I don’t think really good, but I’m in charge!
June 30, 2007
From 2 Canadian boys with same name land on no-fly list
“Two boys … one from Saskatchewan and one from Ontario, were stopped while trying to board flights last week because their name matches a name that appears on a no-fly list.”
Aged 10 and 15 years old they share the same rather unfortunate name of Alistair Butt. If I were a terrorist, that is certainly one the low-profile innocuous names I would choose.
“Transport Canada won’t confirm if the boys are on [one of three lists] a United States no-fly list, an airline no-fly list or Canada’s new no-fly list, which … is “believed to contain fewer than 1,000 names…”
“We regret any inconvenience, but security must remain of paramount concern,” the airline said in a statement.
Security? How about stupid irrational foolish fear? How about “I am so stupidly single-minded and directive-driven that I can’t look at a ten year old boy and decide that he can’t possibly be the person we’re looking for!” Wouldn’t these no fly lists actually be helpful if they held information useful towards actually identifying the suspect? Like; Alistair Butt: Caucasian, Male, middle-aged, approx 5 to 6 ft, tall, weighs slightly more than 100 lbs.
Update 6/30/2007
Update Monday, August 20, 2007:
Seven-year-old Muslim boy stopped in US three times on suspicion of being a terrorist
The ordeal began in Manchester when Naushaba Nadeem, a doctor, and her children Sana and Fareeha, both nine, Javaid and five-year-old Iftikhar, tried to board a flight to Orlando. …
Dr Nadeem, 35, said: “When we arrived at the front counter to check in at Manchester Airport, staff said there was a security block on Javaid’s name.”I understand and agree security checks are important but he is only seven and a half years old.
Dr Nadeem said: “The system should cross reference the name, then a date of birth or some other information.”
Update Wednesday January 9 2007
From BoingBoing:
TSA searches, detains 5 year old because his name was on no-fly list
A five-year-old boy was taken into custody and thoroughly searched at Sea-Tac because his name is similar to a possible terrorist alias.
June 30, 2007 at 4:57 am
Is this Canada’s New-ish Government’s(TM) idea of stronger and safer?
This fiasco is simply ridiculous. Canadian taxpayers are paying for this?
Who’s on the stinking list? We don’t need no stinking lists!
A couple boys, white from the sound of Butts, or Alistair. Though it is true that many Chinese immigrants gravitate to the A-list when choosing names. Somehow they think the best part of the alphabet is the first letter. Thus one sees Adam Zhuang, and Aiden Cheung, and Alistair Chow, and Alex Wang in any directory. And why not?
What is seriously disturbing is that children are given the once-over by paranoid men (mostly) all for the sake of fear.
Canada under the Harper Party is making a mockery of Canada.
His (likely paid) minions parrot his words and actions. It’s toe the line or get lost a la Harper.
Why does Harper hate Canada so much?
Really. I need to know. So I won’t be fooled again.
And I can talk to the children about why certain names are suspect… all the better to armour them when they face the authorities when it comes time to travel with the Scouts, Girl Guides or school outings.
How embarrassed Harper should be with his candy security. The time it takes for security to grill Alastair Butts, some dimbulb baggage handler is being distracted, or there’s a by-pass of certain luggage tagged as VIP getting loaded on-board while the be all and end all of fabulous security are grilling pre-teens.
Yes, I have faith in the ministry of public safety — NOT
Yes, I have faith in the ministry of transport — NOT
The Harper Party was voted in on revenge. That is Harper’s schtick. Canadians are tired of his jokes.
We laughed.
We cried.
We lost money.
We were just being vindictive when we didn’t vote, and so let Harper in.
Can we have Canada back?
Let’s bring Canada back. Vote ABC!
June 30, 2007 at 10:03 am
Here’s what appalls me. Officials told the parents that if they want their child to avoid scrutiny they should just change his name.
Besides that being incredibly stupid, it also opens up a huge hole in the no-fly lists.
If a real terror suspect were to change his or her name, would they then escape scrutiny too?!
Terrorists, for the most part, are smart and will do anything to achieve their goals. Do the feds actually think terror suspects won’t change THEIR names too?