Fw: Travel Advisory

[abdul zanabli]

FYI

 

Abdulrahman Zanabli, MD

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On Sunday, June 29, 2014 4:34 AM, Mohamed Summakia <summ...@hotmail.com> wrote:

AA,
 
I came back yesterday to Dallas through Frankfort. I was waiting at the gate to catch my flight in Frankfort and two gentleman called me to go to the counter.  They introduced themselves that they work at the American consular office in Frankfort.  They were polite and asked me about my trip in Turkey, about SAMS and if I visited Syria. Also she asked about my seat number on the airplane.  It took 10 minutes. 
 
I arrived Dallas and I was escorted to the waiting area to be asked by an officer.  I met the officer after waiting for about 15 minutes.  She was very polite and asked me all kinds of questions from the first time I entered USA to the spelling of my mother and sister names.  By the end, I requested to ask her one question which she agreed. I asked her why does she ask me all this questions. Her answer "I don't know"  
 
For me, this is not a normal security procedures. I think I was targeted because I'm a SAMS member. I had four international trips since June of 2013 without any question asked.  I'm planning to contact my congressman on Monday.
 
Mohamed Summakia
 

 

---

Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2014 04:02:25 -0400
Subject: Re: Travel Advisory
From: msek...@gmail.com
To: mayha...@gmail.com; sah...@yahoo.com
CC: AlKal...@mayo.edu; hal...@msn.com; zms...@gmail.com; kku...@gmail.com; natali...@sams-usa.net; mahmoud...@osumc.edu; katra...@yahoo.com; azan...@yahoo.com; tara...@gmail.com; alma...@iuhealth.org; bh...@aol.com; ymgh...@hotmail.com; suk...@karmanos.org; trab...@sbcglobal.net; annies...@me.com; raw...@hotmail.com; bkash...@gmail.com; mb_a...@yahoo.com; tho...@ucsc.edu; fares...@gmail.com; he...@humanitariantracker.org; hial...@yahoo.com; hfar...@cox.net; imad....@yahoo.com; ikha...@hotmail.com; khale...@qrcs.org.qa; lana.k...@gmail.com; loayk...@gmail.com; loum...@gmail.com; zka...@yahoo.com; maher....@gmail.com; mob...@hotmail.com; kao...@yahoo.com; moall...@gmail.com; mounzer...@hc.msu.edu; moustaf...@uphs.upenn.edu; nada...@yahoo.com; shi...@buffalo.edu; rimal...@yahoo.com; salem...@gmail.com; sab...@med.umich.edu; solw...@aol.com; kass...@gmail.com; tarek...@hotmail.com; wha...@yahoo.com; albib...@comcast.net; ybakd...@hotmail.com; yassar....@att.net; zff....@gmail.com; eye...@hotmail.com; ibrah...@yahoo.com; mra...@aol.com; raza...@gmail.com; ss...@aol.com; afel...@gmail.com; abe...@gmail.com; ajm...@hotmail.com; akat...@sbcglobal.net; mak...@hotmail.com; albertn...@gmail.com; alha...@hotmail.com; amja...@hotmail.com; asa...@msn.com; ayma...@yahoo.com; bterm...@msn.com; bro...@gmail.com; drmo...@hotmail.com; drnas...@yahoo.com; drou...@aol.com; fka...@aol.com; mhn...@gmail.com; ihou...@gmail.com; sham...@gmail.com; jabri...@yahoo.com; chara...@gmail.com; kan...@msn.com; drlm...@msn.com; mala...@al.com; mas...@aol.com; duwa...@gmail.com; mhom...@gmail.com; mohana...@yahoo.com; drsu...@gmail.com; mswe...@yahoo.com; nah...@hotmail.com; osal...@gmail.com; raat...@aol.com; rand...@yahoo.com; rsah...@yahoo.com; saa...@yahoo.com; drsb...@aol.com; steph...@yahoo.com; summ...@hotmail.com; tals...@aol.com; thana...@hotmail.com; yahia...@gmail.com; ybag...@gmail.com

Came via DC last night without any problems. Looks like the harassment is more likely occurring in Chicago. 

Sent via the Samsung Galaxy Note® II, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone

-------- Original message --------

From: mayha...@gmail.com

Date:06/29/2014 1:35 AM (GMT-05:00)

To: Zaher Sahloul

Cc: "Al-Kali, Aref, M.D." ,hamed albiek ,ZAHER MSALLATY ,Kheder Kutmah ,Natalie Hall ,"Houmsse, Mahmoud" ,Abdalmajid Katranji ,abdul zanabli ,ahmad tarakji ,"Akram Al-Makki M.D." ,Amjad Bahnasi ,ammar ghanem ,Ammar Sukari ,Ammar Traboulsi ,Annie Sparrow ,Ayman Rawda ,Bashar Kashlan ,Bassel A Atassi ,"David A. Tony Hoffman, Ph. D." ,Fares Albitar ,Hend Alhinnawi ,Hicham Alnachawati MD ,Hussam Farhoud ,Imad Khadra ,Issam Khayata ,Khaled Diab ,Lana Kashlan ,loay kabbani ,"Lou M. Smith" ,"M. Z kattih" ,Maher Azzouz ,Mamoun Mobayed ,Mohamed Kaou ,Mohannad Moallem ,Mounzer Kassab ,Moustafa Ahmed ,Nada Almoujahed ,Othman Shibly ,Rim Albezem ,Salem Samra ,"Siddiqui, Sabina (Sabina)" ,Steve Olweean ,Taha Kass-Hout ,"Tarek Kteleh. MD" ,Wael Hakmeh ,"Yahia Rahim (Theresa Newton)" ,Yahya ,Yassar Kanawati ,Zaid ,eye...@hotmail.com,ibrah...@yahoo.com,mra...@aol.com,Razan Al-Nahhas ,s suleiman ,Abdul Elshaar ,abe...@gmail.com,ajm...@hotmail.com,akat...@sbcglobal.net,akram almakki ,Al Nadjarian ,ali halabi ,Amjad Rass ,asa...@msn.com,ayma...@yahoo.com,BASEL TERMANINI ,Bronia Alashkar ,drmo...@hotmail.com,drnas...@yahoo.com,drou...@aol.com,farouk kanaa ,Hisham Naji ,Ihsan Housini ,imad khadra ,jabri...@yahoo.com,Jihad Charabati ,kan...@msn.com,Lina Murad ,mala...@al.com,mas...@aol.com,Mazen Duwaji ,Mohamed Homsi ,Mohamed Sekkarie ,mohana...@yahoo.com,Moutaz Sunbuli ,mswe...@yahoo.com,muhamad nahas ,Omar Salem ,Rafel Atassi ,Randa Loutfi ,rsah...@yahoo.com,saa...@yahoo.com,sami bittar ,Ayman al khiami ,summ...@hotmail.com,tals...@aol.com,thana tarsha ,yahia rahim ,Yahya Bakdal

Subject: Re: Travel Advisory

It was a great conference. Thank you for every one who contributed. As far as our travel experience, it went very smoothly. The customs officer at SFO looked at our passports and told us that he had Syrian friends who love to watch Turkish soap operas:) He then asked if we visited places other than Istanbul and we told him about Gazi Antep so he laughed wondering out of all places why would anyone go there, we answered for a medical conference so he welcomed us home. 

Dr. Mayssoun Alhariri

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 28, 2014, at 4:59 PM, Zaher Sahloul <sah...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Dear SAMS participants in the conference

We are taking your comments and feedback very seriously. 4 of us including myself have been questioned but politely at Chicago Airport yesterday by CBP. It did not take more than 15-30 minutes but after a long travel it is annoying experience.

I contacted the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the Department of Homeland Security on your behalf and advised them of what happened to some of our members at the airports including what is mentioned in this email thread.

The director of the office, who is of Syrian origin and a great person, is taking this issue very seriously and will be making it a priority policy issue.

It will help if you can provide me with the name of airport you arrived to and date of your arrival to address some of the specifics.

Please note of the following facts:

1. Most Syrian Americans travelling to the region have been stopped before and after returning by CBP (Customs and Border Control) whether they were SAMS or non-SAMS members. Many have nothing to do with relief work and just going for tourism.

2. The Department of Homeland Security is very concerned about reports of some of the people who "joined' the fight with some extremist groups inside Syria and their threat on national security and that is why they started such intrusive procedure.

3. SAMS has the trust of the USG and DHS at highest level. Just 2 weeks ago, the Secretary of DHS was hosted by SAMS (by their request) in Chicago to discuss these and other issues and to make sure that our civil liberties are protected.

4. Most interviews are routine and should be very professional but if you feel that the interviews were unprofessional, disrespectful or prolonged unnecessarily, then let us know or file a complaint to the office of civil rights and civil liberties at DHS.

5. Expect that such procedure will continue for the foreseen future as long as there is instability and threat of terrorism from the region.

6. There is nothing that we are doing in term of humanitarian relief that is against the law. We run very transparent and professional operations and we are funded by USAID. We maintain consistent contacts with State Department, National Security Staff and DHS. We actually implement the humanitarian policy of our country. Our doctors are discharging their humanitarian duty and sometime risking their lives to save lives and to improve the image of our country (USA). So be proud of what you do and be confident, polite and professional when asked by CBP, TSA or other departments in DHS. If any of you were asked by FBI for interview, please contact your CAIR chapters for guidance and let us know if you had bad experience. Don't feel compelled to meet with FBI agents and please don't meet with them in your home or your office. You have the right to refuse meeting with FBI and of course you have to right to have an attorney with you (in case that you decided to meet with them). At this stage it looks that DHS is anxious about the ramifications of what is happening in Syria and Iraq on national security and they are collecting all kind of information. We have nothing to hide and nothing to be afraid of. SAMS is one of the few organizations that is trusted by US Government at multiple levels.

7. We will provide you with any new updates, feedback or guidelines when we receive them.

Thank you and welcome home.

  

Dr M. Zaher Sahloul

President

Syrian American Medical Society

http://www.sams-usa.net/

 

On Saturday, June 28, 2014 6:37 PM, "Al-Kali, Aref, M.D." <AlKal...@mayo.edu> wrote:

Thanks Hamed for the feedback

I am sure SAMS leadership will dig more about these new trends by CBPs as Zaher mentioned in an earlier email.

Please note I took off non-SAMS members from this email chain, esp our Turkish colleagues

Aref

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 28, 2014, at 5:57 PM, "hamed albiek" <hal...@msn.com> wrote:

We had the worst experience in our lives. After being questioned by a rude custom officer with major emphasis on wether if I came in contact with any wounded patients while in Gazienteb. Why did we go to that conference? Why was the meeting held in Gazienteb? Did I cross the border to Syria? Did I meet any relatives in Turkey? Names?  What is SAMS? Who belongs to it?

Then my family was escorted and each member had two officers pat inspect in a very uncomfortable fashion. They went through every item in our carry on including my little one coloring book, as a matter of fact the lady officer spent 3 min flipping pages in that book.

It was targeted as a SAMS member for sure since I have done missions to Jordan with other group without an issue and I really sensed that from type of questions I had about SAMS.

We were never ever treated this way NOT even in Syria. Very saddened and disappointed.

Hamed

From: msa...@ualberta.ca
Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 12:34:06 -0600
Subject: Re: Travel Advisory
To: zms...@gmail.com
CC: kku...@gmail.com; mailto:natali...@sams-usa.net; drmust...@yahoo.com; mahmoud...@osumc.edu; mailto:metegu...@hotmail.com; katra...@yahoo.com; azan...@yahoo.com; mailto:drch...@hotmail.com; tara...@gmail.com; aaa...@hotmail.com; mailto:alma...@iuhealth.org; dai....@gmail.com; bh...@aol.com; mailto:ymgh...@hotmail.com; execu...@orienths.com; suk...@karmanos.org; mailto:trab...@sbcglobal.net; annies...@me.com; dr_a...@hotmail.com; mailto:atifg...@hotmail.com; raw...@hotmail.com; bkash...@gmail.com; mailto:mb_a...@yahoo.com; behc...@gmail.com; bfaib...@gmail.com; mailto:yildi...@hotmail.com; tho...@ucsc.edu; fares...@gmail.com; mailto:gokay...@gmail.com; hal...@msn.com; mailto:he...@humanitariantracker.org; hial...@yahoo.com; hfar...@cox.net; mailto:imad....@yahoo.com; ikha...@hotmail.com; khm...@gmail.com; mailto:khale...@qrcs.org.qa; lana.k...@gmail.com; Lewis....@signfracturecare.org; loayk...@gmail.com; mailto:loum...@gmail.com; zka...@yahoo.com; maher....@gmail.com; mailto:mob...@hotmail.com; mma...@icrc.org; mailto:meco...@hotmail.com; kao...@yahoo.com; moall...@gmail.com; mailto:Mounzer...@hc.msu.edu; moustaf...@uphs.upenn.edu; mtgu...@hotmail.com; mailto:nada...@yahoo.com; shi...@buffalo.edu; rpit...@gmail.com; mailto:rimal...@yahoo.com; sacit...@yahoo.com; s...@ualberta.ca; mailto:salem...@gmail.com; sab...@med.umich.edu; SOlw...@aol.com; mailto:kass...@gmail.com; tarek...@hotmail.com; wha...@yahoo.com; mailto:albib...@comcast.net; ybakd...@hotmail.com; yassar....@att.net; mailto:sah...@yahoo.com; zff....@gmail.com; ziada...@hotmail.com; mailto:abou...@yahoo.com; bshertou...@hotmail.com; eye...@hotmail.com; mailto:ibrah...@yahoo.com; mra...@aol.com; mailto:raza...@gmail.com; ss...@aol.com; mailto:afel...@gmail.com; abe...@gmail.com; ajm...@hotmail.com; mailto:akat...@sbcglobal.net; mak...@hotmail.com; albertn...@gmail.com; mailto:alha...@hotmail.com; alkal...@mayo.edu; amja...@hotmail.com; mailto:asa...@msn.com; aula....@gmail.com; ayma...@yahoo.com; mailto:bterm...@msn.com; bro...@gmail.com; mailto:doubl...@hotmail.com; drmo...@hotmail.com; drnas...@yahoo.com; mailto:drou...@aol.com; fka...@aol.com; mailto:mhn...@gmail.com; ihou...@gmail.com; sham...@gmail.com; mailto:jabri...@yahoo.com; chara...@gmail.com; kan...@msn.com; mailto:drlm...@msn.com; mala...@al.com; mailto:mas...@aol.com; mayha...@gmail.com; duwa...@gmail.com; mailto:misske...@hotmail.com; mhom...@gmail.com; msek...@gmail.com; mailto:mohana...@yahoo.com; drsu...@gmail.com; mswe...@yahoo.com; mailto:nah...@hotmail.com; osal...@gmail.com; raat...@aol.com; mailto:rand...@yahoo.com; rsah...@yahoo.com; sto...@gmail.com; mailto:saa...@yahoo.com; drsb...@aol.com; mailto:steph...@yahoo.com; summ...@hotmail.com; tals...@aol.com; mailto:thana...@hotmail.com; theh...@msn.com; yahia...@gmail.com; mailto:ybag...@gmail.com; yash...@yahoo.com; yna...@hotmail.com; mailto:zali...@yahoo.com

AA

Coming to canada through Frankfort 

No issue what so ever 

Maher

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 28, 2014, at 12:17 PM, ZAHER MSALLATY <zms...@gmail.com> wrote:

Here is my experience,

I was stopped while I was BOARDING the plain in Paris, and told that my name is on a list from the US for people who need to be questioned. An agent was called, he appeared few minuets later, He was very polite, asked few questions, took my home address, email and phone number.

It was only because I was in the "sky priority and first class" boarding lane, I had enough time to still board the plane, it would have been impossible if I was in the general boarding lane. which would have meant time to spend in Paris ;-)

I was also taken to be questioned, again, by an officer when I landed in Atlanta. thanks God I had enough time to still catch my connection, because he seemed to completely insensitive of the fact that I could miss my plane.

Also,I'm not sure if it has anything to do with it, my checked in bag was NOT loaded on plane in Paris, as I was told by custom agent in Atlanta with no explanation.

This process in very intimidating, and I think we are being treated as Guilty until proven innocent, not the other way around, this is stereotyping and targeting of Syrian American in general, and SAMS member in specific.

We should speak up before things escalates to the worse, the US government should work in concert with us not against us, since we are working for the greater good of humanity, standing up to fulfill the good principals and spirit of the people of the US, and improving the improving the image of the US.

Zaher

On Wed, Jun 25, 2014 at 2:59 AM, Kheder Kutmah <kku...@gmail.com> wrote:

Alhamdu llelah aaslamah

 

I Think all of who has been questioned need to be raise harsh complaints to the congressman

" As a Syrian American  is it guilty till proven otherwise if you visited Turkey"

Also Sams need to address because this will scare weak Syrian not to help the crime victims because of these actions

On Sun, Jun 22, 2014 at 7:12 AM, Natalie Hall <natali...@sams-usa.net> wrote:

Dear SAMS members and guests who attended the International Conference,

We wish to provide you with a travel advisory upon your return to the United States.  We wish you to be aware of the likelihood of extra security measures upon arrival to the United States.  This is due to recent events and heightened security concerns.  These protocols are routine.  Please appropriately fill all reentry documents as accurately as you can.  Please keep an accurate record of any and all monetary instruments you are carrying.  Please answer all questions directed towards you honestly and concisely.  As Americans, we respect our laws and abide by them.  If you encounter any incident that you feel are beyond the norm,  please accurately and with as little emotion as possible document them so that we can forward them to the appropriate supervising authorities.  We wish you all safe and happy travels.

Also please keep a hard copy of your visa. Some of our doctors have been asked for their printed out Turkish visas at the Istanbul airport.

--

Natalie Hall

Society Manager

Syrian American Medical Society

Washington DC Office

Tel: 202-503-1288

http://www.sams-usa.net/

--

KHEDER KUTMAH, M.D. D,ABSM.

BOARD CERTIFIED

PULMONARY, CRITICAL CARE AND SLEEP

--
Zaher Msallaty, M.D.