Boy, eight, barred from f light to US as ‘terror suspect’
A SCHOOLBOY was barred from a dream holiday to the US because off i ci al s apparently feared he posed a threat to national security.
Drew Saunders, eight, was only minutes from leaving Heathrow with his parents when he was told he could not board a plane.
After his father explained where they were travelling and why, a US Homeland Security official coolly replied: ‘Not today, you’re not.’
The father and son were told their pre-approved electronic visas were no longer valid, and the official blandly added: ‘No explanation is needed.’
The family believe they are victims of secretive behindthe- scenes checks designed to stop terrorist suspects entering America.
They have been left angry and more than £3,500 out of pocket for their trip to Las Vegas because they are unable to arrange fresh paperwork in time. Speaking last night, Drew’s mother Nikki, 42, who was told she could travel, said: ‘I have no idea why we were singled out in this way. We just think it must be a case of mistaken identity, that perhaps someone has the same name or date of birth as my husband – or even looks the same.
‘That is all we can think of and the man said he was not able to offer any further explanation to us.
‘My son was really good, he just sat down on the window ledge and watched our cases being taken off the aeroplane. It was me that was crying because I was getting upset. It was heart-breaking. They said we could apply again for visas but I am a bit scared to.’
Drew, from Burnham- onCrouch, Essex, was hoping to travel to Las Vegas via New York with his mother and f ather Martin, 45, a selfemployed tiler. The couple were married in the Nevada party city four years ago and have enjoyed regular trips to the US since then.
On July 21, the family travelled to Heathrow for a twoweek trip which they had booked months earlier and obtained the appropriate electronic visas.
But when they reached the departure gate a plain-clothes official took them to one side and said the father and son were not allowed to fly.
Mrs Saunders said: ‘An official came up to Martin and said, “Can I see your passport”. Then he looked around for Drew and he took both their passports. When they said they were travelling to Las Vegas on holiday, he said, “Not today you’re not”. He said they did not have the required documents.
‘He said he knew they had been approved but said their “status had changed”. When I asked why, he said, “I’m not at liberty to say”.’
Mrs Saunders said she later discovered the authorities had sent an email a few hours earlier saying they would not be allowed to fly, but she did not see it.
‘My husband has never had a parking ticket or a speeding fine. He does not have any debts on credit cards. There is no history at all,’ she said.
‘It has to be a case of mistaken identity, which is just bizarre as we filled out all the proper application forms. I think we will never find out why this has happened.’
A spokesman for Heathrow declined to comment on security arrangements. The US Department of Homeland Security could not be reached.
However, it is understood the family could not have been on the notorious ‘no fly list’ because they were able to obtain boarding cards.
The list contains more than 20,000 names of people the US authorities suspect of links to terrorism.
‘Mistaken identity’