Man detained at airport for 'suspicious' movement

Mumbai: Post 9/11-type vigilance at US airports-where any small act perceived as suspicious by security officials can land one in the interrogation cell-seems to be gripping Indian airports as well.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at the Mumbai airport detained a person at the international terminal on Friday morning on grounds of "suspicion''.
Interrogation by the police, however, revealed that 23-year-old Dubai national Ahmed Ali, who came to Mumbai for medical treatment, had been frequenting the city airport as he had no money and was hoping to meet some compatriot who could help him buy a return ticket.
Alert CISF guards at the airport saw Ali roaming around the airport gates for the past three days. He was detained in the wee hours of Friday morning and handed over to the local police for interrogation, which revealed the real reason for his hanging around the airport gates.
Ali's case is one among the five cases post-26/11 where passengers or visitors have been detained for "suspicious'' behaviour at the airport.
Security officials agreed that India, too, was going the US way as far as security was concerned. The incidence of passengers being questioned has seen a steady rise even as more fliers walking inside the terminal are being profiled and closely observed by the vigilance personnel.
"Our officers were noticing the Dubai national for the past three days; it was enough to raise an alarm,'' CISF senior commandant Sanjay Prakash said. "No suspicious activity can be ignored at this point of time,'' he added.
14/03/09 Chinmayi Shalya/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Mar 2009, Safety Mar 2009