UAE | Tourism
US agents given power to seize travellers' laptops
US federal agents could take a traveller's laptop or other electronic device to an off-site location for an unspecified period of time without any suspicion of wrongdoing, as part of border search policies the Department of Homeland Security recently disclosed.
- By Ellen Nakashima, Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service
- Published: 00:04 August 2, 2008
Washington: US federal agents could take a traveller's laptop or other electronic device to an off-site location for an unspecified period of time without any suspicion of wrongdoing, as part of border search policies the Department of Homeland Security recently disclosed.
Also, officials may share copies of the laptop's contents with other agencies and private entities for language translation, data decryption or other reasons, according to the policies, dated July 16 and issued by two agencies, US Customs and Border Protection and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"The policies ... are truly alarming," said Senator Russell Feingold, who is probing the government's border search practices. He said he intends to introduce legislation soon that would require reasonable suspicion for border searches, as well as prohibit profiling on race, religion or national origin.
US officials said that the newly disclosed policies - which apply to anyone entering the country, including US citizens - are reasonable and necessary to prevent terrorism. Officials said such procedures have long been in place but were disclosed last month.
The policies state that officers can "review and analyse information" in the traveller's laptop "absent individualised suspicion".
Share this article
Popular in UAE
-
Your pictures
Readers' pictures
A Selection of the best Gulf News reader pictures this week
Latest news
- Safe ways of handling medical waste discussed
- Emirati students to be chosen for German internship
- Public urged to ensure food safety
- Residency section clears 6,000 cases
- Residents opt for other gifts as gold soars
- UAE residents spend hours trying to cross into Oman
- Traditional theme at Etihad celebrations
- Dubai in for breezy conditions
- The true meaning of festival of sacrifice
- Maguindanao massacre victims remembered
- School buses must do safe drop-offs
- Rulers exchange Eid greetings
- Plan to make you reach for the book
- The last strand could count in time
- Mohammad endorses Watani campaign
Community Reports
-
School buses must do safe drop-offs
Some bus drivers let students off at the wrong side of the road
-
Munching on a health hazard
Residents must be careful about consuming snacks and sandwiches prepared along the roadside as they attract dirt and bacteria
-
Faded signage fails to guide visitors
Reader seeks better upkeep of signboards in green areas
-
Noise pollution must be regulated
Residents are finding it difficult to sleep well at night owing to ongoing construction work
