Minneapolis airport security drill upsets Muslim rights group

A national Muslim civil rights group is calling on DHS secretary Janet Napolitano to investigate the reinforcement of racial profiling in training exercise after a recent security drill at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

The drill took place on 12 May and involved a man of Middle-Eastern descent who attempted to smuggle a device made to look like a bomb hidden inside a shaving kit. The device was brought to a security checkpoint where it was eventually found.

Police Sergeant Mark Ledbetter, who was involved with the drill, reported that “upon arriving [at the checkpoint], TSA [Transportation Security Administration] screeners were out with a male who appeared to be Middle Eastern in descent or Indian/Pakistani.”

The man was reportedly dressed in business attire and remained calm.

In response to the exercise, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) sent a letter to Secretary Napolitano on Monday requesting that she review “the use of outside trainers who offer hostile, stereotypical and grossly inaccurate information about Muslims and Islam.”

Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for CAIR, said, “It’s not surprising in the least that [federal authorities] would resort to anti-Muslim stereotypes.”

Hooper added that he has no problems with security drills, but warned that “when you resort to ethnic and religious stereotypes in these types of drills, it sends the message to watch out for these people, and that leads to profiling.”

In defense of TSA’s decision, Greg Soule, a spokesman for the agency, said TSA conducts “thousands of training tests each year, and the individuals carrying out the testing are [of] various ethnicities, ages and appearances, just like the traveling public.”

TSA officials also received sharp criticism for the 12 May security drill for failing to notify the airport that it would be sending a mock explosive device. The incident led to an armed response by police officers who were not aware of the drill.