NEW YORK: Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, once detained and frisked at a US airport in what he believes was “racial profiling”, has asked authorities to take steps like on the spot background check to avoid humiliation of visitors.
“If they talk to a visitor looking into their eyes, these trained officers can find out if he or she is a terrorist. This would solve half of the problems but these officers talk to you looking at the computer monitors or go by the last names perfunctorily,” Khan lamented.
Khan, 67, was detained and frisked at the Philadelphia airport last year when he was about to board an aircraft to San Francisco as a visiting fellow of Stanford University in California.
He said it seems American officials do not know what to do when they see a Muslim name pop up on their computer at the airport.
“I had the same issue with immigration officials in the past on arrival thanks to my last name Khan. This is nothing but racial profiling. I am not carrying a suicide bomb or a security threat to any country,” he said.
“But it seems American officials did not know what to do when they see a Muslim name pop up on their computer at the airport. They want to check the whole body and frisk using some chemicals creating lot of tension.”
In an interview to PTI, Khan said anyone with a weak heart would have a heart attack after undergoing the humiliation at the hands of the officers.
He suggested that US Immigration and Border Security and domestic Transportation Security Administration officials should be provided with Internet connectivity on their computers to help them do background search on visitors and travelers to the US on the spot rather than humiliating them by detaining at the ante-rooms.
“I am uniting people with my music and not dividing them. I suggest that the US security checkpoint officers and immigration counters be equipped with Internet connections so that the officers can quickly go online and check the background of the person standing before them,” Khan said.
Khan said last year, security officials took him to an ante-room for interrogation and further questioning for two hours while his family was waiting anxiously.
“Why don’t these officials look into someone’s eyes and talk rather than humiliating the guests of the country. Moreover, I am a permanent resident and legally allowed to stay in the country and not a tourist,” he said.
Khan visits the US several times in a year and maintains a residence in the US.
“At the end, they would turn to you coolly and say ‘sorry and you may now go’ without realizing how much of damage had been done. They grope you with chemicals and give body massage without your consent and say thanks,” he rued.
Khan feels that such behavior would discourage tourism, which provides fuel for the economic growth of the country.
“Please do not discourage tourism in the US which is a money spinner and necessary for a healthy growth of economy. If people are afraid to enter the US or UK how can the country survive?” he asked.
“Considering the problems faced by the world especially US where innocent people are targeted by a group of people who are committed to destruction, certain measures are necessary and no one would oppose any genuine steps taken to protect the country,” he said.- PTI
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