Local Muslims airprofiling concerns Federal officials, residents discuss Americans' rights at WMU event

Just how is it, Alexandria Osborne wanted to know, that airport screeners decide which passengers to single out for intensive security checks?

Once, before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, screeners made her empty her entire suitcase for inspection. ``I think I was the only one I saw they did that to,'' said Osborne, an African-American Muslim from Texas Township.

Later, after 9/11, her suitcase was checked for explosive residue, and she was asked by a screener to drink from her water bottle on another occasion.

Osborne was among about 50 people who gathered Thursday at Western Michigan University to discuss with federal officials rights Americans have when interacting with federal law enforcement officials, FBI raids on Muslim-American charities, the federal government's stand on Hezbollah, and sensitivity and cultural-awareness training for FBI agents.

Representatives from federal agencies including the FBI, Citizenship and Immigration Services, Transportation Security Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection were on a panel that also included representatives of the American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee.

The 90-minute program was held to foster a dialogue between Arab- and Muslim-Americans and the federal government.

Osborne said she believes airport screeners singled her out for extra scrutiny because she wears a hijab, a religious head-covering.

Max Harnish, assistant security director of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration in western Michigan, said airports in western Michigan don't engage in racial profiling.

Passengers are selected for additional scrutiny at random based on computerized programs that dictate the frequency of searches, he said. Airlines also play a role in deciding what percentage of passengers can be singled out for additional security checks, Harnish said.

``We do it solely by numbers,'' said Harnish, who oversees security for Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport and Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids and said he could speak only for airports in western Michigan.

He added, however, that there are a few scenarios beyond random selection that can lead to additional screening. Some people may be screened more often because their names are on a watch list of people with suspected ties to terrorist groups. Travelers who buy tickets at the last moment or act in ways that aren't normal also can get additional screening, he said.

``The fact is that we should not be selecting people for additional screening solely based on their appearance,'' Harnish said.

Thursday's panel discussion was sponsored by Building Respect In Diverse Groups To Enhance Sensitivity, or BRIDGES, of Western Michigan.

The organization is a made up of government officials, citizens and representatives of community groups, organized by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and U.S. Attorney's Office to build understanding and trust between law enforcement agencies and the Arab and Muslim communities.