[h1]Actor in 9/11 film denied entry to US[/h1]LONDON (Reuters) - An Iraqi actor who plays a hijacker in a new film about the September 11 attacks on the United States has been denied entry into the country for the movie's premiere, he told a newspaper on Friday.[/p]Lewis Alsamari, who has lived in Britain since 1995, stars in "United 93", which premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York next week.[/p]Directed by Briton Paul Greengrass, the film about the hijacked plane that crashed in Pennsylvania has sparked debate about whether Americans are ready to see an on-screen portrayal of the events.[/p]Alsamari, 30, said he may have been denied entry by the U.S. embassy in London because he served in the Iraqi army in the early 1990s.[/p] [/p]"I think this was because I am still an Iraqi citizen and fought in the army -- but that was only because I was forced to," he told London's Evening Standard newspaper.[/p]"It would be so disappointing not to be able to go because I still have not seen the film. I have only seen footage and it would have been amazing to be in New York for the premiere."[/p]A spokeswoman for the U.S. embassy in London said she was aware of the case, but did not have any immediate comment on the status of Alsamari's application to travel to New York.[/p]Alsamari added: "I hope I am not going to have to wait until the film comes out in Britain to watch United 93. It seems strange that I cannot go over for the premiere."[/p]He said he escaped from the Iraqi army in 1993 and stayed in neighboring Jordan until 1995, when he moved to Britain seeking asylum. According to the Standard, he was granted asylum in Britain in 1998.[/p]In February, actors starring in Michael Winterbottom's politically charged "The Road to Guantanamo" were held by British police under anti-terrorism legislation on their return from Berlin where the film premiered.[/p]One of them said a police officer abused him verbally at Luton airport.[/p]
If this keeps up, tourism from other countries will be a thing of the past. People simply won't want to go there any more.
I famous restaurant in my area got huge before 9/11 then suddenly went out of business a couple months ago. Get this, at the televised tele-confrence (yes they were that big to warrant a live tv confrence) they blamed September 11 for there demise. WHAT the F!! Unreal I know, to me they went out of business because they got too big too quickly and who wants to pay 10 bucks for crappy bbq. Not me, thought the place was waay over rated. By the way the place was Super Smokers BBQ if anybody wanted to know.
I'm always amused when I come across a phrase which unites 'America' and 'Dumb' simply because, by and large, its inhabitants are famed for their ability to talk longer and louder than those of any other country.
kitten wrote:
If this keeps up, tourism from other countries will be a thing of the past. People simply won't want to go there any more.[/DIV]
[FONT color=#40007f]A lot of them don't already. I know scores who have vowed never to set foot in the U.S. while Bush is in power - and all have kept their word.[/FONT]
Same here. Used to go fairly often, but no more.
Happy to say I've never been at all.
You're not missing much.
Visit CANADA!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
I like the States. A few of my favourite places on the planet happen to be there. Of course I love Canada too...but I can do both. (//forums/richedit/smileys/Happy/14.gif)
What's your favourite places? I have many moments in place and time that I think about daily. Cape Cod, Boston, DC, Portland, first time in the Northwest, airports, roads, sunsets.
So many favourites. I love the Oregon Coast. The Redwoods, San Diego, Deadwood.
San Diego, Lynden, Leavenworth. I have to think of the rest. Vegas too. (//forums/richedit/smileys/Happy/12.gif)
Anywhere east of the Cascades?
San Francisco pretty much all of Oregon that little place called Washington DC
Sorry thought we were calling out places that are getting dumber (//forums/richedit/smileys/Teasing/22.gif) well, I did notice someone asked our favourite places. So I figured I would also name a few of my favorite places, though you must admit these places, like many others are just as idiotic as anyplace else.
Well Deadwood, Bismark, Missoula... Minniapolis and St Paul, some amazing skies in Sioux City. Lots of places I liked a lot.
You like Missoula too!
I discovered this great little town in North Dakota this year called Wahpeton. Its located on the ND/Minn border.
I like Custer Park in the Badlands in SD.
Livingstone Montana
Laramie, WY
Salt Lake City
the road to Mountain Top Idaho
That's the places off the top of my head I enjoyed in the upper mountain west (excluding Colorado for the moment) /great plains region.
West of the Cascades still my favourite. I can actually see myself living in Oregon or Northern California. So beautiful.
I understand that Virginia has some real nice small towns