Muslim chaplain slams Manchester Airport ‘discrimination’
22.03.08
A Muslim Chaplain claims ‘discriminatory’ interrogation is happening on a regular basis at Manchester Airport. Adam Kelwick, from Liverpool, says he was stopped and questioned for two hours on arrival at the airport as he returned from a Middle Eastern business trip on Wednesday, the third time this has happened since the introduction of the Terrorism Act in 2006. He claims officials searched his lap top, phone, asked for his bank account pin number and put a string of questions to him.
The chaplain, who carries out charity work in the city to aid social cohesion, claims other friends and colleagues have complained about similar experiences. He said: ‘Some people I know prefer the airports in London, rather than put up with the unreasonable questioning and discrimination at Manchester.'
‘I was asked to remove all my items from my baggage piece by piece and was then taken into a small room and asked questions like ‘what is your mother’s date of birth?’ and ‘what school did you go to?’. It has happened a few times before at the airport but never when travelling from Liverpool or London.'
‘It is ironic, I was travelling in traditional Muslim dress. An international terrorist isn’t going to fly around the world with a beard and a gown on. It is discriminatory and unfair. The first time it happens you think ‘OK, this is helping to deal with terrorism’ so I don’t mind, but for it to happen on a regular basis is unnecessary.’
During the interview, Mr Kelwick says he was treated with courtesy and professionalism, and he blames the issue on unjust laws, central Government’s misunderstanding of local Muslim communities and poor training of airport officials. He claims that interrogation of this type is part of the reason young Muslims become radicalised.
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