Jimi

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Just because this guy converted to Islam, he is on the "terror watch" list? I thought that in this country, people were free to worship whatever religion they chose.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- For Erich Scherfen, being on a government terror watch list isn't just a matter of inconvenience. It could end his career.
Erich Scherfen served 13 years in the military, including flying National Guard helicopters.

Erich Scherfen served 13 years in the military, including flying National Guard helicopters.
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Scherfen served in the U.S. military for 13 years, as an Army infantryman in the first Gulf War and then as a helicopter pilot in the National Guard. After receiving an honorable discharge, he was hired as a pilot by Colgan Air Inc., a regional airline operating in the Northeast and Texas.

In April, Colgan informed Scherfen that he was on a government list and would be suspended from his job. He was told he faced termination on September 1 unless he was able to clear his name.

But Scherfen, of Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, has been unable to do so and said he fears that it could mean he has no future as a pilot.

"My entire career depends on me getting off this list," he said. "I probably won't be able to get a job anywhere else in the world having this mark that I'm on this list."

Witold Walczak, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney representing Scherfen and his wife in a lawsuit, calls the government actions "unfair" and "unjust."

"It is quite clear when the government does something that takes away not just your job but your occupation, your career, they have to provide you with some means to clear your name," Walczak said.
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The lawsuit, filed this week in federal court in Pennsylvania, asks the U.S. government to remove Scherfen and his wife, Rubina Tareen, from any watch lists or databases that inhibit their travel.

Scherfen is a convert to Islam. His wife emigrated from Pakistan when she was 17 and is now a U.S. citizen. She runs a small business selling books and DVDs about Islam, publications she describes as nonpolitical. Video Watch the couple speculate on why they're listed »

Scherfen and Tareen have both been stopped when traveling and told by security personnel that they are on "a list." Scherfen calls it "embarrassing."

Tareen said she thinks they may be on a watch list because of their Muslim faith and her Pakistani heritage. The two said they are not terrorists and don't associate with people who are.

"I have no idea why I am on the list, and they're not telling officially that I'm even on the list," Scherfen said. iReport.com: Are you on the list?

In a statement, the U.S. Justice Department said it will not confirm or deny that the couple's names are on a watch list for national security and privacy reasons.

In May, Scherfen and his wife wrote to the Department of Homeland Security, asking for help with their case. The department referred them to the Transportation Security Administration's Traveler Redress Inquiry Program. This week, they received a number to track their case, but their complaint has not been addressed.

A TSA spokeswoman said the agency is seeking "a meaningful resolution" to the couple's case but said there is no timetable for doing so.

Meanwhile, a federal judge has the case under review. He asked that Colgan move Scherfen's termination date to October 1. The airline has done so, allowing more time for a possible resolution.

"Unfortunately, it is a problem that is shared by countless individuals who have no connection to terrorism, have no connection to crime and don't belong on this list," said Walczak, the ACLU lawyer.

Walczak acknowledged the need for the government to protect the country from threats with a watch list but said, "The problem with what the government is doing is that they really don't care about innocent casualties."
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Scherfen said the pain of his situation is accentuated by the fact that he spent 13 years in uniform protecting the country.

"We served honorably," he said. "We served in a war. And they're thumbing their noses at us, basically, and that makes me feel ... really sad about this situation."

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"I don't care if they're black, white, purple or green. Awww hold on now. Purple or green? You gotta draw the line somewhere. To hell with purple people. Unless they're suffocating. Then help them."


January 2009, the end of an error.

licupssy

I don't know how they're calculating his time. Since he was in the National Guard it's hard to tell how many years of it was as a weekend warrior because he'd be crazy to get out if that was 13 years of active service. Of course to old vets like me any length of service would have to be even years unless you got kicked out.

If he enlisted at 18 in '89 to have served in the gulf war in '91 his 13 years would have been up in 2002 just after the 9/11 attack. It doesn't say when he got his commercial license(military pilots are not licensed pilots but as far as I know have to have a college degree and be an officer). It's noted he started with Colgan Air in 2006.

Don't know when he got married but his wife(age - 50) has been here since 1974. I suppose they might have gotten married around 1996 when he converted to Islam. The fact that she's 13 years older than him may bring some attention.(Not really uncommon but might be considered a little booty)

When you take his conversion to Islam, leaving the service right after 9/11, and marrying a Muslim who's 13 years older and who's country of origin happens to be where Obama is suppose to be hiding, has to have a few red flags popping up.

Colgan Air(as quoted from Wiki and can be seen elsewhere) with a major hub at Washington - Dulles and a group of 9/11 hijackers on one of their fights might make them a little itchy.

Problem is PA is a will to work state(you don't have a right to a job here), so it's perfectly alright for Colgan to say you can't be a pilot for them if you're on the list. So unless he can prove that TSA has no reason to have him on the list he's probably screwed. He best get cracking and fill out his application for PIA(Pakistan International Airlines).

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I solemnly swear that I am up to no good! ~~~SWTWC

Jimi

Other airlines were boarded. Honestly, there's no reason to expect this guy other than the fact that he's muslim. His wife, as you said, has been here since '74. That's a long time resident.

Also, If I'm not mistake, Obama can pretty much be found campaigning in the United States. I don't think he's lost anywhere in Pakistan.

Osama, however...

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"I don't care if they're black, white, purple or green. Awww hold on now. Purple or green? You gotta draw the line somewhere. To hell with purple people. Unless they're suffocating. Then help them."


January 2009, the end of an error.

elfoozo

You're pretty outspoken about this Jimi...
You must be a terrorist supporter.

BackdoorJesus

damn Al Quaedan can go to work for Iran Air

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onlyalad

I think that there needs to be a review process on the do not fly list. I understand that the powers that be feel that they are doing something to keep us safe. However, the only people that are stopped are the mostly honest, harmless people. Ok some may have loud voices, but they are complainers not doers. Real terrorists know how this list works and will get fake IDs. This list is like locking your front door. Sure it keeps the mostly honest people from walking into your house, but a crook will just break a window.

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Ben Franklin

licupssy

Osama, Obama; sounds the same when you hear it often enough. They're probably both on the list.



Yeah, but he also said this.....


Spoken like a true Philadelphian......

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I solemnly swear that I am up to no good! ~~~SWTWC

fmb

The list BS is just that, BS. There are many reports of persons on the list for what appears to be absolutely no reason. I would like to know if this "list" has stopped anything; if so, what?

Although I'm a strong supporter of our government, have worked for the government in the past, and presently as a contractor, I believe our government has overstepped some boundaries.

BackdoorJesus

well, we haven't had a terrorist attack on US soil since Sept 11, 2001...so I guess there's that

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yellowfish

sorry i think these terror lists are just to terrorise the sheeple into beliving there is something to be worried about
its to make the people vote for the tougest talker

this logic is the stepping stone to a police state

yellowfish

when America wanted to defete USSR during the cold war they started the arms race and it effectivly shattered thier economy
i think that AL Quida are effectivly breaking your economy
they just needed to perpitrate the one act to start the ball rolling

This war on terror is bankrupting you
its eroding your civil libertys and creating a large mistrust betwwen countrymen
this is the platfom to destruct the mighty USA
one of your founding fathers or presidents said something like "America will only be defeted from the inside"

sorry
its just the way i see it

thecowboy

I disagree. War is good for the economy. If you had said the war on drugs, however...

Juan.©amaney

*Looks at national debt, unemployement, and housing/oil crisis* *kicks cowboy in balls*

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ravenshrike

Sooo, is nuke the TSA still a viable option?

As for Osama, either dead from disease or a grease spot in some cave.



Unemployment is actually not bad, the housing/oil crisis is entirely unrelated to the war and would have happened regardless, and the national debt reported by the government is around 10% of the actual debt, with that other 90% being caused almost exclusively by Medicare/SocSec along with a relatively minor contribution from govt. pension programs.