Israeli border cops shoot woman's laptop

Posted on: Wed, 12/16/2009 - 17:43 By: Tom Swiss

From the blog of American student Lily Sussman:

I was sitting on the deck overlooking the Red Sea. Israeli security officers (most who looked around 18 years old) had completed around two hours of questioning and searching me. They had pressed every sock and scarf with a security device, ripped open soap and had me strip extra layers. They asked me tons of questions–where are you going? Who do you know? Do you have a boyfriend? Is he Arab, Egyptian, Palestinian? Why do you live in Egypt? Why not Israel? What do you know about the ‘conflict’ here? What do you think? They quized me on Judaism,which I know nothing about.

...

Moments later a man came outside and introduced himself as the manager on duty. And then, “I’m sorry but we had to blow up your laptop. “

A clear, if thankfully mild, incident of state terrorism: "We see that you have political views we find unacceptable. We will therefore, under cover of 'security procedure', seek to intimidate you with violence toward your property."