Extensive baggage searches are a common reality in U.S. airports

From CNN Correspondent Kyoko Altman

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Air passengers traveling this long holiday weekend at U.S. airports are now subject to a screening process that could result in extensive baggage searches.

Under federal rules that went into effect with the new year, authorities are looking more extensively for explosives and weapons, and making sure passengers checking luggage actually board their flights

But civil rights groups argue that airlines are targeting certain ethnic groups.

"It's based on a false premise that the profile of the terrorist is the Arab American, which is totally unacceptable," said Hala Maksoud of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.

Authorities are looking more extensively for explosives and weapons

Dr. Firas Al-Kawas, a physician at Georgetown Hospital, is one of more than 200 Arab Americans who charge they've been singled out for excessive searches. Al-Kawas was checking in for a flight to Syria when an airline official emptied his luggage onto the floor in public view.

"I was upset," he said. "I thought it was very demeaning. I asked why they were doing it and they told me they were FAA instructions."

The FAA won't disclose all the criteria it uses for singling out suspicious passengers. But officials deny that ethnicity, religion or nationality are factors. The Justice Department ruled last year that the FAA's criteria were not discriminatory, clearing the way for the rules to go into effect.

"It's an invasion of privacy," said one traveler, "however with the conditions in the world today, you need to have some kind of security check. "

The new rules were enacted in the wake of the TWA 800 disaster. Even though terrorism has been ruled out in that case, the security measures will stay.

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Related stories:

• Justice Department says air passenger screening not ethnically discriminatory - October 2, 1997
• Report: Airlines to match domestic passengers, bags - May 6, 1997
• Aviation panel calls for new security measures - December 13, 1996

Related sites:

• Federal Aviation Administration
• American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee

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