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Afghan Group’s Flight to Burlington Delayed

July 4, 2007, Associated Press

SOUTH BURLINGTON — They were traveling to Vermont to learn about democracy and community development. What they got was a lesson in stepped-up airport security.

A delegation of Afghan men, some in traditional dress including turbans, was given a second screening by Transportation Security Administration personnel at the request of the United Airlines crew, a TSA spokeswoman said.

Passengers on the flight from Chicago to Burlington on Monday were given a variety of reasons for a delay of more than an hour, recalled one of them, St. Johnsbury lawyer David Williams.

There was a problem with the plane's kitchen, one announcement said. A second said the flight crew had logged too many hours and needed to be relieved, Williams recalled later.

Then, Williams said, a ticket agent made a third announcement: "Will the passengers who transferred from Bozeman, Mont., please come to the desk?" He added that the only passengers who fit that bill were the Afghans.

The Afghan group's interpreter, as well as a spokesman with the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations, said they weren't surprised.

"We always, always attract a lot of attention. This time was not an exception," said Wais Ahmad, interpreter for the nine-member delegation. The group was on a tour sponsored by the U.S. State Department; the Vermont part of the trip was being hosted by the Vermont Council on World Affairs.

TSA's Davis said the decision to do the second screening came after "United notified TSA after a handful of individuals changed their itinerary and the crew asked TSA to re-screen these individuals before allowing them to fly," Davis said.

Agents used pat-down searches and metal-detecting wands on several passengers, including the Afghans, Williams said.

Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for Council on American-Islamic Relations, said the stepped-up security was not surprising after the failed car bomb attacks in Britain in recent days.

"Unfortunately it's all too familiar," Hooper said. "We tend to see spikes in this kind of thing immediately following international incidents related to violence or terrorism in which Muslims are alleged to be involved. We are actually awaiting more of these things."

United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said the airline would have no comment other than to confirm there was a "security concern" and that TSA was contacted.

The flight departed at 2:35 p.m., she said.