US Detains British Journalist, Citing 'National Security' Not His Reporting
British journalist Sami Hamdi was detained by ICE for over two weeks, his family citing a medical emergency and treatment delays. The Independent reports the US government's stated reason was 'national security' without further specifics. Hamdi, a regular commentator on Middle Eastern politics, has been critical of US foreign policy in the region, a stance that, for some, is less 'national
security threat' and more 'inconvenient truth-teller.' It appears the 'land of the free' has a rather elastic definition of who gets to be free, especially when one's reporting shines a critical light on geopolitical maneuvers. One might ask if 'national security' is merely a convenient blanket term for 'criticism not welcome.' This selective application of detainment for journalists critical of
US policy starkly contrasts with the robust defense often mounted for 'press freedom' abroad, leaving one to ponder: whose 'security' is truly being protected?