Man held as terrorism suspect over punk song

[Caitriona]

Reuters.com

Man held as terrorism suspect over punk song
Wed Apr 5, 2006 09:15 AM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - British anti-terrorism detectives escorted a man from a plane after a taxi driver had earlier become suspicious when he started singing along to a track by punk band The Clash, police said Wednesday.
Detectives halted the London-bound flight at Durham Tees Valley Airport in northern England and Harraj Mann, 24, was taken off.

The taxi driver had become worried on the way to the airport because Mann had been singing along to The Clash's 1979 anthem "London Calling," which features the lyrics "Now war is declared -- and battle come down" while other lines warn of a "meltdown expected."

Mann told British newspapers the taxi had been fitted with a music system which allowed him to plug in his MP3 player and he had been playing The Clash, Procol Harum, Led Zeppelin and the Beatles to the driver.

"He didn't like Led Zeppelin or The Clash but I don't think there was any need to tell the police," Mann told the Daily Mirror.

A Durham police spokeswoman said Mann had been released after questioning -- but had missed his flight.

"The report was made with the best of intentions and we wouldn't want to discourage people from contacting us with genuine concerns," she said.

 

[Tyrant]

Is he Middle Eastern?

 

[Caitriona]

The article didn't say.

 

[Tyrant]

Of course it didn't. But with a name like Harraj Mann, I don't think he's really all 'God save the Queen.'

 

[Caitriona]

So, I know there is a point in there some place. The Cabdriver profiled him and turned him in for being middle eastern and singing a song.

And you opinion on that would be what exaclty?

 

[Big Dick McGee]

So, I know there is a point in there some place. The Cabdriver profiled him and turned him in for being middle eastern and singing a song.

And you opinion on that would be what exaclty?

It's up to the authorities to ferret out real threats from hoaxes, or misinterpretations. I can tell you that if I am in an airport, and I hear a middle eastern man talking about "war" and "meltdown", I will contact someone in airport security. I really don't care if I'm guilty of racial profiling, my safety and that of my family comes first.

 

[Tyrant]

So, I know there is a point in there some place. The Cabdriver profiled him and turned him in for being middle eastern and singing a song.

And you opinion on that would be what exaclty?

Although this statement is contingent on the 9/11 attacks being carried out by the powers that be, Britain has actually suffered from the actions of Muslim extremists, unlike the United States. There are no Muslims chopping up girls and serving them to Americans. There are no Muslims inside the US border openly calling for terror attacks.

Britons have every reason to be paranoid. When it turned out they were song lyrics, the man was released. What if you were of Middle Eastern descent and were singing this little tune inside of a cab in the United States?

The article looks like more Leftist Whining (TM). Complaining about injustice yet ignoring the context of the situation and providing no solution regarding it.

 

[Caitriona]

For singing along with a song? You're so paranoid you'd have someone investigated [possibly detained without recourse] for nothing more than his ancestry and singing a song?

People like you scare me more than terrorists.

 

[Big Dick McGee]

^^Why? Because we have the balls to do unpleasant things in order to protect Family and Country?

 

[Tyrant]

This just in: Someone broke an egg to make an omelette!

United Labour Worker's Popular Front has already begun leafletting the streets and organising massive protests around the world!

 

[The Question]

This is actually a tough one for me. On the one hand, maybe his choice of music really is an outward manifestation of some rather sinister sentiments.

On the other hand, I can't see a dedicated terrorist tipping himself off to anyone in such a silly way as that. I mean, songs like The Sex Pistols' "God Save The Queen" and "Anarchy (In The U.K.)" are certainly inflammatory, but I can't recall anyone ever having used them as battle anthems.

 

[Caitriona]

^^Why? Because we have the balls to do unpleasant things in order to protect Family and Country?

Oh please, you're nothing but a loose canon spewing nationalistic rhetoric so you can be a bully and beat your chest about protecting your family. If it were just a case of 'breaking a few eggs to make an omelet', I'd agree with you. Leaders have to do a lot of things in order to protect the citizenry, but one of those things isn't forgetting where the line is when it comes to protection.

As any person should know there is a place for reasonable searches and seizures. It becomes hysteria when you attribute a song being sung to 'reasonable' for national security.

Hysterics and zealots are terrorists in their own right, terrorizing people with their damn fear and espousing that everyone who doesn't walk the walk and talk the right talk be rounded up and interrogated.

If it were you who'd been detained and asked to explain why you sang out of key in a London cab, you'd be screaming at the top of your lungs about your damn freedom. Don't insult me by coming in here and stating otherwise.

National Security has to be balanced with calm and reasonable decisions by leadership, otherwise we end up in chaos from the measures used to keep us safe.

I'm all for breaking us some eggs, I 'd just like those eggs to be broken by someone with a 'clue' how to make a damn omelet.

 

[Tyrant]

Oh please, you're nothing but a loose canon spewing nationalistic rhetoric so you can be a bully and beat your chest about protecting your family. If it were just a case of 'breaking a few eggs to make an omelet', I'd agree with you. Leaders have to do a lot of things in order to protect the citizenry, but one of those things isn't forgetting where the line is when it comes to protection.

All the government officials of the countries which are targets for terrorism have done nothing but line their own pockets. IIRC a group of US students snuck in something the size of an atomic bomb into the US through the Mexican border to prove their point. And recently, a group of UK students set up a false business to import torture devices which should be illegal there.

What about the Muslim protesters in the UK, Cait? I think they should all have been rounded up. Even if this man wasn't of Middle Eastern descent the entire thing looks more like throwing a dog a bone. The dog in this case is the public.

Protecting the citizenry? I think they're pulling the wool over their eyes, and I think they've succeeded in making people feel so safe that they start complaining about security.

As any person should know there is a place for reasonable searches and seizures. It becomes hysteria when you attribute a song being sung to 'reasonable' for national security.

But this wasn't hysteria. I think my parallel example to someone whispering 'kill the president' in the USA was more than adequate.

Hysterics and zealots are terrorists in their own right, terrorizing people with their damn fear and espousing that everyone who doesn't walk the walk and talk the right talk be rounded up and interrogated.

Are your strawmen as pretty as your avatars?

:yoohoo:

If it were you who'd been detained and asked to explain why you sang out of key in a London cab, you'd be screaming at the top of your lungs about your damn freedom. Don't insult me by coming in here and stating otherwise.

Hehehe

National Security has to be balanced with calm and reasonable decisions by leadership, otherwise we end up in chaos from the measures used to keep us safe.

The security measures thus far have benefitted the respected governments and only the governments, not the people. I personally don't criticise the measures based on how few or how many are employed because they are skewed from the start.

I'm all for breaking us some eggs, I 'd just like those eggs to be broken by someone with a 'clue' how to make a damn omelet.

I don't think you are. You're first instinct was to criticise the fact that the man had been taken in for questioning.

All of your concerns are valid, Cait. But this isn't a good example of out-of-control security.

 

[Caitriona]

I don't think you are. You're first instinct was to criticize the fact that the man had been taken in for questioning.

All of your concerns are valid, Cait. But this isn't a good example of out-of-control security.

Actually, my first instinct was to post the story without comment. I only took one side after you'd stated yours [or alluded to a particular side]. I tend to do that---just post the article and see where the discussion goes, if anywhere. It's *you* who took it in this direction. I just came along for the ride.

I'll be honest, much of my MB life is spent in just being contrary.. ask anyone.

BTW, I agree that world governments have lined their pockets with $$$$ while we suffer under the illusion that we are actually safe. And it is for this reason that I question the stories like this that hit the news media.

Everyone is being played. It's because fear is so easy to market that I DO question it. All anyone [terrorist or government] has to do is throw out another bomb and we'll all run around screaming "we're doomed.. save us!!!!" And deliver up any rights and $$$$ we're asked -- all in th name of being safe from the "terrorists". It's just too easy to get rich quick off fear and war.

And that's not a straw man, that's world history.

 

[Tyrant]

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/4907/clashterror29bb.jpg

Look at how sensationalist it tries to be.

 

[Tyrant]

I was held as a terror suspect just because I played The Clash

No, you were held because of the lyrical content and the current threat of Muslim extremism, you whiny little bitch.