[Air-L] Grad student laptop seized at US border

[Richard Forno]

Since some of us may be involved in researching "questionable" (to the USG) groups, I thought this particular tidbit might be useful info to know for AIR'ers who are frequently moving in/out of the USA.   --- rick


Full article @ http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-08/customs-seizure-of-laptop-at-u-s-border-is-challenged-in-student-lawsuit.html

Student Challenges Laptop Seizure at Border

By Tiffany Kary - Jul 9, 2011 12:01 AM ET

A U.S. judge is weighing whether to halt a lawsuit filed by a graduate student whose laptop was seized by customs agents as he crossed the border from Canada and found to contain pictures of rallies by Hamas and Hezbollah.

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The pictures were downloaded from the Internet as part of his research into Shiites in Lebanon, the topic of his doctoral thesis, Abidor said he told the agents. He said he was patted down, handcuffed, taken off the train and held in a cell for three hours before being released without charge.

Abidor said he didn’t get his laptop, with the sole copy of his graduate work, for 11 days. When he did, there was evidence that his files, including research, personal photos and chats with his girlfriend, had been searched, he said.

The lawsuit was also brought on behalf of the National Press Photographers Association, some of whose 7,000 members have been subject to searches and seizures, according to court papers.

The case is Abidor v. Napolitano, 10-cv-04059, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York (Brooklyn).

Full article @ http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-08/customs-seizure-of-laptop-at-u-s-border-is-challenged-in-student-lawsuit.html