Kennedy stopped at airports after mix-up over terror suspects list

A US government official has apologised to Senator Edward Kennedy, who was stopped at airports because a name similar to his appeared on the government’s no-fly list of terror suspects.

“If they have that kind of difficulty with a member of Congress, how in the world are average Americans, who are getting caught up in this thing, how are they going to be treated fairly and not have their rights abused?” Mr Kennedy asked Homeland Security undersecretary Asa Hutchinson.

The Massachusetts Democrat said he was stopped five times as he tried to board US Airways shuttles between Washington and Boston because a name similar to his appeared on a list for screening.