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The men were grilled bout radical thoughts and whether they had ever been asked to carry out a terrorist attack. |
CARDIFF – Seven Muslims of Pakistani origin are planning to lodge a lawsuit after having been racially profiled and held for interrogations while on their way to catch a flight to Glasgow to attend a friend’s wedding.
"It was clear discrimination," Sajid Hussain, a 30-year-old garage owner, told Wales Online on Wednesday, November 4.
"We were the only Asians in the airport.
"We understand they have a job to do and have to pull some people over, but it’s just the fact that it was all seven of us."
The seven men, all brought up in Cardiff, say they were singled out by armed airport police on October 24 for their beards and Asian features.
"It was like they were saying to me, ‘You have got a beard, so you look like a terrorist’," fumes Hussain.
"I felt quite bad that, just because of my appearance, I am considered half way to becoming a terrorist."
Many Muslims have complained for being singled out for further airport checking and questions after 9/11 attacks only because of their Muslim names or dresses.
Scores of airport profiling accidents, largely dubbed as "flying while a Muslim", were reported all in US, British and other international airports.
Grilled
The Muslim men say they were unfairly rounded up, detained and humiliated over two hours.
"They called us over to the side and checked our passports," recalls Atif Shabir, a 27-year-old self-employed property developer.
"They also took our names, addresses and date of birth and asked us where we were going."
Nadeem Ashraf, 29, an accountant, said they were denied any information about the reason of the detention.
"I asked the police officer why we were being pulled aside and he basically said he was airport police and he could do what he wanted."
Taken to separate rooms, the seven were asked to empty their pockets, hand over their mobile phones and banks cards.
Over the next two hours, interrogation police questioned them about radical thoughts and whether they had ever been asked to carry out a terrorist attack.
"They asked me if, at the mosque, they were talking about the English Defence League and Welsh Defence League," recalled Naweed Akram.
"I said that at the mosque, they just teach us about religion."
Though being eventually released without charges, the experience changed the seven men's notion of freedom in the UK.
"We have gone to Afghanistan to promote our way of life – that is a very tolerant society that is very accepting," Hussain said.
"While here, the picture is different and is getting worse. It’s a very sad situation."
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