'I'm going to destroy America and dig up Marilyn Monroe': British pair arrested in U.S. on terror...
Daily Mail
Two British tourists were barred from entering America after joking on Twitter that they were going to 'destroy America' and 'dig up Marilyn Monroe'.
Leigh Van Bryan, 26, was handcuffed and kept under armed guard in a cell with Mexican drug dealers for 12 hours after landing in Los Angeles with pal Emily Bunting.
The Department of Homeland Security flagged him as a potential threat when he posted an excited tweet to his pals about his forthcoming trip to Hollywood which read: 'Free this week, for quick gossip/prep before I go and destroy America?'
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'I almost burst out laughing when they asked me if I was going to be Leigh's lookout while he dug up Marilyn Monroe.
Full Article Here - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2093796/British-tourists-arrested-America-terror-charges-Twitter-jokes.html
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Ecumenist
(6,086 posts)You're kidding right? Dig her up from a crypt? and how was he going to do this? LOL!!
GodlessBiker
(6,314 posts)lonestarnot
(77,097 posts)No I didn't go there, so there's prollee more to this story, no?
Nevernose
(13,081 posts)N/t
provis99
(13,062 posts)how are they any different in conception than the Gestapo.
FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)RUMMYisFROSTED
(30,749 posts)Absurd.
christx30
(6,241 posts)they have people being paid to surf the Internet and get on Twitter to look for random tweets by nobodies in other countries. Sounds like a good use of taxpayer money.
If we had anyone useful at DHS or TSA, they would have given these two a smack upside the head and sent them on their way.
octothorpe
(962 posts)christx30
(6,241 posts)which possibility is more chilling. A someone reading the post and reporting it, or that they are monitoring all communication, all the time.
Reminds me of a certain family member I dislike... Big Brother.
no_hypocrisy
(46,182 posts)Would that be a tip-off it was fascetious?
octothorpe
(962 posts)truebrit71
(20,805 posts)...I'm not going to explain/apologize for my fellow countrymen's words, they were obviously just having a laugh, but the really worrisome aspect to this is just how the fuck did the DHS find out about what was said on those Twitter accounts in the first place...
ronnie624
(5,764 posts)The term "destroy America" would surely attract attention.
Whoever decided this merited a response from DHS, did so with the intention of 'teaching' him a 'lesson' and making an example of him.
truebrit71
(20,805 posts)...that's comforting
ronnie624
(5,764 posts)octothorpe
(962 posts)"It will destroy America if we XXXXXXXXX taxes"
"Bush/Obama/Whoever is going to destroy America"
"I was playing civlization 4 and I destroyed America with nukes"
"These wars are destroying America"
Even if those were a key words that some system picked up on, the context was pretty obvious. I should probably avoid flying after writing so many variations of "destroy america" in one post.
I don't really see how anyone could think this would make an example of anyone, or that there is even something to make an example of. I'd think if that was their goal, then they would have went after someone who was an outspoken critic of the US (not that it would be right) Going after this guy just makes them look like a bunch of incompetent jackasses.
ronnie624
(5,764 posts)it's likely his phraseology triggered a program that eavesdrops on communications on Twitter's network. To me, the over-reaction seems contrived as a means of warning people to watch what they say.
Bo
(1,080 posts)I do say they are working well in Britain Isn't that DATA MINING system NSA uses based there?
mainer
(12,029 posts)That's re-phrasing it in the most threatening way. The real tweet, "Free this week, for quick gossip/prep before I go and destroy America?", clearly makes it sound like a joke.
mwooldri
(10,303 posts)Would it be possible for me to literally and physically paint a town red on my own? Awful lot of paint...
Would also take a lot to "destroy America". Canada wouldn't be pleased either.
mwooldri
(10,303 posts)Either that, or they got a quota of people they have to kick out of the country and will use anything - literally anything - to meet that quota.
octothorpe
(962 posts)yellowcanine
(35,701 posts)the color codes, maybe we need a ranking/awards system for terrorists - actual and wannabe.
yellowcanine
(35,701 posts)They always do an exercise on actual news items and this one is a keeper.
tawadi
(2,110 posts)yellowcanine
(35,701 posts)'It got even more ridiculous because the officials searched our suitcases and said they were looking for spades and shovels. They did a full body search on me too."
Maybe they thought she was hiding a hand spade in her butt cheeks?
I am so proud to be an American.
Seriously though, is this what we have come to? A couple of British young adults just clowning around on their tweets and they get the third degree and deported? Is this really how we want to treat visitors? Does common sense ever prevail? Forget the legal mumbo jumbo and what we CAN do. Doesn't mean we SHOULD do it. These two young people meant no harm, clearly. And now because of a couple of Keystone Cops with hat size smaller than shoe size they get tossed out of the country and have their vacation ruined. If there is any justice the State Dept should right this wrong - issue a no holds barred apology and bring these two young people back to the U.S. for a nice vacation at our expense. It is the least we can do.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)We may safely rest assured that if X-ray scanners do not pick anything up, we still have the monolithic bureaucrats from the Department of Homeland Security as an additional security measure to secure ourselves and our posteriors from the evil machination of the Ministry of Silly Walks...
mainer
(12,029 posts)although they left out a really vital one: "On the job."
US meaning: at work. UK meaning: having sex.
Ripe for BIG misunderstandings.
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/cross-cultural/intercultural-communication-translation-news/2012/01/31/destroy-america-american-and-british-words-with-a-difference/