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Journalism of Courage
In a puzzling incident,a six-year-old Indian-origin girl’s name figures on the US terror watch list and the Homeland Security Department has refused to make any changes in her status.
Alyssa was barred from flying in the United States after her name popped up on Homeland Security Department’s terror watch list when the Ohio-based family tried to board a flight from Cleveland to Minneapolis recently.
“We were,like,puzzled,” said girl’s father Dr. Santhosh Thomas,according to a local Fox TV affiliate.
“I’m like,well,she’s 6-years-old and this is not something that should be typical.”
A ticket agent informed Thomas that his daughter Alyssa’s name was on the watch list.
The parents contacted Homeland Security,but were told no changes would be made to the list,media reports said.
“She may have threatened her sister,” Thomas told CNN in a sarcastic remark. “But I don’t think that constitutes Homeland Security triggers.”
Alyssa was still allowed to fly,but had to go through extra security.
“The watch lists are an important layer of security to prevent individuals with known or suspected ties to terrorism from flying,” a spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration told Fox News.
