UPDATE June 27, 9:39AM PDT: It looks as if the dogs will be sniffing around Muslims after all. Muslims objected, but their objections were overruled. See “Muslims will be searched by sniffer dogs despite religious objections, say police,” from the Daily Mail, June 27.
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Britain just keeps outdoing itself for nutty manifestations of dhimmitude. In an age when terrorists are most likely to be Muslim, and these dogs are supposed to be helping find terrorists, the dogs won’t touch Muslims. Dogs, after all, are unclean.
“Sniffer Dogs Offend Muslims,” by Tom Whitehead in the Daily Express, June 27 (thanks to all who sent this in):
Police sniffer dogs trained to spot terrorists at railway stations may no longer come into contact with Muslim passengers — after complaints that it is against the suspects” religion.
A report for the Transport Department has raised the prospect that the animals should only touch passengers” luggage because it is considered “more acceptable”.
In the Muslim faith, dogs are deemed to be spiritually “unclean”. But banning them from touching passengers would severely restrict their ability to do their job. The report follows trials of station security measures in the wake of the 2005 London suicide bomb attacks. In one trial, some female Muslims said the use of a body scanner was also unacceptable because it was tantamount to being forced to strip.
British Transport Police last night insisted it would still use sniffer dogs — which are trained to detect explosives — with any passengers regardless of faith, but handlers would remain aware of “cultural sensitivities”.
Critics said the complaints were just the latest example of minority religions trying to force their rules and morals on British society.
Well, duh, as the great philosopher once said.