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book on Arab history. They asked him more questions. Mr Shater became very, very angry.
The Secret
Service had confirmed that he was a secret serviceman and he did not know why the airline staff were
asking him so many questions. In the end they decided that he could not board the plane and he was
left at the airport in Baltimore.
There are many questions about this case. Some people say that Mr Shater was not allowed to board
the plane because he
was an Arab-American and that, after September 11th, people of Middle Eastern
appearance are checked more carefully at airports. They say that this is not fair and that this is against
civil rights. The airline,
American Airlines, says that this is not true and that Mr Shater was not
allowed to board the plane because he was angry and aggressive and because he made mistakes when
he filled in the form asking for permission to take his gun onto the plane.
Now there is a big discussion in the United States about this question. Some airlines now check pas-
senger lists for Islamic names and many people of Middle Eastern appearance
have not been allowed
to board planes. The airlines say that this is for "security" but critics say that this is racist and should
not be allowed. It is a very difficult question.
