Handy hint for world travelers: If any government official asks whether you or any member of your family has ever engaged in terrorist activity, always answer “No.”
Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff, Grauniad:
A three-month old baby was summoned to the US embassy in London for an interview after his grandfather mistakenly identified him as a terrorist.
Harvey Kenyon-Cairns had been due to fly to Orlando in Florida for his first overseas holiday, until his grandfather Paul Kenyon made the error on a visa waiver form.
On the part of the Esta form which reads “Do you seek to engage in or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities, espionage, sabotage, or genocide?” Kenyon ticked yes instead of no.
It’s become a huge hassle for this family, and I sympathize, but… Isn’t that a pretty important question to get right? You’d think the word “terrorist” would’ve caught Mr. Kenyon’s eye. The only way anybody would ever answer “Yes” to that question is by accident. Maybe the embassy called them in just to see what sort of person is that careless.
Big government sucks, yes, but you have to be smarter than the people trying to bury you in red tape. Pay attention to what you’re signing, and make sure you answer all the questions correctly. Especially whey they ask if your little grandson is a terrorist.