"No Fly List" - is a net to supress voice???

I Got Trapped in the Secret ‘No Fly List' of the Transportation
Security Administration
by Sachi Sri Kantha

http://www.sangam.org/articles/view2...96 9d7bc24f9a

I neither have the charisma of a Kennedy nor the celebrity status of
Massachusetts' senior Senator Edward 'Teddy' Kennedy. However, for the
past 25 years, I have subscribed to the liberal democratic ideals for
which the youngest males of the Kennedy clan (John F., Robert and
Edward) have stood for in the limelight. Thus, it is nothing but my
karma that I became a victim (like Teddy Kennedy recently) of the
notorious ‘secret no-fly list' maintained by the Transportation
Security Administration of the American government.

First I'll describe what happened to me on August 21st Saturday (in
Nagoya, Japan) and August 24th Tuesday (in Rome). Then, I'll express
my thoughts on how I came to be trapped, since - unlike Teddy Kennedy
- I'm a Sri Lankan Tamil and hold a nominal Sri Lankan passport,
though living beyond the borders of Sri Lanka for the past 23 years.

Disrupted Travel Schedule to Turin, Italy

The 20th International Congress of Primatology was scheduled to be
held in Turin, Italy from August 23rd to 27th of this year. Late last
year, I pre-registered to attend this Congress as a contributing
participant. My poster paper presentation was scheduled for August
25th, by the congress organizers. More than 3 months ago, through my
travel agent in Nagoya, I made reservations to fly Singapore Airlines
(via the not-so direct route of NagoyaSingaporeFrankfurtTurin). I
paid well in advance for the ticket, and from the Italian Consulate in
Osaka, received a valid short term visa for my travel.

On August 21st Saturday (the day of my departure from Nagoya to
Singapore), without any premonitions to what was in store for me, I
reached Nagoya Airport and tried to check in for my trip to Turin. I
was rudely turned down by the Singapore Airline officials manning the
counter. When I inquired about the reason, I was told by the station
chief – a Singaporean named Mr.Louis Tay – that my name
Sachithanantham Sri Kantha, [with my birth date and holding a Sri
Lankan passport] turns out to be in the ‘secret no-fly list'
established by the US Transportation Security Administation (TSA,
hereafter) that his airline enforces. The station chief couldn't make
an on-the-spot decision, and he needed to wait for information from
the Singapore head office. Thus, I had to return to my residence. Late
in the afternoon, I received a call from Mr.Tay, who told me that
unfortunately I was not allowed to board Singapore Airlines, but his
personal suggestion was to check with Japan Airlines, which does not
enforce the secret no-fly list of TSA – as of now.

The International Congress of Primatology did commence on August 23rd
Monday, in Turin. But I was still in Japan. On that day, through the
efforts of my travel agent, I was able to purchase a new ticket from
Japan Airlines for travel on the following day, and that too only from
Nagoya (via Tokyo) to Rome. My travel agent advised that, once I
reached Rome, I had to decide on my travel to Turin by train [a
distance of nearly 670 km, which by night train would take nearly 6
hours], or check my luck with the final Alitalia flight, from Rome to
Turin on August 24th night, scheduled for 9:35 pm.

On August 24th I checked in at the Japan Airlines counter [and they
allowed me to travel without bothering with the secret no-fly list of
TSA] and I flew from Nagoya to Rome, via Tokyo with a one hour transit
stop in Moscow. I landed in the Leonardo da Vinci International
Airport, Rome, around 7:30 pm. I was totally unprepared for the drama
which was to follow in the next 2 hours. While presenting myself at
the passport control at Terminal C, the Italian officer politely
inquired about my destination in Italy. I quipped, ‘Turin; I have a
presentation at a conference tomorrow.' He then asked, ‘How are you
going there?' I replied that ‘I have to purchase the flight tickets at
the airport, or by train.' He released me, without any comment. I
moved to Terminal A and purchased a round-trip ticket from Rome to
Turin for nearly 142 Euros at the Alitalia Airline ticket lobby. Then,
I wrongly guessed that my period of anxiety was to end.

When I presented the newly-bought Alitalia Airline ticket for
check-in, there was an undue delay in me receiving the boarding pass.
The check-in clerk told me that, since I had just purchased the
ticket, he had to find a seat accomodation when became available. I
waited nervously for nearly 10 minutes. Meanwhile the check-in clerk
was in contact via the hand phone continuously with somebody. After
waiting, I was given the boarding pass, and my big baggage was tagged
to pass the X-ray check. I felt that my ordeal of landing in Turin was
over, and that I could make my presentation at the Congress the
following day.

When I moved to the second floor to have a quick dinner and wet my
throat, I was pounced on by two plain clothes policemen. They were
shouting ‘Policia- Policia' to me. Since they were in plain clothes,
and I couldn't understand the clipped Italian phrases they were
throwing at me, I mildly resisted their grabbing of my hands and
handbag. I was thinking of the warning in the Frommer's Guidebook to
Italy [which I carried] that the Rome international airport is full of
pickpockets and petty thieves. The two policemen, immediately twisted
my both hands and floored me. All I could plead to them was, ‘I'm a
professor, and am on my way to Turin, to attend a Congress.' I was
handcuffed and taken to the police cubicle nearby. My handbag was
checked thoroughly for any ‘purported weapons'. What they could find
in the handbag were the following items: 2002 edition of the Frommer's
Guidebook to Italy, a copy of V.S.Naipaul's Literary Occasions: Essays
(2004) – which I had carried for reading during flight -, my
presentation materials at the Congress for the following day
(Aug.25th), a plastic case in which I carried two postcard size photos
of my family members, details of Congress registration and my hotel
reservation in Turin, and a nominal sum of currencies in Euros, US
dollars and Japanese yen.

Then I was taken to the police station at the airport [at Terminal C]
in the police car in handcuffs by two uniformed middle level officers.
There I faced the two senior officers, who were not in uniform! I
presume that my case was presented by the two plainclothes policemen
who had grabbed me. I was asked to wait. There were quite a number of
phone calls made by the senior-most officer. Then he came over to me.
My throat had dried, and I asked for a cup of water. I was served. The
senior-most officer, by intuition, had determined my bona-fide
credentials as an academic. He ordered the junior guys to release me
from the handcuffs. Only then could I drink the served cup of water.
The senior-most officer then looked at me, and said that his English
was not good. He followed that by asking me why I resisted initially.
I answered him as follows: "I was unaware that the two officers who
grabbed me were policemen. I would have respected the uniform, but
they were in plain clothes. And also, this is my first trip to Italy;
and all the guide books I read make mention of pickpockets and petty
thieves at the Rome airport. So, I was wrong to think that the
plainclothes policemen were pickpockets." He smiled softly. A little
later, the police officer delivered his decision; "No problem.
Professore – you have head. We are just police." [the exact English
words, which came from his mouth.] I felt that I was saved by the
grace of Leonardo da Vinci's spirit.

By then the time for the departure of my intended flight from Rome to
Turin was ticking dangerously. I was anxious to make that flight. I
expressed my plight, and told the senior officer that, somehow, I had
to reach Turin on that 24th night. I was asked to sign five or six
forms, the contents of which were Latin for me, since they were in
Italian language. One particular form had two scripts – Sinhalese and
Italian. The middle level police officer told me that I should be able
to read this particular form. I responded ‘NO. I'm a Tamil, and my
language is different from Sinhalese.' My response elicited a puzzled
expression from the officer. Finally, with only ten minutes to go for
the last flight from Rome to Turin to depart, the station chief
ordered his two middle level subordinates (in uniform) to take me to
the plane, flying to Turin. I couldn't believe that they rushed me and
my big baggage in about three minutes from Terminal C to Terminal A –
right next to the plane's boarding ladder, and I was assigned a new
seat - 3C.

After an hour, I landed in the Turin airport, and from the airport
reached the Hotel Gran Mogol by taxi; when I settled in Room 110, it
was 30 minutes before midnight.

Interpreting the Events at Leonardo da Vinci Airport of Rome on August
24th

Exhausted by the unscripted events which occurred to me at the Rome
international airport on that August 24th night, I fell sleep. But,
tears from both eyes wetted the pillows also. I felt that it was a
miracle that I was saved from landing in a police detention center in
Rome. During my 75 minutes of ordeal, I had experienced telescoped
scenarios of a Gandhian moment [in the Gandhi movie, where young
Gandhi was thrown off the train in South Africa for being a non-white,
though he was holding a valid ticket], a Chaplinisque moment [in the
Modern Times movie, the totally unprepared Chaplin gets arrested by
the police, for holding a black-red(?)- flag, which had fallen from a
transport truck and cavalierly picked up by the tramp] and the
ubiquitous James Bond moment [of rushing to the plane waiting in
tarmac in a police vehicle].

I was also relieved that the top police officer at the Rome
international airport respected my bona fide credentials, based on my
word and the available documents I carried. His soothing words in
accented English, ‘Professore – you have head. We are just police' was
a balm to my hurt and embarassed feelings. In hindsight, I feel that I
did use my ‘head.' He also used his ‘head.' While under unexpected
pressure, I instinctly avoided physical or verbal abuse against the
two plainclothes policemen who grabbed me. On that particular
occasion, this avoidance saved me from serious trouble.
Simultaneously, the top police officer also used his ‘head' – unlike
the jerks manning the Singapore Airlines - in deciding that I was no
‘weapon-carrying terrorist' who had to be detained from a flight.
Thus, I felt that in a mysterious way that I was saved from a
precarious dilemma by da Vinci's spirit, which seemed to roam the Rome
international airport.

While in bed that night, it also didn't escape my attention what
remarkable and eccentric folks - the Italians are. In other nations,
the show-case airports are named after 20th century grandees – mere
politicians who exercised power benevolently or maliciously
[J.F.Kennedy International Airport, Reagan National Airport, Charles
de Gaulle International Airport, Indira Gandhi International Airport,
Bandaranaike International Airport, Leopold Senghor International
Airport, to name a few!]. But in Italy, they have named their most
distinguished airport in Rome for a person who lived more than 500
years ago. This guy, da Vinci, being not a politician or a statesman,
was nominally powerless. But, he had one of the straightest and
sharpest heads ever carried by a human in 10,000 years. I was
impressed that Italians thought of recognizing this authentic genius
by naming the Rome international airport after him.

My thought that the Italian police might have misunderstood me as a
Sinhalese was not in error, since I was presented with a form, which
carried only two scripts – the Sinhalese and Italian! One should also
not forget that the only hijacking incident in which a Sri Lankan was
involved was that of Sepala Ekanayake's fool-hardy attempt of
hijacking a Alitalia Airlines jet in Bangkok in June 1982, with pseudo
body armor, and claiming $300,000. Initially, this loony nut was even
treated as a ‘veeraya' (hero) by the Colombo public and press. [an
excerpt from the Sunday Leader of March 23, 2003 editorial is as
follows: "Remember Sepala Ekanayake, who hijacked an Alitalia plane?
He was welcomed to Sri Lanka by cheering crowds and drove in triumph
to Colombo on decorated streets."]

Thus, the harassment I underwent on 24th night was rather on the order
of a Chaplinisque tragi-comedy of mistaken ethnic identity. The
airport police in Rome – after probably running a quick computer
check, and noting the Alitalia jet hijacking by a Sri Lankan Sinhalese
in 1982! - mistook me for a Sinhalese ‘terrorist,' based on my name
appearing in the secret no-fly list prepared by the TSA. I rather
doubt that the FBI has any record on my un-civil activities, since I
have not engaged in any such activities during my stay in the USA
(cumulative total of 6 years and 6 months) and Japan, since 1981.
Thus, the malicious information about me should have been passed on to
the TSA – in all probability - by a Sinhalese bureaucratic weasel in
Colombo just to harass me and restrict my cross-border travel.

Karmas of Three Kinds

In sum, it is my belief that one is served with karmas of multiple
kinds. On August 21st, I had ugly karma served by Singapore Airlines.
On August 24th, first I was blessed with good karma by Japan Airlines,
which didn't take into consideration the notorious ‘secret no-fly
list' of the TSA. Later on that day, I experienced both bad and good
karmas at the Rome international airport from Alitalia Airlines. It is
also my ugly karma that, despite the advice of my wife and other
family members, and despite severe professional odds, I have clung
onto my Sri Lankan passport for the past 23 years – while living in
USA and Japan – to be an honorable citizen of Sri Lanka. But, now I
will think twice whether such a labor of love is worth the trouble, if
some bureaucratic weasels or skunks in Colombo – without any proof -
has tried to cheat me by passing my name to the ‘notorious no-fly
list' of the TSA.

On August 19th, at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Senator
Edward Kennedy brought to public attention, the existence of this
notorious ‘no-fly list.' It has been reported in the news media that
more than 350 Americans have suffered harassment by the execution of
this ‘no-fly list.' I wonder whether I'm the only Sri Lankan Tamil
(holding a Sri Lankan passport) who has had to face this precarious
dilemma in being named in this notorious ‘no-fly list.' I provide my
harassment experience in the belief that it will be of some help to
other Tamils who may face such an ordeal in the future.

To conclude, there certainly are evil-minded persons whose nuts are
filled with nasty thoughts and spineless jerks who ‘go by the
computerized information.' But, the world is also full of decent and
civic-minded personnel who can make objective decisions on the spot to
relieve the agony and pain of powerless humans. Long live such good
folks. They are badly wanted at every airport. I let Pimm Fox, the
London-based journalist, have the last word: "The technology that's
misused is a problem. The no-fly list is a no-win in the fight against
terror." [source: Computer World magazine, August 30, 2004].

Reference

Averbuck, David S: Hijacking of international aircraft : Sepala
Ekanayake and ex post facto legislation : Sri Lankan domestic law
incorporates international law. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Marga Institute,
1988, 79 pp.

"Kari Sinhalavan" wrote in message
om...
I Got Trapped in the Secret 'No Fly List' of the Transportation
Security Administration
by Sachi Sri Kantha


http://www.sangam.org/articles/view2...96 9d7bc24f9a


I admit to not knowing the answer to this question, but are foreign airlines
somehow required to use the no-fly list? If JAL doesn't use it then I
assume the other airlines are using it voluntarily. In which case Mr.
Kantha's complaint should be solely with the airline. It sounds like
Alitalia went as far as to notify the local police of his presence. Strange
story, at least he kept the America bashing to a minimum.

Also, is there an international no-fly list maintained by Interpol, or
similar agency. Or is the only no fly list maintained by the TSA?

Obviously the whole idea of a no-fly list needs some work to protect the
innocent. But its a no-win situation for law enforcement and airlines. If
a known terrorist got on a plane and tried to blow it up and we didn't have
a no-fly list, the same people that complain about the no-fly list would
complain that the airline let a known terrorist on the plane.

Matt

But its a no-win situation for law enforcement and airlines.

It's a no-win situation for the people on the list. The airlines
don't care if there's a list - or not.

same people that complain about the no-fly list would
complain that the airline let a known terrorist on the plane.

And a professional terrorist wouldn't arrange to have a set of fake ID
when the time came?

Look.

I bet Lloyds of London (and the world-wide insurance syndicate) is
behind the no-fly-list. They've probably made it manditory for there
be such a list as a condition for them to continue to provide
liability insurance for the worlds air lines.

I've just heard that CSIS (the candian version of FBI/CIA/NSA) will
create or maintain a canadian version of the no-fly-list for domestice
flights within canada (the reason being that domestic flights require
less documentation, an indication that perhaps passport scanning DOES
currently trigger some sort of terrorist recognition system which
doesn't seem to kick in with other types of ID).

CSIS is the same bunch of clowns that pretty much knew that there
would be a bomb on Air India flight 182 in 1985 and are now covering
up for their incompentence. You can bet that if someone they were
watching wanted to get on a plane (and was on the NF list) that they'd
let them on the plane anyways.

That's the problem with "intelligence" agencies like FBI and CSIS.
They don't want to blow their cover so they let people that they're
watching go about their business, even if that business includes
getting on a plane.

Has any "terrorist" anywhere been caught by the no fly list?

Or are the airlines and ticket agents of the world doing the work of
the local police in looking for known fellons, thieves, criminals,
activists, etc, in the name of "terrorism" ?

"Matt" wrote in message ...
I admit to not knowing the answer to this question,
but are foreign airlines somehow required to use the no-fly list?

The ones who own many 'foreign' airlines also owned U.S.A.'s airlines,
basically many airlines around the world are actually owned by the
same group of people.

It's a global economy you know.

It should be noted that many Singaporeans feels like that Singapore
Airlines isn't really an airline company that is really Singaporean.

If JAL doesn't use it then I assume
the other airlines are using it voluntarily.

Voluntary as in that's what their superiors told them to do. Of
course, their superiors have their own superiors.

In which case Mr. Kantha's complaint should be solely with the airline.

The airline of Singapore Airlines, AND the US Transportation Security
Administation, AND the airline of Alitalia, AND the Italian police
force.


Obviously the whole idea of a no-fly list
needs some work to protect the innocent.

The official line is that the 'no-fly' is to prevent innocent
causalties.

In reality, it was used to bugged people and make people upset. That
will defame airlines, countries, and so on.

But its a no-win situation for law enforcement and airlines.
If a known terrorist got on a plane and tried to blow it up
and we didn't have a no-fly list, the same people that
complain about the no-fly list would complain that the
airline let a known terrorist on the plane.

Even if there's a list, what make you so sure that the person that
will cause harm would be in the list?

Besides, with the amount of security an airport (even pre-9/11), the
only way to blow up an airplane is for you to be involved in the
government.


A no-fly list is useless anyway, because the people who will cause
harm and are involved in a network, are usually intentionally allowed
to board the plane and caused harm.

Why? Because they all work together. The airlines, the criminals, the
airport officials, and so on cooperate with each other.

Matt

"Fly Guy" wrote in message ...

And a professional terrorist wouldn't arrange to have a set of fake ID
when the time came?

I don't know.....did the 9/11 hijackers use fake ID's. I'm not sure, but I
don't think they did. Also, what if the terrorist was using a fake ID and
law enforcement knew of the alias? Or what if the terrorist didn't know
they were even being watched and therefore had no reason to get a fake ID.


That's the problem with "intelligence" agencies like FBI and CSIS.
They don't want to blow their cover so they let people that they're
watching go about their business, even if that business includes
getting on a plane.

In some cases, it might make sense to allow the person to get on the plane.
For example, if you suspected they were going to blow up a buiding and were
on their way to meet their other terrorist buddies. Would you not want to
follow them to be able to catch their buddies? You assume that the only
reason a terrorist would travel would be to blow up the plane.



Has any "terrorist" anywhere been caught by the no fly list?

We have no way of knowing that. I'm sure that info would not be released to
the public.


Or are the airlines and ticket agents of the world doing the work of
the local police in looking for known fellons, thieves, criminals,
activists, etc, in the name of "terrorism" ?

Ok, let me ask you this question. What if a suspected terrorist got on a
plane tomorrow without using a fake ID and took it hostage. Would you not
be upset that there was no system in place to prevent suspected terrorists
from flying? I bet you would. You can't have it both ways.

Matt

"Matt" wrote in message
...

"Fly Guy" wrote in message ...
Or are the airlines and ticket agents of the world doing the work of
the local police in looking for known fellons, thieves, criminals,
activists, etc, in the name of "terrorism" ?

Ok, let me ask you this question. What if a suspected terrorist got on a
plane tomorrow without using a fake ID and took it hostage. Would you not
be upset that there was no system in place to prevent suspected terrorists
from flying? I bet you would. You can't have it both ways.

Matt

I would not be upset about him/her getting on the plane. I would be upset
that he/she was able to get on the plane with the needed weapons to hijack
the plane.

dennis

"Matt" wrote in message
...

"Fly Guy" wrote in message ...
Or are the airlines and ticket agents of the world doing the work of
the local police in looking for known fellons, thieves, criminals,
activists, etc, in the name of "terrorism" ?

Ok, let me ask you this question. What if a suspected terrorist got on a
plane tomorrow without using a fake ID and took it hostage. Would you not
be upset that there was no system in place to prevent suspected terrorists
from flying? I bet you would. You can't have it both ways.

Matt

I would not be upset about him/her getting on the plane. I would be upset
that he/she was able to get on the plane with the needed weapons to hijack
the plane.

dennis

"Dennis G. Rears" wrote in message
...
"Matt" wrote in message
...

"Fly Guy" wrote in message
...
Or are the airlines and ticket agents of the world doing the work of
the local police in looking for known fellons, thieves, criminals,
activists, etc, in the name of "terrorism" ?

Ok, let me ask you this question. What if a suspected terrorist got on
a
plane tomorrow without using a fake ID and took it hostage. Would you
not
be upset that there was no system in place to prevent suspected
terrorists
from flying? I bet you would. You can't have it both ways.

Matt

I would not be upset about him/her getting on the plane. I would be
upset
that he/she was able to get on the plane with the needed weapons to hijack
the plane.

dennis

Even with today's level of security, I don't think it would be that hard to
sneak a crude weapon on to a plane. Somehow I doubt the FBI and other
agencies would not be severely criticized if a known or suspected terrorist
took over plane because passenger names weren't being screened.

Matt

"Fly Guy" wrote in message ...

But its a no-win situation for law enforcement and airlines.

It's a no-win situation for the people on the list. The airlines
don't care if there's a list - or not.

Actually, the Airlines have the final say. The TSA warning is flashed on
the screen, and the airlines go from there. As a "Gold Member" on the
no-fly list, I only have a problem with Delta, AA & America West. The rest
cancell the warning, & I'm on my way.

"Matt" wrote in message ...
"Kari Sinhalavan" wrote in message
om...
I Got Trapped in the Secret 'No Fly List' of the Transportation
Security Administration
by Sachi Sri Kantha


http://www.sangam.org/articles/view2...96 9d7bc24f9a


I admit to not knowing the answer to this question, but are foreign airlines
somehow required to use the no-fly list? If JAL doesn't use it then I
assume the other airlines are using it voluntarily. In which case Mr.
Kantha's complaint should be solely with the airline. It sounds like
Alitalia went as far as to notify the local police of his presence. Strange
story, at least he kept the America bashing to a minimum.

Also, is there an international no-fly list maintained by Interpol, or
similar agency. Or is the only no fly list maintained by the TSA?

Obviously the whole idea of a no-fly list needs some work to protect the
innocent. But its a no-win situation for law enforcement and airlines. If
a known terrorist got on a plane and tried to blow it up and we didn't have
a no-fly list, the same people that complain about the no-fly list would
complain that the airline let a known terrorist on the plane.

Matt, you didn't get the point. It is US that control TSA list. How
come Professor Kantha's name went into that list? Is it because of US
or Sri Lankan government using dirty tricks to put his name on the TSA
list?? I know Professor Kantha worked in US as well as Japan. At the
same time he is very vocal about Sri Lankan government genocide
against Tamils. I just want to know who maintain that list and who
else have influence to force US government to enter somebody's name on
false accusation. If his name is entered in TSA list then how come he
is a good citizen while he is in US?? Moron Bush is painting
everybody's arse with the same brush. It is like accusing Canada for
letting 9/11 attackers but all of them came to US straight from
obtaining visa from US embassy. If you can't do the job don't blame
others and put others in hardship like Professor Kantha. You are not
making friends.

Matt