So here we go, in respond to the weekend engagement question - two truths and one lie
But which is not true?
Number 1: I was arrested at Heathrow Airport
I was leaving London via Heathrow on a plane to Pakistan. I was arrested at the check-in counter and kept for questioning for 2 days.
The background to this was, at the time I was living in a block of flats in central London. There were a number of gangs around and I often saw them in the building. I was respectful to them, I did talk to some of them sometimes but I largely just minded my own business.
There had been a serious crime committed - I never found out what exactly. However, I had been seen in the block of flats talking with the gang near the time. The police investigating wanted to question different people and when they found I was booked on a plane to Pakistan, they took it that I was fleeing. (I had had the flight booked for a month). What's worse, being a Muslim, in their minds it gave them a motive (for what I don't exactly know).
I was released without charge after 2 days of questioning.
Number 2: Every time I come into the US, I am taken for questioning
It's more than that, every time I board a plane to the US from the UK, my boarding pass is stamped with SSS which stands for Special Security Screening. It means I get to be "randomly selected" for additional security checks every time I come into the US. Apparently I have travelled to various other suspicious countries like Pakistan and Sudan and as a Muslim, that puts me on a suspicious list. Of course, I have never done anything to warrant it but have to shut-up and deal with the situation.
The interview can take some time and every time I feel like I have to prove my innocence. I get asked the same questions every time about my background, my beliefs, my work and my purpose of travel.
In one year, I went into the US 7 times and it happened without fail every single time. This is despite having a valid 10 year visa for the US for multi-entry.
Number 3: I was arrested in Sudan for spying
Whilst on a work contract in Sudan for a project I did there for a few years, I was with some other British people who were visiting the country. One of them was a photographer and we decided to go out for the day to take some photos by the river Nile and some of the busy markets.
One of the places we went to was a market but what we didn't know is that it was close to a military building. The police saw us taking photos and because we were foreigners, they arrested us for taking photos of the military installation. They confiscated the cameras and detained us whilst they investigated. They said that are acts amounted to spying.
We were put into a very squalid police holding cell that stank of urine and was really grim inside.
We were lucky that we knew a powerful local person who came and vouched for us and negotiated for our release.
So which are the two truths? Which is the lie?