IP: Innocent are caught in cross hairs of the hunt for suspected terrorists

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> From: Monty Solomon <monty () roscom com>
>
>
> CONSUMER BEAT
> Innocent are caught in cross hairs of the hunt for suspected terrorists
>
> By Bruce Mohl, Globe Staff, 12/9/2001
>
> AWinchester resident with a Middle Eastern name was just finishing
> dinner and paying his bill at Jimmy's at the Burlington Mall when
> America's war on terrorism intervened.
>
> His waiter returned to the table and told him his Citibank platinum
> credit card had been denied. Embarrassed, he paid the bill with cash,
> called Citibank, and soon discovered that his credit card had been
> unilaterally blocked because his name matched that of an alleged
> terrorist listed on an executive order issued by President Bush.
>
> The cardholder, whose name is about as commonplace in his native
> Egypt as John Smith is here, was astounded that Citibank would
> mistake him for a terrorist. Not only had ''Smith'' (he asked that
> his real name not be published) been a US citizen for 26 years and a
> prominent doctor affiliated with Harvard Medical School and
> Massachusetts General Hospital, he had also been a Citibank
> cardholder as long as the alleged terrorist had been alive.
>
> ...
>
> http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/343/business/Innocent_are_caught_in_cross_hairs_of_the_hunt_for_suspected_terrorists+.shtml 

For archives see:
http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/