Brits blocked from boarding flight to LA

[JFH 12,190]

http://news.sky.com/story/1611036/us-stops-uk-muslim-familys-dream-holiday

Not sure I believe that the story happened exactly like this. Homeland Security officials at Gatwck? We don't have pre-clearance in the UK so I can't imagine that there would be any need for DHS bods to be there (unlike Dublin). And taken off the flight with no reason given? Can't imagine that. They must have been given some reason?

I've never been denied boarding so I don't know what happens but I'm sure it doesn't happen in the general departures area among the duty free shops. Surely they would have been escorted to an office somewhere?

[lost_at_sea 995]

Hmm.. yes. Something doesn't quite add up. It'd be the airline refusing to allow travel at that point, not the border agency directly (not to say they're not communicating with the airline, of course - the US has to receive a list of travellers before the flight can get there - the ESTA info). I could imagine a scenario where they get called to the airline ticket desk and are told their travel authorisation had been revoked or something.

It's kind of crazy that there's not more info - nothing from either government or the airline.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/22/us-british-citizens-holiday-muslim-families

[Boiler 45,467]

I am familiar with Walthamstow.

So 2 brothers were taking 9 of their children to visit Disney in California. Where are the wives?

Are there more children?

Sounds like their ESTA was revoked.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

They probably didn't have signed permission from the other parent to take the children out of the UK.

[JFH 12,190]

The article made reference to "cousins" in the US. I'm wondering if there was some suspicion that they were planning on staying. Maybe they were overheard talking about job applications, looking at schools, etc. Or had documents with them that suggested they were going for good.

I'm here in Colorado at the moment and flew wth Norwegian into Fort Lauderdale but going back from Vegas (with a couple of domestic flights into and out of Denver on Spirit this was, believe it or not, the cheapest way to get to Colorado for Christmas). Because you cannot book an open jaw online, I had to book two one-ways. Girl at the desk wouldn't check me in to Fort Lauderdale until I could prove I had a ticket back home again. Maybe they had the same check in girl and couldn't provide sufficient proof of a return journey.

I don't believe it's because hey are Muslims. You don't specify a religion on your ESTA application. Just because they have Arabic names, it means nothing. I gave to nephews with Arabic names who are Methodists. Their mother was fascinated with Arabia and named them after famous Arabian literary figures.

[Boiler 45,467]

UK Muslims not allowed on plane - CNN.com
However, a check by CNN of traveling family members on UK Electoral Roll shows an email address associated with 18-year-old Hamza Mahmoud that links to a suspicious Facebook page.

The page appears to belong to a Birmingham resident with a similar name, whose occupation is listed as Supervisor at Taliban and Leader at al-Qaeda.

When asked by reporters about the Facebook link, the family said the email listed on the electoral roll is incorrect, missing some characters, and that the son lives in London, not Birmingham.

Tariq Mahmoud confirmed his son Hamza was part of the trip, and he told CNN the family had no knowledge of the Facebook page until asked about it by a reporter.

[lost_at_sea 995]

CNN could only have bought a copy of the "open electoral roll" which a person can opt out of and even then it only lists address, phone and name (for registrations post 2003), not email address, so I kinda call BS on them for that. CNN fanning the flames.

[Boiler 45,467]

Relative they were visiting

Mr Mahmood said he prayed at the same mosque as Syed Rizwan Farook, who along with his wife Tashfeen Malik killed 14 people in San Bernardino on 2 December but he "did not know him personally", would not have recognised him and could not recall ever speaking to him.