: “Any Weapons To Declare?” US Begins Entry Checks on Muslims

In a move that surprises no one, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) will begin registering people from selected Arab and Muslim countries (the usual suspects: Iraq, Iran, Libya, Sudan, etc.) as they arrive in the country. Under the new policy, suspected Muslims will be fingerprinted, photographed and questioned. “Of course, I am upset,” commented Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on the new policy. “Because of the acts of a few people, the whole Muslim world seems to have been labelled.” US and British Arab/Muslim groups were upset by the moves, which they say target people based on race and religion. “This makes no distinction between criminals and the wider Muslim community,” said a spokesperson for the Muslim Council of Britain. An early sign that the increased security may be off the mark was the denial of a visa for acclaimed Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, who was to appear at the New York Film Festival for the premiere of his new film “Ten”. “If international cultural exchange is prevented, what is left?” wondered fellow filmmaker Aki Kaurismaki. “The exchange of arms?”

Shahed Amanullah is editor-in-chief of altmuslim.com.