Move over Cindy and Beverly: You had more company during the State of the Union address...

The State of the Union's Mystery Suspect

...on the same evening that President Bush was lauding democracy and freedom, there was one other person in attendance whose rights were infringed upon. The man, who did not want his identity revealed after the disturbing incident, was a personal guest of Florida Democrat Alcee Hastings. He is a prominent businessman from Broward County, Florida who works with the Department of Defense-and has a security clearance. After sitting in the gallery for the entire speech, he was surrounded by about ten law enforcement officers as he exited the chamber and whisked away to a room in the Capitol.

For close to an hour the man, who was born in India but is an American citizen, was questioned by the Police, who thought he resembled someone on a Secret Service photo watch list, according to Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer. Eventually, the police realized it was a case of mistaken identity and let him go. Gainer has assured Hastings that the Capitol Police, Secret Service and FBI will investigate why the man was detained for so long, and try to "sharpen our procedures." But the man was "very, very scared" by the incident, says Fred Turner, a spokesperson for Hastings. On Tuesday night, he told the congressman that the experience was "maybe just the price of being brown in America," Turner says.

Looks like it was a busy night, eh?

This is the first I have heard a photo watchlist.

Fascinating...

[edit on 4-2-2006 by loam]

Originally posted by loam
Looks like it was a busy night, eh?

This is the first I have heard a photo watchlist.

Fascinating...

[edit on 4-2-2006 by loam]

A photo watch list is a pretty standard Secret Service tool, dating dating back a couple decades. Basically, it's like a book of mugshots, except it's filled with people who could be a possible danger to the VIP. Extremists, stalkers, terrorists, wackos, etc, etc.

Each Secret Service agent will memorize hundreds, if not thousands of new photos a month. Because, lots of people wish harm onto public figures, but if one of those guys suddenly appear at the VIP's event, it's only because they mean to do the target harm.

Mainly, I think, as a response to John Hinckley Jr. who wrote letters to Jodie Foster, and stalked President Carter, before finally shooting President Reagan. They actually knew Hinckley was a threat, they just didn't kow he was there at the event - standing in the crowd. Waiting.

So, a photo watchlist is pretty standard, pretty reliable tool for Secret Service agents to screen the crowds of people that usually gather at these types of events.

You know this very interesting taking in consideration that many people from difference races that are more pure in blood line tend to look more alike as if they could be family.

Something that here in America is not longer the problem do the diversity of our roots.

Very bad experience for the poor man or perhaps the secret service was having a secret fun time while making the poor man nervious and afraid.

Thanks for posting loam! That was a very interesting read, and sadly a very unfortunate incident. It goes to show that even people 'who have nothing to hide, therefor nothing to fear' as some have put it before, do infact, have something to fear.

So why do you say that this man's rights were trampled on? If he did look like someone on the watch list, security would be negligent if they didn't check it out. There is a person that the State Police here in Pennsylvania are looking for who resembles me. I have been stopped 4 times and held twice and I don't feel that my rights are being violated. I love how if something is allowed to happen than the govenrment is to blame because they didn't prevent it. If the government takes steps to prevent something from happening then they are infringing on people's rights. i think that some people like to have somebody to blame for anything that happens and the government is an easy target.