Brazil reciprocates US (2004/01)

American Airlines Pilot Arrested In Brazil
January 14, 2004
An American Airlines pilot was arrested at Sao Paulo Airport on Wednesday after making an obscene gesture while being photographed by Brazilian immigration officers, police said.

The pilot, Dale Robin Hersh, raised his middle finger at police to protest recently introduced Brazilian security measures that require US citizens to be fingerprinted and photographed upon entering the South American country.

Brazil implemented the policy on January 1 in retaliation for a similar US program to fingerprint and photograph visitors who need visas for the United States.

"He (Hersh) behaved in a mocking manner toward federal police and made an internationally recognized obscene gesture while he was being photographed for identification," Sao Paulo State's federal police chief, Francisco Baltazar da Silva told reporters.

Ten crew members from the same American Airlines flight 907 from Miami were also denied entry to Brazil after refusing to co-operate with security officials. They were waiting in the airport for a return flight to the United States, police said.

American Airlines said it regretted the incident and was looking into the matter.

"The company apologizes to the Brazilian government, the airport authorities, the police, or anyone else who perceived anything they believed to have been disrespectful," the airline said in a statement. "The captain and other crew members certainly meant no disrespect."

A judge will decide whether the 52-year-old pilot will be refused admission to Brazil, deported, or tried in Brazil.

The incident came a day after Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva appealed to US President George W Bush to suspend visa requirements so the two countries could drop the fingerprint checks.

Brazilians are among the top groups of illegal immigrants detained in the United States.

US citizens have been subjected to long lines at Brazilian airports since the new security measures were implemented, prompting Secretary of State Colin Powell to complain that Americans were being discriminated against.

Eager to speed up the process, Brazil on Wednesday rushed to gather digital fingerprint readers from police stations across the country. Officials said they will be ready by Thursday to register US visitors in "30 seconds" rather than the hours it takes with an ink pad.

With Rio de Janeiro's famous Carnival coming in February, the city is worried about the impact on tourism. It has taken to handing out roses and "Rio Loves You" T-shirts to US visitors and on Wednesday laid on hip-wriggling Samba dancers at its airport arrival gate.

(Reuters)