I am a terrorist!

[Chicken]

"Mr Stevenson mistakenly answered a question on the Esta visa form, which asked if he was a terrorist, by declaring that he was one.

“My phone could be getting tapped – I don’t know," he said.

"It’s terrible, it’s shocking and so stupid. I don’t know why that question is on the form in the first place.”

LOTFAP

 

[juddles]

I love it when yet someone else says things like "I don't know why "question x" is even on the form". Like they know better than the huge organisation who has to develop such forms.

This is a typical story of enhanced woe that appears in some form almost every day. GET OVER IT! First up admit it was you who made the mistake, then quietly deal with the relevant agency to get the matter resolved.

 

[Denali]

"They looked up my Esta number and said ‘you’re a terrorist’. I told them that I was 70 years old and I don’t even recognise what that means."

If he's this far gone, he shouldn't be allowed out in public unsupervised let alone on the internet.

 

[Pushka]

Without being a boring old cough I think I’d ask the mods to change your Title and add “says a 70 year old”.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

"They looked up my Esta number and said ‘you’re a terrorist’."

Almost spat my coffee when I read that. Would have been even funnier if they'd added, "Please hold."

 

[Denali]

Im sure hes not the first to tick the Im a Terrorist box but maybe ESTA needs to add a "Are you sure youre a terrorist?" pop up when people hit the submit button.

 

[Chicken]

I love it when yet someone else says things like "I don't know why "question x" is even on the form". Like they know better than the huge organisation who has to develop such forms.

Conversation at the border -

Officer: So you are a terrorist?
Terrorist: Yes I am.
O: I can't let you in if you are a terrorist.
T: But I got the bomb in my bag, I am all ready to go.
O: That's why I cannot let you in.
T: I cannot complete my mission of blowing myself up, if you don't let me in.
O: But you ticked the box that you are a terrorist.

T: You know how much I have put into this? You know terrorists are generally poor people including myself, then I had to went thru the terrorist training camp in Yemen which took like 2 years, I had to study so hard, and they made me do all the physical training, clawing under barbed wire, running matches, shooting training? You know how you American laughed at us that we couldn't even aim with a AK-47 in Afghanistan? They really lifted the standard in recent years. After all these, I then needed to wait for a plan, I needed to train for the plan, then I needed to buy all the materials needed to make a bomb. Now I am finally here, I passed all the security, I got on the plane, I landed here, my father is so proud of me, I am so close to putting my years of studying into good use, and you are trying to stop me?

O: Yep, cos you ticked the box that you are a terrorist.
T: Oh man! Come on man!

----------

Lecture at a terrorist training school somewhere in Iraq -

Lecturer: So people, make sure that, if you are ever asked if you are a terrorist, always say no, you are not a terrorist. OK. So kids, are you a terrorist?
Kids: No.
Lecturer: Are you a terrorist?
Kids: No!

----------

Exam at a terrorist training school in Yemen -

Multiple choice question 5: USA visa application form "Are you a terrorist".
a: Yes b: No

Marking teacher A: This student ticked yes to this question. Should we pass him?
Teacher B: Well, this kid got 95/100, that's pretty good score, we should pass him right?

 

[JohnK]

I love it when yet someone else says things like "I don't know why "question x" is even on the form". Like they know better than the huge organisation who has to develop such forms.

It is a silly question. I do wonder how many terrorists (or potential terrorists) have answered yes to that question. Anyone?

 

[juddles]

It is a silly question. I do wonder how many terrorists (or potential terrorists) have answered yes to that question. Anyone?

For anyone to determine it is a "silly question", you would have to know exactly why they ask it.

Without going into details, many a time a question is designed to assist in later matters - so a negative response is used against you later...

 

[Chicken]

so a negative response is used against you later...

You mean I get a lighter sentence if I tick the yes box? Sentence reduction for not lying early plea ?

 

[juddles]

You mean I get a lighter sentence if I tick the yes box? Sentence reduction for not lying early plea ?

No, it is like anything with the LOTFAP, they only give you one chance. Telling a fib there on any government document is very grave.

 

[ajd]

Im sure hes not the first to tick the Im a Terrorist box but maybe ESTA needs to add a "Are you sure youre a terrorist?" pop up when people hit the submit button.

100% this.

It may or may not be a stupid question. CBP may or may not have good reasons why they want to ask it, etc etc.

But the US government is also not exactly known for high quality UX in their online services. I imagine the overwhelming majority of people whose ESTAs are blocked as a result of ticking this box did so by mistake, and in that case, you'd want to review the way you're asking the question and the way the answer is being collected.

 

[jb747]

I'm sure it's lawyer speak for something..but it still doesn't change the fact that the only person who could possibly answer yes, is simply making a mistake. You've dug a hole for them to fall into, so of course people will leap in. It's still silly.

 

[juddles]

I believe the actual question is: "Do you seek to engage in or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities, espionage, sabotage, or genocide?"

I know that question is not asked on a whim. Just like another: "Have you ever violated any law related to possessing, using, or distributing illegal drugs?"

No, "they" are not expecting someone smuggling drugs to answer "yes!" to give them an easy arrest. But if you answer "no", and "they" know you were done once for a drugs charge, you are fried. Modern techniques of evaluating such things as questionnaires is a lot more complex than simply taking yes and no answers. It is the whole document, and more.

And your answer, as I have said, is recorded for eternity, and can weigh heavily against you if something later on happens or gets looked into...

If you really think that you know more about the totality of the environment, the procedures, than the US Department of Homeland Security itself, then that is impressive.

To all us other people, yes it can seem a funny question. But what do we really know about the whole procedure?

 

[dajop]

Actually I think I was reading somewhere, not sure if it's accurate, that one reason fpr the question is that it is easier to deport someone for lying on the form - so if there is evidence that someone has seeked to engage in or engaged in an act of terrorism outside of the US, it is easier to deport someone for the crime of lying on the form, than the actual crime. Not sure if this is true or not, may make sense.

 

[RooFlyer]

Actually I think I was reading somewhere, not sure if it's accurate, that one reason fpr the question is that it is easier to deport someone for lying on the form

Yes; if not deported, then just held pending inquiries into the wider, more complex matter ...

 

[theblank]

For anyone to determine it is a "silly question", you would have to know exactly why they ask it.

Without going into details, many a time a question is designed to assist in later matters - so a negative response is used against you later...

I thought its plainly obvious why the are asking such questions. Its an offence to answer falsely on immigration declarations. So it gives the authorities another avenue to arrest someone. Fairly simple really.