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Muslim woman harassed at Dayton airport, group says

Letter of complaint calls her 'pat-down' at security checkpoint 'humiliating.'

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By John Nolan, Staff Writer Updated 9:31 PM Wednesday, July 22, 2009

DAYTON — Federal transportation security officers subjected a Muslim woman to a humiliating search as she was traveling through Dayton International Airport, a Muslim advocacy organization said Wednesday, July 22.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations said it mailed letters of complaint on Monday to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security’s civil rights office, and was awaiting their responses. The TSA is part of the Department of Homeland Security.

The woman wore a full-length dress and an Islamic head scarf when she was stopped and pulled out of line on June 2 for a “pat-down” search at an airport security checkpoint, the council said in a statement sent to news organizations.

She agreed to undergo the search in a private room, where she was taken by three female TSA employees, the council said. The traveler alleged that she was forced to lift her dress to expose her entire body and that one of the TSA employees searched under the woman’s undergarment with her hand.

The woman alleged that she was also ordered to lift her legs for examination with a security wand, even though she told the TSA she was physically unable to comply because of her disability from a car accident.

She was released after 70 minutes to complete her trip to New York, she said.

Karen Dabdoub, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Cincinnati region, said she asked the TSA to investigate and to review its screening policies for any discriminatory impact on Muslims. She also requested that the TSA apologize and offer the woman compensation.

TSA said it was aware of the alleged incident. The agency declined to say whether it had investigated it, and would not say whether it agreed with the account that the advocacy organization gave.

“All transportation security officers are held to the highest professional standards and are expected to treat passengers with respect and courtesy,” the TSA said in a prepared response. “To ensure the highest level of security, passengers wearing loose fitting or bulky clothing may be subjected to additional screening. In instances where passengers choose not to remove bulky clothing, including headwear, our officers are trained to offer a private screening area and may conduct a pat-down search to clear the individual.

“TSA continues to work closely with its community partners to provide security protocols that are thorough and effective while fostering respect,” the agency said.

The Dayton airport’s administration referred comment to the TSA.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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