writer and single mom in Reno. Click "subscribe" above, and befriend Kelly on Facebook.
(Photo: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Backscatter_x-ray_image_woman.jpg)
Comments
Good!
SO Pakistan, Saudi Arabia are now officially accepted as state sponsors of terrorists. What took so long? All 911 attackers were Saudi.
When declare them as terrorist state?
It's about effin' time. Americans shouldn't have to put up with this poop. People from countries that want us dead should!
If travelers don't like the increased security, DON'T FLY!! Geez, nobody is making them travel. I make decisions daily about whom to do business with, based partly on how I am being treated. If someone is offended by the possibility of being scanned/searched, PLEASE DON'T TRAVEL!!! I am not offended when randomly selected for heightened screening. Go Ahead. It's the price I pay to fly..........
This is crap Im starting not to like americans and i am one myself. But at the same time this is like the 3rd time america has been threatened with a bomb.this would be really out of hand if they did this to blacks!
How will US Passport holders who are natives of the 14 countries in question be considered under this new policy? It is believed that members of terrorist cells from these countries have taken advantage of immigration and political asylum law in order to become US citizens, and now also hold US Passports - an affront to all innocent people from those same countries who are now American citizens and US Passport holders, as well. Moreover, home-grown terrorism in the US primarily concerns US Passport holders. It seems to me that these new guidelines do not consider these two factors, risk groups, at all.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!