Listen to the fascist sing...

[polluxlm]

Blog by Erla ?sk Arnard?ttir Lillendahl

During the last twenty-four hours I have probably experienced the greatest humiliation to which I have ever been subjected. During these last twenty-four hours I have been handcuffed and chained, denied the chance to sleep, been without food and drink and been confined to a place without anyone knowing my whereabouts, imprisoned. Now I am beginning to try to understand all this, rest and review the events which began as innocently as possible.

Last Sunday I and a few other girls began our trip to New York. We were going to shop and enjoy the Christmas spirit. We made ourselves comfortable on first class, drank white wine and looked forward to go shopping, eat good food and enjoy life. When we landed at JFK airport the traditional clearance process began. We were screened and went on to passport control. As I waited for them to finish examining my passport I heard an official say that there was something which needed to be looked at more closely and I was directed to the work station of Homeland Security. There I was told that according to their records I had overstayed my visa by 3 weeks in 1995. For this reason I would not be admitted to the country and would be sent home on the next flight. I looked at the official in disbelief and told him that I had in fact visited New York after the trip in 1995 without encountering any difficulties. A detailed interrogation session ensued. I was photographed and fingerprinted. I was asked questions which I felt had nothing to do with the issue at hand. I was forbidden to contact anyone to advise of my predicament and although I was invited at the outset to contact the Icelandic consul or embassy, that invitation was later withdrawn. I don't know why. I was then made to wait while they sought further information, and sat on a chair before the authority for 5 hours. I saw the officials in this section handle other cases and it was clear that these were men anxious to demonstrate their power. Small kings with megalomania. I was careful to remain completely cooperative, for I did not yet believe that they planned to deport me because of my "crime". When 5 hours had passed and I had been awake for 24 hours, I was told that they were waiting for officials who would take me to a kind of waiting room. There I would be given a bed to rest in, some food and I would be searched. What they thought they might find I cannot possibly imagine. Finally guards appeared who transported me to the new place. I saw the bed as if in a mirage, for I was absolutely exhausted. What turned out was something else. I was taken to another office exactly like the one where I had been before and once again a long wait ensued. In all, it turned out to be 5 hours. At this office all my things were taken from me. I succeeded in sending a single sms to worried relatives and friends when I was granted a bathroom break. After that the cell phone was taken from me. After I had been sitting for 5 hours I was told that they were now waiting for guards who would take me to a place where I could rest and eat. Then I was placed in a cubicle which looked like an operating room. Attached to the walls were 4 steel plates, probably intended to serve as bed and a toilet. I was exhausted, tired and hungry. I didn't understand the officials? conduct, for they were treating me like a very dangerous criminal. Soon thereafter I was removed from the cubicle and two armed guards placed me up against a wall. A chain was fastened around my waist and I was handcuffed to the chain. Then my legs were placed in chains. I asked for permission to make a telephone call but they refused. So secured, I was taken from the airport terminal in full sight of everybody. I have seldom felt so bad, so humiliated and all because I had taken a longer vacation than allowed under the law.

They would not tell me where they were taking me. The trip took close to one hour and although I couldn?t see clearly outside the vehicle I knew that we had crossed over into New Jersey. We ended up in front of a jail. I could hardly believe that this was happening. Was I really about to be jailed? I was led inside in the chains and there yet another interrogation session ensued. I was fingerprinted once again and photographed. I was made to undergo a medical examination, I was searched and then I was placed in a jail cell. I was asked absurd questions such as: When did you have your last period? What do you believe in? Have you ever tried to commit suicide?

I was completely exhausted, tired and cold. Fourteen hours after I had landed I had something to eat and drink for the first time. I was given porridge and bread. But it did not help much. I was afraid and the attitude of all who handled me was abysmal to say the least. They did not speak to me as much as snap at me. Once again I asked to make a telephone call and this time the answer was positive. I was relieved but the relief was short-lived. For the telephone was set up for collect calls only and it was not possible to make overseas calls. The jailguard held my cell phone in his hand. I explained to him that I could not make a call from the jail telephone and asked to be allowed to make one call from my own phone. That was out of the question. I spent the next 9 hours in a small, dirty cell. The only thing in there was a narrow steel board which extended out from the wall, a sink and toilet. I wish I never experience again in my life the feeling of confinement and helplessness which I experienced there.

I was hugely relieved when, at last, I was told that I was to be taken to the airport, that is to say until I was again handcuffed and chained.Then I could take no more and broke down and cried. I begged them at least to leave out the leg chains but my request was ignored. When we arrived at the airport, another jail guard took pity on me and removed the leg chains. Even so I was led through a full airport terminal handcuffed and escorted by armed men. I felt terrible. On seeing this, people must think that there goes a very dangerous criminal. In this condition I was led up into the Icelandair waiting room, and was kept handcuffed until I entered the embarkation corridor. I was completely run down by all this in both body and spirit. Fortunately I could count on good people and both Einar (the captain) and the crew did all which they could to try to assist me. My friend Au?ur was in close contact with my sister and the consul and embassy had been contacted. However, all had received misleading information and all had been told that I had been detained at the airport terminal, not that I had been put in jail. Now the Foreign Ministry is looking into the matter and I hope to receive some explanation why I was treated this way.

Terrorist?



http://eggmann.blog.is/blog/eggmann/entry/389611/

[Where is Hassan Nasrallah ?]

she has bad roots.
anyway, glad to see blond people treated like black people for once




ps: kidding , it's a sad story.

[polluxlm]

ps: kidding , it's a sad story.

Sadly it's becoming a common story too. Third time I've heard shit like this happening in a couple of months.

[fuckin crazy]

I would warn anyone, if you are not a US citizen, DO NOT TRAVEL TO THE US. YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS while on US territory. BE FOREWARNED.

There are stories of people being sent to arab and eastern european states, without any word given to anyone of their whereabouts, to face brutal turture. This girl is lucky.

[GeorgeSteele]

I don't know what's worse - that it happened or that it was barely reported in the US media.  Total disgrace. 

[Eazy E]

I wonder if she flew back to Iceland first class?

[Bandita]

I only found 6 hits on Google News and they were all from Icelandic websites, why is this not being reported???

[freedom78]

This is disappointing.  I'm looking forward to January 2009, and the steady erosion of paranoia. 

I am glad that something worse didn't happen to her.  If they refused to admit her because of what happened in 1995, then fine.  Send her back.  But this was way over the top.

[Bandita]

It's not fine, none of it is.  Instead we let people in with NO passport and then let them feed off the system, give them driver's licenses and now credit cards and mortgages too.  No, instead we terrorize a woman from Iceland who wants to come here and go shopping.

At worst she should have been questioned a bit about her long stay in 1995 and then let be. 

The customs people at Newark Airport must think I am a terrorist too.  3 times back in 2001-2002 while flying from here to Paris (I did it frequently because I was engaged to someone who lived there) I got stopped at every point and had my bags dissasembled and I was questioned.  Then they did it to me again on my way back because I had nothing to declare after spending 3 weeks in France.  Me shoving my engagement ring in the custom guy's face explaining I wasn't there for a shopping spree wasn't really helpful and he took apart my bags and found one five dollar box of cookies I bought in Normandy.  This is me in my own country, I can only imagine what they do to foreigners!

[polluxlm]

More stories coming in...

Unfortunately this is common these days. We had two employees of us (we are in the property market) detained while travleing through JFK.

First this happened in 2005 when a colleague of us was flying to Mexico City and had to change planes in JFK. So he never actually had to enter the states, he was only in the international transit area. He was screened and then put into detention. He is a Sikh and so he wears his turban. He was captured and held hostage without charges or warrant for 12 days. US Homeland Security never bothered to inform us, his family or any reprentative of the United Kingdom, England or the Commonwealth. He wasn?t allowed to make phone calls, he had his hair cut or better it was shaven of to the bare skin. For a Sikh the hair is holy and he isn't allowed to cut it, ever. After 10 days we had eye witnesses of his arrest in the transit area and were able to file an official diplomatic action against the US in London. It took 2 more days to even locate him, he was in a Federal prison in Connecticut, solitary confinement. They kept him alone in a dark cell in 3 different prisons, 3 in the last one. he was allowed one meal per day. And the guard in connecticut said to him "If i were you, don't drink, thats the fastest way out of here for you". He NEVER received an official apology. Reason: Enemy Combatants have no rights. Nice

Second happened this year, another employee of us was captured in JFK while entering NYC for a business meeting. She was taken hostage at the immigration screening, she had been to the US before in 2006. She is UK citizen and muslim, she is actually a scot from Glasgow. Anyway she is of palastenian origin. She was held hostage for 14 days in a prison in New Jersey, nobody was informed about her imprisonment, she was denied any phonecalls and rights. She was strip searched by 2 men. Multiple times. She had her hair shaven for "hygiene concerns". She was kept awake for at least 2 days (she saw the sun rise three times outside". She was denied food or drink for 3 days. She was told that she would be transferred to Guantanamo Bay where they know "how to deal with your kind". It took us 10 days after her imprisonment to visit her the first time. She was brought back to the UK in an orange prison jumpsuit and completely chained, after an 8 hour flight, needless to say without food and drink, guarded by 4 federal marshals. She has no criminal record, has 3 children and is married to a lad from Bristol. Her husband is a protestant. She hasn't visited a mosque in 12 years she told me.

Our company has withdrawn from the US market completely. All staff is advised to choose travel routes that avoid the US and US air carriers.

We closed our branches in NY, San Francisco and Houston and laid off 180 people in staff plus subcontractors (maintenance etc).

Currently i'd recommend to everybody who is not a caucasian white reborn christ to avoid the US at all cost.

Sorry, just wanted to tell you that you aren't alone. Lets get our governments to cooperate in this matter.

Land of the free.... my ass.

Gerard MacGinty

[Where is Hassan Nasrallah ?]

It's not fine, none of it is.  Instead we let people in with NO passport and then let them feed off the system, give them driver's licenses and now credit cards and mortgages too.  No, instead we terrorize a woman from Iceland who wants to come here and go shopping.

since when Passport is the key to be treated humanly ? I thought that you just had to be ... human.

Anyway,
i never had problem with US customs, and i look like a terrorist and wear CCCP shirts. THAT is beyond racism! they don't even acknowledge me !:

[polluxlm]

Anyway,
i never had problem with US customs, and i look like a terrorist and wear CCCP shirts. THAT is beyond racism! they don't even acknowledge me !:

Give it time...

[Where is Hassan Nasrallah ?]

Anyway,
i never had problem with US customs, and i look like a terrorist and wear CCCP shirts. THAT is beyond racism! they don't even acknowledge me !:

Give it time...

yeah, now that i have my passport stamped with Syrian entry visa ... i'm a dead man !

[Bandita]

Seems to be a big issue at JFK.  That airport is a mess, I never use it. 

[MJ23]

I wonder if she flew back to Iceland first class?

What does this have to do with the issue?

It's sad that some governments or officials are using the paranoia to threaten the people.
When the common paranoia has lowered a little bit, the threat will be again raised (orange -> red).

[Eazy E]

I wonder if she flew back to Iceland first class?

What does this have to do with the issue?

I'm not sure, ask the blogger!