The last paragraph scares me, right or wrong
Apr 12, 2009 9:59:56 GMT -5
Post by Buckrub on Apr 12, 2009 9:59:56 GMT -5
A bogus detention
By Mike Masterson
LITTLE ROCK — Chris Lisle might be the straightest arrow in Arkansas.
The Springdale lawyer is a veteran of the 82nd Airborne and a graduate of the Army’s ranger school. In 1993, he became a partner in Lisle Law Firm, started by his widely respected father, John.
Chris Lisle and his wife Julie have two daughters and a son. He’s never been arrested. Never had a drink. He was giving blood within an hour of 9/11. That’s why he and Julie remain stunned by their mysterious run-in last summer with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
What happened to the Lisles also has caused me to wonder how many lawabiding, patriotic Americans have bogus information about themselves logged inside government computers.
The Lisles took their children to Cancun, Mexico, on vacation.
“The kids had never been out of the country, so the trip was exciting for us,” said Lisle. “Everything went well-until we tried to get back into the U.S.”
The family re-entered the country via Dallas, Texas, waiting patiently in a long checkpoint. When it was their turn to process, the Homeland Security agent took Lisle’s passport first.
“After 16 years of practicing law, I sensed from the officer’s reaction something was wrong,” he said, adding that the officer seemed agitated and asked to scan the rest of the family’s documents. “Then he quickly shut down his terminal.”
Although Lisle couldn’t see the officer’s computer monitor, the other agents’ monitors were all flashing the message, “Category 1-Armed and Dangerous.”
The officer quickly escorted the family to a lobby surrounded by armed Homeland Security officers positioned on the other side of a glass.
“No one would answer our questions as to why we were there,” said Lisle. “My children were scared. My wife tried to be brave for them, but I could see the concern in her eyes. My legal wheels turned.What to do? I would call Dad. I checked my cell phone. No service.”
Finally, another Homeland Security officer asked the Lisles to follow him into an elevator and down into a room where their luggage awaited.
“He asked if I owned a gun. I said yes. Did I ever have a gun stolen? No. Had I ever reported a gun stolen? No.”
Then Lisle politely asked why they were being detained by, of all agencies, Homeland Security. He still had not told the officer that he’s a lawyer. The agent responded that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in New York had reported that a gun registeredto Lisle was used in a crime there in March 2007.
That made no sense to Lisle, since he’d never had any gun stolen.
“I told him I was surprised because this was the first I heard about it. I asked what was this crime. He said he didn’t know. He let me seehis computer screen because he could tell I just didn’t believe him.”
Lisle asked what kind of gun had been used. The officer didn’t know.
“Well, that continued to make no sense. We were being held for a supposed crime involving some stolen gun that I never owned used in a crime that this Homeland Security officer knew nothing about. Then it dawned on me. I was carrying proof of my innocence.”
Lisle showed the officer his Arkansas concealed-weapon permit, issued in January 2008. The question was obvious: How could Lisle have passed the requiredFBI background check in 2008 when the reported New York crime had happened in March 2007?
“The officer even agreed that it made no sense. After that, he seemed to warm to me and finally let us proceed into the United States, the only country any of we Lisles have ever known.”
The Homeland Security officer advised Lisle to follow up on the ATF report when he got home. He did.
“Long story short, the ATF and [Homeland Security] had for some reason listed me as ‘armed and dangerous,’ a ‘Category 1’ suspect. That meant I might as well have been a terrorist carrying a nuclear backpack.”
After checking further, the New York ATF office assured Lisle that the problem had been rectified.
“But how would I know if it was?” he said. “I guess the only way for sure is to leave the country again and try to return. But what if they don’t let me innext time?”
The Lisles remain mystified and skeptical.
“If [Homeland Security] truly believed I was an armed and dangerous threat to our country, why did they never just try to contact me at my law office? Someone had to intentionally have placed thatfalse information into the Homeland Security’s system.
“What’s more sinister is the nagging belief I have that some Internet postings I’ve made concerning the unconstitutionality of the bailout programs, especially one entitled ‘Our Constitution,’ got me flagged as an armed and dangerous threat to our nation. I guess I’ll never know who or why for sure. But that’s the only thing that makes sense.” -
By Mike Masterson
LITTLE ROCK — Chris Lisle might be the straightest arrow in Arkansas.
The Springdale lawyer is a veteran of the 82nd Airborne and a graduate of the Army’s ranger school. In 1993, he became a partner in Lisle Law Firm, started by his widely respected father, John.
Chris Lisle and his wife Julie have two daughters and a son. He’s never been arrested. Never had a drink. He was giving blood within an hour of 9/11. That’s why he and Julie remain stunned by their mysterious run-in last summer with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
What happened to the Lisles also has caused me to wonder how many lawabiding, patriotic Americans have bogus information about themselves logged inside government computers.
The Lisles took their children to Cancun, Mexico, on vacation.
“The kids had never been out of the country, so the trip was exciting for us,” said Lisle. “Everything went well-until we tried to get back into the U.S.”
The family re-entered the country via Dallas, Texas, waiting patiently in a long checkpoint. When it was their turn to process, the Homeland Security agent took Lisle’s passport first.
“After 16 years of practicing law, I sensed from the officer’s reaction something was wrong,” he said, adding that the officer seemed agitated and asked to scan the rest of the family’s documents. “Then he quickly shut down his terminal.”
Although Lisle couldn’t see the officer’s computer monitor, the other agents’ monitors were all flashing the message, “Category 1-Armed and Dangerous.”
The officer quickly escorted the family to a lobby surrounded by armed Homeland Security officers positioned on the other side of a glass.
“No one would answer our questions as to why we were there,” said Lisle. “My children were scared. My wife tried to be brave for them, but I could see the concern in her eyes. My legal wheels turned.What to do? I would call Dad. I checked my cell phone. No service.”
Finally, another Homeland Security officer asked the Lisles to follow him into an elevator and down into a room where their luggage awaited.
“He asked if I owned a gun. I said yes. Did I ever have a gun stolen? No. Had I ever reported a gun stolen? No.”
Then Lisle politely asked why they were being detained by, of all agencies, Homeland Security. He still had not told the officer that he’s a lawyer. The agent responded that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in New York had reported that a gun registeredto Lisle was used in a crime there in March 2007.
That made no sense to Lisle, since he’d never had any gun stolen.
“I told him I was surprised because this was the first I heard about it. I asked what was this crime. He said he didn’t know. He let me seehis computer screen because he could tell I just didn’t believe him.”
Lisle asked what kind of gun had been used. The officer didn’t know.
“Well, that continued to make no sense. We were being held for a supposed crime involving some stolen gun that I never owned used in a crime that this Homeland Security officer knew nothing about. Then it dawned on me. I was carrying proof of my innocence.”
Lisle showed the officer his Arkansas concealed-weapon permit, issued in January 2008. The question was obvious: How could Lisle have passed the requiredFBI background check in 2008 when the reported New York crime had happened in March 2007?
“The officer even agreed that it made no sense. After that, he seemed to warm to me and finally let us proceed into the United States, the only country any of we Lisles have ever known.”
The Homeland Security officer advised Lisle to follow up on the ATF report when he got home. He did.
“Long story short, the ATF and [Homeland Security] had for some reason listed me as ‘armed and dangerous,’ a ‘Category 1’ suspect. That meant I might as well have been a terrorist carrying a nuclear backpack.”
After checking further, the New York ATF office assured Lisle that the problem had been rectified.
“But how would I know if it was?” he said. “I guess the only way for sure is to leave the country again and try to return. But what if they don’t let me innext time?”
The Lisles remain mystified and skeptical.
“If [Homeland Security] truly believed I was an armed and dangerous threat to our country, why did they never just try to contact me at my law office? Someone had to intentionally have placed thatfalse information into the Homeland Security’s system.
“What’s more sinister is the nagging belief I have that some Internet postings I’ve made concerning the unconstitutionality of the bailout programs, especially one entitled ‘Our Constitution,’ got me flagged as an armed and dangerous threat to our nation. I guess I’ll never know who or why for sure. But that’s the only thing that makes sense.” -
