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Saudi Men Seeking Entry to U.S. Asked to Remove Headdress
RIYADH, Dec. 5 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Saudi men wanting to travel to the United States will have to remove their traditional headdress for photographs used on entry visa applications to the U.S., news agencies reported.
Diplomats said the new requirement was in line with tighter U.S. immigration procedures, particularly for Saudis, after the deadly September 11 attacks on New York and near Washington, BBC's online news service reported.
Most men in Saudi Arabia wear a traditional headdress - known as a ghutra - which is made up of a flowing scarf held by a cord (agal).
The U.S. embassy statement said the same requirement would not apply to Saudi women, who must cover their hair and bodies in public according to Saudi law, which follows strict Islamic guidelines.
However, the statement said, such women must present pictures in which the facial features are very clear.
The U.S. State Department announced on November 9 that it will toughen procedures for granting visas for men coming from 25 countries, mostly Islamic, including Saudi Arabia.
In October, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Naif said that Saudi Arabia would ask its citizens to leave the United States if they are continually harassed, reported the Saudi daily newspaper
Arab News.
"The Kingdom is working to put an end to this matter [harassment], and we hope it will end," Prince Naif told reporters after attending a meeting of GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) interior ministers in Manama. "But if it continues, we would certainly ask our citizens to come home, or relocate to another place. But we hope it [harassment] won't continue."
Scores of Saudi students, patients who had gone for treatment, and workers who returned to the kingdom following the September 11 attacks have alleged harassment, maltreatment and humiliation from both U.S. authorities and the public.
The Interior Ministry has set up a hot line for families of Saudis detained in the United States. More than 100 Saudis were taken in for questioning over the attacks, which Washington blames on Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden.
The minister raised his objection to the practice of charging the suspected Saudis linked to the September 11 hijackings and attacks without producing any evidence.
"We did not expect the U.S. to take such an action because there is no justification in charging the Saudis who were said to be on board the hijacked planes."
Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington and expressed readiness to contribute to the anti-terror campaign. However, Riyadh has refused to allow its territory to be used as a launch pad for military operations against Muslim countries.
Several Saudis have been named as suspects in last month's attacks. The kingdom claims that U.S. authorities have now deliberately singled them out, reported BBC's Online News Service.
"We were subjected to tremendous pressure and close searches, especially while flying between states," said Abdullah Qattan, a student. "They even used police dogs to search our luggage, and for body searches, while they paid no great attention in searching other nationals. We felt very humiliated."
In the aftermath of the attacks, U.S. police have investigated dozens of reported "hate-crimes" against people of Arab appearance.
They included the murders of an Egyptian Copt (Christian) in Los Angeles, a Sikh in Arizona and a Pakistani Muslim in Texas.
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