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| Strip-Searched Muslim Woman Gets Apology | ||
| 2006-12-29 | ||
| Homeland Security Apologizes To Woman Detained At Tampa Airport TAMPA, Fla., Dec. 28, 2006 - (AP) The Department of Homeland Security has sent a letter apologizing to a Muslim woman who was detained at the Tampa airport and strip-searched at a county jail. Safana Jawad, 45, a Spanish citizen who was born in Iraq, was detained on April 11 because of a suspected tie to a suspicious person, authorities said. She was held for two days before being deported to England. Jawad filed a complaint, and the agency apologized in a letter dated Dec. 8. "On behalf of the Department of Homeland Security, I offer you my sincere apology for having to undergo a strip search," wrote Timothy J. Keefer, acting chief counsel for the department's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
Department spokeswoman Joanna Gonzalez said it is standard practice to send a response letter to someone who complains. She said the agency does not track the number of apologies it issues. Jawad was traveling to Clearwater to visit her 16-year-old son, who lived with her ex-husband, Ahmad Maki Kubba. Kubba, an Iraqi exile and American citizen for 27 years, was praised last year by Gov. Jeb. Bush for organizing a group to vote in Iraq's election. Kubba said his ex-wife's detention prompted his son to move to Spain. "I lost my son because of what happened," Kubba said. "My son wanted to be in the U.S. Navy, and he speaks both English and Arabic. He would have been just what they are looking for. What they did to Jawad was unfair and is hurting America." A Pinellas County jail internal investigation cleared deputies of wrongdoing in the case. "We followed the same protocol with her as with any inmate," Sgt. Jim Bordner said.
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| Posted by:.com |
| #7 Main letter: We apologize for any inconvenience and insult you may have suffered. We will investigate to see how this happened and to prevent it from happening again. Attached, hand-written: Send this bitch form letter DHS-03-387 |
| Posted by: Jackal 2006-12-29 22:30 |
| #6 This 'apology' sounds more like a form letter: Sorry you're bummed. Sucks to be you. Don't go away mad. Just go away. -- Sincerely, Homeland Security. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2006-12-29 13:59 |
| #5 My, oh my. How thin-skinned her son is. Methinks we should tail him. While I applaud the father (if that's all he's done; is to help encourage voting in Iraq), the son appears to be too thin-skinned for military life. I mean, leave the country because your mom was detained for 2 days? At least he backs up his "threat" to leave (unlike the Hollyweirdos). What was Jr. gonna do when he sees REAL violence in the military? Cut and run to al-Andalus? |
| Posted by: BA 2006-12-29 10:39 |
| #4 If that's all it takes for them to leave then 2,000,000 more strip searches please. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-12-29 09:10 |
| #3 Although I don't have detailed knowledge of the Pinellas County Jail (like certain members of my family....oh well....), if they are like 99% of law enforcement agencies in this country, she was searched by female officers away from male eyes. It's SOP, and I'm sure they went over and above due to the "sensitivities" of her religion and the local chapter of CAIR. |
| Posted by: Swamp Blondie 2006-12-29 08:24 |
| #2 "My son wanted to be in the U.S. Navy, and he speaks both English and Arabic. He would have been just what they are looking for. The effort already paid off. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2006-12-29 07:33 |
| #1 She was held in jail so she was searched BFD, squat and cough, get over it |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2006-12-29 04:08 |