US-Born NASA Scientist Detained At Airport And Told To Hand Over Smartphone

[sanjaysahu]

 

http://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/usborn-nasa-scientist-detained-at-airport-and-told-to-hand-over-smartphone/

 

By Tom Hale

14/02/2017, 17:01

Science knows no boundaries, unless it's US passport border control. Cybersecurity experts at NASA are currently investigating a smartphone that was taken off one of their scientists at an airport by US border control.

Sidd Bikkannavar, a US-born scientist who works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), was detained at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, on January 30, days after President Trump signed an executive order banning citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries. Bikkannavar was returning home after a personal trip to Santiago in Chile, where he had been racing solar-powered cars, he explained in an interview with The Verge

Despite being a government employee who is registered in the Global Entry program for “pre-approved, low-risk travelers,” he was taken into a private interview room by US Customs and Border Patrol and handed a document titled “Inspection of Electronic Devices.”

He was pressured into handing over his smartphone, which was issued to him by JPL, along with his access PIN. Since this means the phone is technically the property of NASA, Bikkannavar is expected to protect its contents.

Bikkannavar, whose name originates from southern India, said it could be a “huge coincidence” that this happened days after the travel ban, although he acknowledged he has a "foreign-sounding name."

“I asked a question, ‘Why was I chosen?’ And he wouldn’t tell me," Bikkannavar told The Verge.

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Nick Adkins @nickisnpdx

this is from an IRL friend of mine. this is NOT my america. EVER. #MuslimBan Siid is a US Citizen. @CustomsBorder u say "Welcome Home" #NASA

2:31 PM - 6 Feb 2017

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“I was cautiously telling him I wasn’t allowed to give it out, because I didn’t want to seem like I was not cooperating," said Bikkannavar. "I told him I’m not really allowed to give the passcode; I have to protect access. But he insisted they had the authority to search it.”

Eventually, he handed over the PIN and phone. After being escorted to a back room with other detainees and waiting for 40 minutes, it was returned.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory say they’re now "running forensics" on the phone to determine if anything had been taken or installed onto the phone. He has also deleted his Facebook page until he can ensure it “wasn’t also comprised.”

“This is a huge, huge violation of my work policy," Bikkannavar told The Atlantic. "This is a matter of great concern."

[Neutral]

Evadaithey naakenti---- sumpu tweet

 

[Bathai_Babji]

After all H1B Trupupupu.....

[Quickgun_murugan]

26 minutes ago, Bathai_Babji said:

After all H1B Trupupupu.....

love da lodi. I think he is hiding something..

thokkalo H1B s H4s happy ga enter avutuntey.. mana thoti pourulaki ilaaga jaragatam chala badhakaram

[bhaigan]

Indian origin US born US citizen ne detain chesaru ante . Indian born , Indian passport H1b's paristhiti ento

[hello987]

US born citizen ni US vaallu enduku deport chestharu, deport ekkadki ani chestharu,,,,

[Quickgun_murugan]

8 minutes ago, hello987 said:

US born citizen ni US vaallu enduku deport chestharu, deport ekkadki ani chestharu,,,,

Deport cheyyaru man.. they were questioning based on his name and religion ani matter aada..

[jbourne]

Just now, Quickgun_murugan said:

Deport cheyyaru man.. they were questioning based on his name and religion ani matter aada..

But akkada name chudagane religion enduku ostadii 

[Quickgun_murugan]

6 minutes ago, jbourne said:

But akkada name chudagane religion enduku ostadii 

if they find you suspicious and you have some flag in your travel history then scrutinize chestaru..

akkada clear ga undi kada.. vaadu special visitors pass edo ani.. so additional scrutiny chesaru.. aadu danini over exaggerate chesadu

[jbourne]

Just now, Quickgun_murugan said:

if they find you suspicious and you have some flag in your travel history then scrutinize chestaru..

akkada clear ga undi kada.. vaadu special visitors pass edo ani.. so additional scrutiny chesaru.. aadu danini over exaggerate chesadu

But why he was made to give pin for his mobile ?? 

[Quickgun_murugan]

1 minute ago, jbourne said:

But why he was made to give pin for his mobile ?? 

that's something fishy... may be they don't want to leave any stone unturned ...or he is hiding something..

[jbourne]

Just now, Quickgun_murugan said:

that's something fishy... may be they don't want to leave any stone unturned ...or he is hiding something..

NASA JPL lo job ante ne top security clearance vuntadii malla enduku pakkana poi scrutiny chesinru 

[Hyper]

30 minutes ago, hello987 said:

US born citizen ni US vaallu enduku deport chestharu, deport ekkadki ani chestharu,,,,

its called detained...deport veru detained veru..detained..ante..kurcho beti qwuestions..ani investigate chestharu..manani random ga chestharu...adhi

[Hyper]

21 minutes ago, jbourne said:

But akkada name chudagane religion enduku ostadii 

mana dhantlo  evadiyana police vadini kotqagane nenu sc,ST ani etla gurthu vasthadhi epudu siatution lo religion atla gurthu vastahdhi..so that they can blame eveyrthing on the other person...and cover up main incident

[boeing747]

thurumpf tatha mundu veellantha jujubi