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British pair arrested in U.S. on terror charges over Twitter jokes
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| Swamper |
Careful what you tweet!
Article: LINK
Two British tourists were barred from entering America after joking on Twitter that they were going to 'destroy America' and 'dig up Marilyn Monroe'.
Leigh Van Bryan, 26, was handcuffed and kept under armed guard in a cell with Mexican drug dealers for 12 hours after landing in Los Angeles with pal Emily Bunting.
The Department of Homeland Security flagged him as a potential threat when he posted an excited tweet to his pals about his forthcoming trip to Hollywood which read: 'Free this week, for quick gossip/prep before I go and destroy America?'
After making their way through passport control at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) last Monday afternoon the pair were detained by armed guards.
Despite telling officials the term 'destroy' was British slang for 'party', they were held on suspicion of planning to 'commit crimes' and had their passports confiscated.
Leigh was also quizzed about another tweet which quoted hit US comedy Family Guy which read: '3 weeks today, we're totally in LA p****** people off on Hollywood Blvd and diggin' Marilyn Monroe up!
The Department of Homeland Security was recently criticised over false accounts it set up on Twitter.
These are then used to scan networks for 'sensitive' words and then for tracking the people who use them.
Online privacy group, the Electronic Privacy Information Centre requested information on the DHS's scans, which it says the agency announced in February last year.
The group claims that a request under the Freedom of Information Act to access the documentation has gone unanswered.
Federal agents even searched his suitcase looking for spades and shovels, claiming Emily was planning to act as Leigh's 'look out' while he raided Marilyn's tomb.
Bar manager Leigh, from Coventry, and Emily, 24, from Birmingham, were then quizzed for five hours at LAX before they were handcuffed and put into a van with illegal immigrants and locked up overnight.
They spent 12 hours in separate holding cells before being driven back to the airport where they were put on a plane home via Paris.
Leigh, an Irish national, and Emily arrived at Birmingham Airport last Wednesday afternoon.
Emily said: 'The officials told us we were not allowed in to the country because of Leigh's tweet. They wanted to know what we were going to do.
'They asked why we wanted to destroy America and we tried to explain it meant to get trashed and party.
'I almost burst out laughing when they asked me if I was going to be Leigh's lookout while he dug up Marilyn Monroe.
'I couldn't believe it because it was a quote from the comedy Family Guy which is an American show.
As a result of this message, the pair's luggage was searched for spades
'It got even more ridiculous because the officials searched our suitcases and said they were looking for spades and shovels. They did a full body search on me too.
'We just wanted to have a good time on holiday. That was all Leigh meant in his tweet. He would not hurt anyone. He is gay.'
Leigh posted the tweet on January 16 before the pair flew to LA last Monday.
Leigh said: 'It's just so ridiculous it's almost funny but at the time it was really scary. The Homeland Security agents were treating me like some kind of terrorist.
The words deemed as being sensitive by the DHS include:
* Illegal immigrant
* Outbreak
* Drill
* Strain
* Virus
* Recovery
* Deaths
* Collapse
* Human to animal
* Trojan |
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| CMR |
| Ah, good 'ol Homeland Security, protecting America from evil-doers. :rolleyes: |
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| WittyHandle |
| quote: | Originally posted by Swamper
He would not hurt anyone. He is gay.' |
:haha: |
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| hardcore trancer |
| America: land of the free!! |
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| MSZ |
| quote: | Originally posted by Swamper
* Human to animal |
those bastards. |
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| infinity HiGH |
can America do the world a favour and remove itself from this universe?
edit hmmm...I wonder if I'll get arrested for that comment next time I travel to the States.
edit 2 hahahaha who am I kidding? I'll eat glass before I travel there under my own free will. |
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| jon jon |
yo, how about my ing Anonymous retweet yesterday? guaranteed the FBI/CIA checked me out lol
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| jon jon |
it's crazy to think that post was read by more than half a million followers (it also got 100+ retweets!)
twitter is ed |
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| jon jon |
| quote: | Originally posted by Swamper
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lol this picture is so staged! |
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| Mach X |
That's the thing.. do you make your account private and only let your friends see, or use the full capability and essence of twitter and make it public.
I've struggled with both, on one hand I want the privacy of only my friends or acquaintances on there, but have the freedom knowing coworkers or strangers are not.
But you can't retweet private accounts and various other things. Dunno... |
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| ChemEnhanced |
| if someone said they were coming to my house to trash it I wouldn't let them in....you go america. |
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| slingshot |
| quote: | Originally posted by ChemEnhanced
if someone said they were coming to my house to trash it I wouldn't let them in....you go america. |
I'm sorry, did you just say you sniff glue? |
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