US: More screening for Muslim travellers

New York: The US government's decision to especially monitor citizens of 14 countries at airports in the wake of the botched attempt to blow up a plane on Christmas Day, has intensified the debate over racial and religious profiling in America. Civil-rights advocates are not too impressed. They say profiling just gives an impression of increased security but is actually ineffective.

"The government now has legitimized profiling by saying that regardless of whether you have done something criminal the mere fact that you hold citizenship in a particular country is enough for you to automatically be subject to excess scrutiny. The problem with profiling is that the terrorists always find a way to beat the profile," said Amardeep Singh, Co-Founder, Sikh Coalition.
Thirteen of the 14 countries demarcated by the US are predominantly Muslim and experts warn that profiling can be counterproductive.  

Shayana Kadidal, Center for Constitutional Rights says, "People in these 14 countries are going to start to think that the US feels that everyone in that country is an enemy of the US and that tends to make people less willing to cooperate with law enforcement generally. We are less likely to win the hearts and minds of people in the countries that are now on this watch list.

The crackdown is a reaction to the United States' failure to prevent the underwear bomber from boarding a plane for Detroit, despite his name being on a watchlist, and warnings to the authorities from his father about his recent radicalization.

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At a time when more than ever the US needs a fool proof security system, some experts worry that these new measures only create an illusion of increased security while continuing to miss important clues to stop real terrorists.