Twisted Titan
11th December 2010, 06:11 AM
http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/tsa-defends-screening-of-indian-ambassador-meera-shankar/19755537?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%7C189355
TSA Defends Screening of Indian Ambassador
The Transportation Security Administration is defending airport screeners' decision to pat down an Indian diplomat, an incident that has provoked public outcry in India.
Meera Shankar, India's ambassador to the United States, was singled out for secondary security screening on Sunday at Jackson-Evers International Airport in Mississippi. The pat-down, which some say may have been prompted because the ambassador was wearing a sari, provoked condemnation from India's government.
S.M. Krishna, India's minister of external affairs, called the pat-down "unacceptable," according to the BBC, and the Indian government plans to protest her treatment formally, the Indian newspaper The Hindu reported.
The TSA, however, said that after looking into what took place, it found that no policies were violated.
"After a review of this passenger's screening experience, we determined that the TSA officers in Jackson followed proper standard procedure," agency spokesman Nicholas Kimball said in a statement to AOL News.
Kimball also pointed out that the State Department in 2007 published a special notice from TSA on special security screening procedures for diplomats. The notice says that if diplomats are selected for secondary screening, they should present their credentials and they will be subject to "special procedures."
The notice doesn't specify what those procedures are, however.
According to published reports, Shankar presented her diplomatic credentials to TSA officials, though it's unclear if she was subject to special screening procedures, as stated in the memo. TSA did not respond to follow-up questions about the procedures used.
A spokesman for the Indian Embassy did not return a call from AOL News requesting comment.
The State Department has so far deferred to the TSA on the issue.
The fact that you're a diplomat does not necessarily mean that you are not subject to basic screening as is any other passenger on any particular flight," spokesman P.J. Crowley said at a press briefing Thursday.
Asked about the incident on Thursday at a press briefing, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the issue had not been raised to her by Indian government officials, but the incident would be reviewed. "We obviously are concerned about it," she said.
The incident appeared to have been sparked by TSA policies in place since 2007, which mandate special screening for so-called "bulky" clothing. Though passengers may decline to remove such clothing for religious or medical reasons, they may then be subject to secondary screening.
"Passengers may request that a pat-down be conducted in private," Kimball said.
TSA Defends Screening of Indian Ambassador
The Transportation Security Administration is defending airport screeners' decision to pat down an Indian diplomat, an incident that has provoked public outcry in India.
Meera Shankar, India's ambassador to the United States, was singled out for secondary security screening on Sunday at Jackson-Evers International Airport in Mississippi. The pat-down, which some say may have been prompted because the ambassador was wearing a sari, provoked condemnation from India's government.
S.M. Krishna, India's minister of external affairs, called the pat-down "unacceptable," according to the BBC, and the Indian government plans to protest her treatment formally, the Indian newspaper The Hindu reported.
The TSA, however, said that after looking into what took place, it found that no policies were violated.
"After a review of this passenger's screening experience, we determined that the TSA officers in Jackson followed proper standard procedure," agency spokesman Nicholas Kimball said in a statement to AOL News.
Kimball also pointed out that the State Department in 2007 published a special notice from TSA on special security screening procedures for diplomats. The notice says that if diplomats are selected for secondary screening, they should present their credentials and they will be subject to "special procedures."
The notice doesn't specify what those procedures are, however.
According to published reports, Shankar presented her diplomatic credentials to TSA officials, though it's unclear if she was subject to special screening procedures, as stated in the memo. TSA did not respond to follow-up questions about the procedures used.
A spokesman for the Indian Embassy did not return a call from AOL News requesting comment.
The State Department has so far deferred to the TSA on the issue.
The fact that you're a diplomat does not necessarily mean that you are not subject to basic screening as is any other passenger on any particular flight," spokesman P.J. Crowley said at a press briefing Thursday.
Asked about the incident on Thursday at a press briefing, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the issue had not been raised to her by Indian government officials, but the incident would be reviewed. "We obviously are concerned about it," she said.
The incident appeared to have been sparked by TSA policies in place since 2007, which mandate special screening for so-called "bulky" clothing. Though passengers may decline to remove such clothing for religious or medical reasons, they may then be subject to secondary screening.
"Passengers may request that a pat-down be conducted in private," Kimball said.