A young Canadian boy has been struggling with being on the no-fly list his entire life – all because of the name he was given at birth.
Syed Adam Ahmed and his father Sulemaan Ahmed were traveling on New Year’s Eve to a hockey game in Boston, when they were told at the Toronto airport that the boy had been flagged as “high-profile” and deemed a security risk.
Every time the family flies, they’re unable to check Ahmed in online, and he’s required to get special clearance to board a plane. His father snapped a picture as he waited in line on his way to Boston.
The tweet allowed others to vent about their traveling frustrations as well.
According to the NY Daily News, airline officials suggested that the family change the child’s name or apply for a special card to make getting past security less of a hassle.
“I think that’s putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound, quite frankly. I think we need to look at the government and Air Canada to work together to find a solution for everyone,” the dad told CTV.
“He’s basically being carded for being Muslim,” mom Khadija Cajee told Global News.
Soon after Ahmed’s father tweeted about the incident, Canada’s public safety minister said he’d look into the matter.
SOURCE: NY Daily News, CTV, Twitter | PHOTO CREDIT: Twitter
Six-Year-Old Canadian Boy Placed On No-Fly List Because Of His Muslim Name was originally published on globalgrind.com
