Stopped and Searched under Terrorism Act!

[WillsBabe]

My husband has just returned home from a business trip to London. While he was there, he was stopped and searched under S.44(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000! The pink slip he was given by the officers said that the reason he'd been searched was because of carrying items related to terrorism. He was stopped at New Street Station. The officers gave him a pink slip relating to the stop and search. In reality, the whole thing was a training session for two trainee officers and he was asked first if he would agree to the training session, but the paperwork is scary-looking. We're a law-abding, civic minded family so this kind of thing is a bit of a big deal for us.

Anyone else had any similar experiences?

 

[JonathonWally]

My husband has just returned home from a business trip to London. While he was there, he was stopped and searched under S.44(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000! The pink slip he was given by the officers said that the reason he'd been searched was because of carrying items related to terrorism. He was stopped at New Street Station. The officers gave him a pink slip relating to the stop and search. In reality, the whole thing was a training session for two trainee officers and he was asked first if he would agree to the training session, but the paperwork is scary-looking. We're a law-abding, civic minded family so this kind of thing is a bit of a big deal for us.

Anyone else had any similar experiences?

Happens all the time when going into the PATH station in Hoboken, NJ during non busy times of the day. Cops with a table at the bottom of the stairs randomly stop people when it's not busy.

Never got a slip though.

 

[Emher]

Well there was that time I started arguing with a Homeland Security agent about the contents of the things I where bringing into the US. Actually it was more like no one had explained to me that there is a difference between state law and federal law and that foreginers comply to the latter when going into the us. He did not however bother to tell me that bit, I had to figure that out by myself aftefwards. I was detained for a bit and interrogated a second time bu a much more relaxed agent who seemed to wonder why the hell I was there. Suffice to say, honesty does not always pay off.

 

[Hermiod]

My husband has just returned home from a business trip to London. While he was there, he was stopped and searched under S.44(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000! The pink slip he was given by the officers said that the reason he'd been searched was because of carrying items related to terrorism. He was stopped at New Street Station. The officers gave him a pink slip relating to the stop and search. In reality, the whole thing was a training session for two trainee officers and he was asked first if he would agree to the training session, but the paperwork is scary-looking. We're a law-abding, civic minded family so this kind of thing is a bit of a big deal for us.

Anyone else had any similar experiences?

The main station that most people I work with is Waterloo, this happens to them all the time.

Unfortunately, there was also a much more serious incident involving a former colleague of mine the week after 7/7. Said ex-colleague is a journalist so his account of his treatment ended up on the front page of the Guardian.

 

[Lindley]

I'd have bags examined by airport security a few times. Nothing major.

 

[Mallory]

Same here. I've been taken aside and had them checked with one of those sniffer devices. I've also been asked to boot my laptop a couple of times.

 

[An Officer]

Ooh, how exciting. Hope they didn't make him late for anything.

 

[Dayton3]

My husband has just returned home from a business trip to London. While he was there, he was stopped and searched under S.44(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000! The pink slip he was given by the officers said that the reason he'd been searched was because of carrying items related to terrorism. He was stopped at New Street Station. The officers gave him a pink slip relating to the stop and search. In reality, the whole thing was a training session for two trainee officers and he was asked first if he would agree to the training session, but the paperwork is scary-looking. We're a law-abding, civic minded family so this kind of thing is a bit of a big deal for us.

Anyone else had any similar experiences?

Why are you complaining about something your husband agreed to in the first place?

 

[TheSeeker]

Unfortunately, there was also a much more serious incident involving a former colleague of mine the week after 7/7. Said ex-colleague is a journalist so his account of his treatment ended up on the front page of the Guardian.

I think I'd like to read that story! Link?

 

[An Officer]

^ I wonder if it was to do with the targeting of Asian males?

Were they hot trainees at least? Wait, your husband wasn't likely to spill the beans on that one...

 

[Hermiod]

My ex-colleague is not Asian. He just had the cheek to A) wear a long coat in July (on the day after the coldest July day in decades), B) let a train go past at the platform and C) have a laptop in his bag.

The story is here. The "nice laptop", by the way, was company property and contained company sensitive information.

 

[hammerhead]

I always get those pink slips, got about 10 in my car glove box as I drive around central London all the time and they always stop me, but since I got a brand new car it seems to have stopped.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

My husband has just returned home from a business trip to London. While he was there, he was stopped and searched under S.44(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000! The pink slip he was given by the officers said that the reason he'd been searched was because of carrying items related to terrorism. He was stopped at New Street Station. The officers gave him a pink slip relating to the stop and search. In reality, the whole thing was a training session for two trainee officers and he was asked first if he would agree to the training session, but the paperwork is scary-looking. We're a law-abding, civic minded family so this kind of thing is a bit of a big deal for us.

Anyone else had any similar experiences?

Why are you complaining about something your husband agreed to in the first place?

I guess I missed the complaining part.

The whole thing seems to me to be a symptom of the steady and constant erosion of civil liberties and freedoms based on fighting a nebulous enemy like "terrorism".

When terrorists use backpacks to carry bombs, it doesn't seem like too big of a leap to then classify all backpacks as "tools of terrorism", therefore justifying a stop and search.

As for me, I fly for work 3 weeks out of 4 so I'm well acquainted with the TSA potemkin village that passes for airport security since 2001.

But enough ranting.

On what basis can one get stopped for such a search, assuming it's not a training exercise?

 

[hammerhead]

Erm basically you can get stopped under any basis of suspicion under that Act, as when I have asked many times why I have been stopped, they say just because they can as under the Act, they can do what they like if they have any sort of suspicion or just want to search anyone randomly, there was that old 70 year old at some Labour conference who got arrested under the Act for just heckling, police were forced to apologise afterwards.

 

[An Officer]

I always get those pink slips, got about 10 in my car glove box as I drive around central London all the time and they always stop me, but since I got a brand new car it seems to have stopped.

Do they think criminals only drive old bangers? I would think the reverse, especially if they are being sustained by the money of religious zealots and all that...

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

So then my backpack example is valid?

My ex-colleague is not Asian. He just had the cheek to A) wear a long coat in July (on the day after the coldest July day in decades), B) let a train go past at the platform and C) have a laptop in his bag.

The story is here. The "nice laptop", by the way, was company property and contained company sensitive information.

That's seriously f*ed up.

I wonder how long it will be before stuff like that is tried here in the US?

 

[hammerhead]

yeah definitely that's why i never leave the house with a backpack if i know i am going to use public transport

 

[Hermiod]

Another colleague has been stopped twice at Waterloo, which is rather comical since he's from that well known supporter of Islamic terrorism known as Israel.

 

[An Officer]

^ Since they look pretty similar, I guess that explains it.

Unless you are Asian or North African, with a beard, AND carrying a rucksack, I don't see how you'd have a problem? Half the city carry rucksacks, especially students.

I used to have a North African friend, who had a light mustache and beard, and he had some really far out stories to tell about people changing carriages when they saw him with his bag...

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

yeah definitely that's why i never leave the house with a backpack if i know i am going to use public transport

Seriously?

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this.