Former Norway PM detained at Dulles - potential terrorist?

[Martinius]

Former Norway PM held at Washington airport over 2014 visit to Iran

The former Prime Minister of Norway, Kjell Bondevik, was placed in detention at Dulles airport on Tuesday. He had come to the U.S. to attend the National Prayer Breakfast with President Trump. But because his diplomatic passport, which identifies him as the former PM of Norway, showed that he had been in Iran a few years back, he was detained with other suspect terrorists (women, children, grandmas, employees of U.S. companies, people with Green Cards, etc.) for an hour. Obviously, additional training of our people on the ground is needed.

I am sure that at the prayer breakfast Bondevik said some silent prayers on behalf of the President. We will never know. But we do know what he said publicly:

“I was surprised, and I was provoked. What will the reputation of the US be if this happens not only to me, but also to other international leaders?”

Note: I originally posted this in another forum earlier, by mistake. It was in the section for Christians only.

 

[Greg J.]

It's often a bad experience for one to be treated like an average person. However I don't see any indication (in the above post) that he was accused of anything.

In this particular case, some people need some reeducation on what a diplomatic passport means (and I expect that will happen swiftly). It it worrisome though that this happened at one of the two major D.C. airports. It feels like an indicator of widespread weaknesses in TSA training. I understand why such weaknesses must exist, but it is nevertheless disappointing.

 

[Rion]

We're talking about people who confiscate nail clippers for a living. Not exactly the most reasonable group to begin with.

 

[Gadarene]

So even the laughably short list of visas allowed through Trump's ban isn't exact. We can now consider diplomatic visas suspect as well.

 

[Cimorene]

I wish this surprised me bc it's so crazy but it doesn't at all.

 

[Martinius]

It's often a bad experience for one to be treated like an average person. However I don't see any indication (in the above post) that he was accused of anything.

No, he was never accused of anything, as there was nothing to accuse him of! But he was apparently suspicious, suspicious enough to detain him for about an hour. Because of a stamp in a diplomat's passport. One of many stamps. A former PM of an American ally. Not a Green Card holder, not a refugee, not from an Arab country.

 

[LinguaIgnota]

To be fair, Bondevik has been known to associate with some pretty unsavory types. Here he is in a picture from 2003.

 

[Martinius]

To be fair, Bondevik has been known to associate with some pretty unsavory types. Here he is in a picture from 2003.

Oh my, definitely don't let him in.

In my other thread, mistakenly started in the wrong forum, I posted this, a script for how the encounter at the airport SHOULD have gone:

1. Customs man: Mr. Bondevik ("Prime Minister Bondevik" would have been more appropriate), I see in your passport that you visited Iran. Can you explain the reason for that visit?"
   
   Bondevik: "As you can see from my passport and all the other stamps, I was the Prime Minister of Norway, and in that and my other diplomatic roles I have visited many countries. Such as the U.S. to meet with your President at the White House, and to New York on business with the United Nations. All part of my duties over the years."
   
   Customs man: "I see, and the reason for this visit?"
   
   Bondevik: "To attend the National Prayer Breakfast with President Trump."
   
   Customs man: "Thank you, sir, here is your passport. Enjoy your stay in America."

 

[Uncle Siggy]

It it worrisome though that this happened at one of the two major D.C. airports. It feels like an indicator of widespread weaknesses in TSA training. I understand why such weaknesses must exist, but it is nevertheless disappointing.

That is irrelevant the point of this narrative (and all of the other narratives for the past 3 months) is to blame/delegitimize Trump, nothing more nothing less...

 

[Martinius]

That is irrelevant the point of this narrative (and all of the other narratives for the past 3 months) is to blame/delegitimize Trump, nothing more nothing less...

Actually true. If trump and his Breitbart minions had used a little more thought before doing this, and prepared the agencies, the chaos would have been much less. And Bondevik and many others would not have been detained.

 

[USincognito]

To be fair, "Kjell Bondevik" and "Anders Breivik" are pretty close.

 

[Uncle Siggy]

If trump and his Breitbart minions had used a little more thought before doing this, and prepared the agencies, the chaos would have been much less.

You're under the assumption that TSA can do their job as ordered/correctly to begin with, and without personal/political bias. (We are talking about a government agency you know)...