US embassy cable - 04KUWAIT1748

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001748 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, T, CA 
RIYADH FOR TUELLER 
TEL AVIV FOR DCM LEBARON 
TUNIS FOR NATALIE BROWN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2014 
TAGS: PREL, OVIP, KU 
SUBJECT: (C) GOK PROTESTS MISTREATMENT OF MINISTER AT 
CHICAGO AIRPORT 
 
Classified By: CDA FRANK URBANCIC; REASON 1.4 (B, D). 
 
1.  (U) Action request - please see paragraph 4. 
 
2.  (C) Charge was summoned to MFA after its cob June 2 to 
receive a formal protest at the treatment given to Minister 
of Social Affairs and Labor Feisal al-Hajji at the Chicago 
port of entry May 2, when he was transiting from London to 
Houston for medical treatment.  According to the MFA protest, 
the Minister declared cash in excess of USD10,000 but was 
humiliated and detained for four hours causing him to miss 
his connecting flight, even though the Immigration officer 
knew he was a Minister of a friendly country traveling on a 
diplomatic passport.  Apparently the humiliation included 
being questioned aggressively, fingerprinted, photographed, 
and subjected to a search of his person. 
 
3.  (C) The Minister has kept this matter quiet in order to 
spare embarrassment to himself as well as to the USG, but MFA 
Americas Dept. Director Amb. Khaled al-Babtain made clear 
that his Government was lodging an official protest and 
demanding a formal reply.  Babtain added that he himself had 
encountered similar treatment in 2000. 
 
4.  (C) ACTION REQUESTED:  Department please provide 
explanation that we can pass to MFA. 
URBANCIC