EDL leader Stephen Lennon jailed for 10 months

dd972

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20935502

If you ever see an interview with him all he blathers on about is ''militant islam''

mikom

"Muslamic ray guns"

mackg

mikom wrote: »

"Muslamic ray guns"

:eek:

*opens stormfront account*

biko

He got nabbed and sentenced for using someone else's passport to enter US, not for anti-Muslim rants (although I'm sure he's good at that too being EDL and all).
It doesn't say what he was doing in the US though.

Zab

But when Lennon arrived at New York's JFK Airport, customs officials took his fingerprints and realised he was not travelling on his own passport. Lennon was asked to attend a second interview but managed to leave the airport, entering the US illegally.

They realized he was travelling on somebody else's passport but he still managed to get through? That's incredible. They must be spending all their time confiscating bottles of water.

Nody

Zab wrote: »

They realized he was travelling on somebody else's passport but he still managed to get through? That's incredible. They must be spending all their time confiscating bottles of water.

Not really; what most likely happend was (as I've gone through it due to poor fingerprints due to a childhood accident) is that the passport check would wave for a guard to come to their station. The guard escorts him 50m away to a large side room to sit and wait while they do additional checks on the passport/him. If you're a bit lucky and cheeky you can then simply walk out from there (as if you got your passport back and all is ok) and walk out the same way you entered as there are no/few guards in there and they are usually doing something else as you're not looknig like a terrorist / muslim / third world immigrant and hence don't get the hard treatment.

Zab

Nody wrote: »

Not really; what most likely happend was (as I've gone through it due to poor fingerprints due to a childhood accident) is that the passport check would wave for a guard to come to their station. The guard escorts him 50m away to a large side room to sit and wait while they do additional checks on the passport/him. If you're a bit lucky and cheeky you can then simply walk out from there (as if you got your passport back and all is ok) and walk out the same way you entered as there are no/few guards in there and they are usually doing something else as you're not looknig like a terrorist / muslim / third world immigrant and hence don't get the hard treatment.

Okay, I haven't been to the US since they started doing this. I don't get the "not really" part at the beginning though. I'm not implying that they should have cuffed him on the first fingerprint failure, but what's the point of having the fingerprints in the first place if you can slip out as you describe? They don't have to give people the hard treatment to get around this, but simply not have an inept system.

edit: also, as the story doesn't actually match your description and states that "customs officials ... realised he was not travelling on his own passport" rather than just flagged him for a recheck. Hard to see how they'd miss the different picture at that stage, but if they did then your version makes more sense than the article so they may have that wrong.

Nody

Zab wrote: »

Okay, I haven't been to the US since they started doing this. I don't get the "not really" part at the beginning though. I'm not implying that they should have cuffed him on the first fingerprint failure, but what's the point of having the fingerprints in the first place if you can slip out as you describe? They don't have to give people the hard treatment to get around this, but simply not have an inept system.

You're talking about the same type of security guards that will ban someone from flying due to having a t-shirt with a gun on it; they are not exactly the best of the best nor shown great iniative or ability previously so why do you expect them to start now? Oh and the picture is useless; trust me I had a photo of me that I could not believe was approved and you could put any person travelling with my passport and I got through (all due to fingerprints matching).

edit: also, as the story doesn't actually match your description and states that "customs officials ... realised he was not travelling on his own passport" rather than just flagged him for a recheck. Hard to see how they'd miss the different picture at that stage, but if they did then your version makes more sense than the article so they may have that wrong.

Customs does nothing; all you do is hand them a slip of paper when you exit that states you've got nothing to declare and are not bringing in any earth, fruit etc. so yea; I think the newspaper got the story wrong on that part.

Zab

Nody wrote: »

You're talking about the same type of security guards that will ban someone from flying due to having a t-shirt with a gun on it; they are not exactly the best of the best nor shown great iniative or ability previously so why do you expect them to start now?

Oh, I don't! However, I assume you're not suggesting that their past ineptitude gets them a free pass for future fúckups. I was just pointing out that it seems like a pretty incredible security blunder. Now that I think of it though, I'm not sure if they're the same guys (the TSA do the screening that you're referring to in the US, I don't know if they're involved in passport control, and re customs vs passport control/immigration, yeah I noticed that too)

seamus

I'm sure there are legal problems with physically detaining someone who may not at first glance be guilty. The system could have screwed up, his fingerprints may have been accidentally altered (in a fire, etc). The purpose of the second interview is really an interrogation after which they make the decision on whether to let you in or out.

You'd want to be quite ballsy to make a run for it, and in most cases I imagine the traveller has no other documents on them so doesn't really have a choice except to wait and see.

If you ever watch the show with the Aussie border patrol, the amount of times they stick people in an interview room and then leave them in the room on their own is massive. I'm sure if a person has big enough balls, they'll just open the door and walk off. But as I say in many cases they'll have to walk off with no documentation and no luggage, which for an economic migrant may be absolutely everything they own.

Nody

Zab wrote: »

Oh, I don't! However, I assume you're not suggesting that their past ineptitude gets them a free pass for future fúckups. I was just pointing out that it seems like a pretty incredible security blunder. Now that I think of it though, I'm not sure if they're the same guys (the TSA do the screening that you're referring to in the US, I don't know if they're involved in passport control, and re customs vs passport control/immigration, yeah I noticed that too)

They are; both fall under Homeland Security. The passport control is handled by CBP (Customer & Border Protection).

seamus wrote: »

But as I say in many cases they'll have to walk off with no documentation and no luggage, which for an economic migrant may be absolutely everything they own.

Actually you'd walk straight out behind the passport controls and can easily go pick up your luggage etc. if you feel you got enough time before the alarm goes off :P