Humiliation at 33,000 feet: Top British architect tells of terror 'arrest'

[kpete]

Humiliation at 33,000 feet: Top British architect tells of terror 'arrest'
To the applause of fellow passengers, the Jewish designer was escorted from a New York flight as a potential bomber. Because, he tells Sophie Goodchild, of his holiday tan
Published: 01 October 2006

Seth Stein is used to jetting around the world to create stylish holiday homes for wealthy clients. This means the hip architect is familiar with the irritations of heightened airline security post-9/11. But not even he could have imagined being mistaken for an Islamist terrorist and physically pinned to his seat while aboard an American Airlines flight - especially as he has Jewish origins.

Yet this is what happened when he travelled back from a business trip to the Turks and Caicos islands via New York on 22 May. Still traumatised by his ordeal, the 47-year-old is furious that the airline failed to protect him from the gung-ho actions of an over-zealous passenger who claimed to be a police officer. He has now instructed a team of top US lawyers to act for him.

The London-based interiors guru, whose clients have included Peter Mandelson and the husband-and-wife design team Suzanne Clements and Ignacio Ribeiro, said he felt compelled to speak out to protect other innocent travellers from a similar experience.

"This man could have garrotted me and what was awful was that one or two of the passengers went up afterwards to thank him," said Mr Stein. He has since been told by airline staff he was targeted because he was using an iPod, had used the toilet when he got on the plane and that his tan made him appear "Arab".

more at:
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article1777847.ece

[acmejack]

1. I wouldn't fly now for any reason.

Screw that industry, "the friendly skies'. I guess they abandoned that campaign...

[William Bloode]

6. My self as well.

I have been scared to fly for several years, and it's not terrorist i'm scared of it the wackos at the airport.

It's really sad i did love a bit of travel when i could afford it. I even let my passport expire, and doubt i'll renew it. Of course i guess i could go the old way, by ship.

[thepurpose]

2. I just wish everyone would calm TF down. Everyone is a hero now so

what if you attack innocent people. Thanks to Bush a lot of us a so scared we see a terrorist under every airline seat. It's pretty sad when people start to fear the protectors more than the potential attackers.

[xchrom]

3. that ''everyone is a hero now'' is so telling.

it's one of those feelings that gets americans to act irrationally.

[MuseRider]

4. That could be my husband.

When we were first married everyone thought he was and Arab. He is an olive skinned Jewish man. We used to worry about that when we traveled around, looks like there is more to worry about now.

That poor man. What a sick, odd world we live in now.

[malaise]

5. He's lucky they didn't send him

to Gitmo.

[onethatcares]

7. other passengers looked concerned

wtf????I guess it's all over if anyone can put a person in a headlock due to skin tone. Another not so amazing thing, the guy just disappeared after landing.