Wrong Again!

For God's sake don't go anywhere if you look the least bit like an Arab. Here's another story!

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 is Jewish.

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 lawyers to act for him.

The London-based "interiors guru" 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".

The incident highlights the increased likelihood of innocent passengers being picked on because they are perceived as "suspicious" or "foreign-looking."

Earlier this month, a plane from London to Washington DC made an emergency landing, escorted by fighters, after passengers alerted crew to the behaviour of a female traveller. It later emerged she had suffered a panic attack.

In August, two innocent Asian students were escorted off a flight from Malaga to Manchester because other passengers thought they were terrorists.

In Mr Stein's case, he was pounced on as the crew and other travellers looked on. As he settled down with a book and a ginger ale, the father-of-three was grabbed from behind and held in a head-lock. The drama unfolded less than an hour into the flight.

"This guy just told me his name was Michael Wilk, that he was with the New York Police Department, that I'd been acting suspiciously and should stay calm. I could barely find my voice and couldn't believe it was happening. He went into my pocket and took out my passport and my iPod. All the other passengers were looking concerned," said Mr. Stein.

In a twist to the story, Mr Stein has since discovered that there is only one Michael Wilk on the NYPD's official register of officers, but the man retired 25 years ago. Officials have told the architect that his assailant may work for another law enforcement agency but have refused to say which one.

Meanwhile, the phony police officer had already been asked to go back to his seat after the flight crew ran a security check on Mr. Stein and had cleared him.

When the plane arrived in New York, Mr Stein was met by apologetic police officers who offered to fast-track him out of the airport. Mr Stein said: "The other passengers looked and me and said, 'What did you do?' It was so humiliating. The fact is he [the supposed police officer] was told I was OK and should have left me alone."

American Airlines apologised to Mr Stein but withdrew an initial offer of $2,000 compensation on the grounds it would be an admission of liability. In a letter dated 30 May, the airline said it had done everything possible to try and protect Mr Stein.

On a personal note, I think the trouble caused by these cases of "mistaken identity" far, far outweigh any repurcussions from actual terrorist attacks, and this includes 9/11.

True, it was a great tragedy, but living in a constant state of fear, putting ridiculous restrictions on at the borders, (including fences) and adding another two hours to every individual plane flight (and that's just for starters) is far more disruptive to commerce and day to day living than any terrorist action.

As a matter of fact, this in itself could be construed as proof that the terrorists have won!

Your stay at home to avoid all the hassle scribe ;
Allan W Janssen