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Adeel Akhtar Recounts 2002 JFK Detention: Handcuffed and Questioned for Hours

The actor shared the account on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs.

Overview

  • He says security took his passport before boarding and returned it only after arrival in New York.
  • Upon landing, the aircraft was moved to a remote area where officers boarded, handcuffed him and escorted him off the plane.
  • He recalls being questioned for four to five hours about alleged terrorist affiliations and whether he was a practicing Muslim.
  • He says he went on to attend his audition despite feeling shocked by the experience.
  • He says his father later filed an unsuccessful lawsuit against the FBI, and media reports note no current official response.