Asylum seeking..

This isn't a new topic here - obviously - but I read about Osama Bin Laden's son possibly wanting to move to NZ.

Now, it seems a bit strange with me that someone would publicly state their intention to move somewhere on the grounds of political persecution or whatever. It's one thing showing up at the border and claim asylum but another to do interviews about from abroad before doing it... I mean, he has just ensured that Australia will just add him to their 'deny at port of embarking' list. He's just ruining his own options.

Worse yet, he says he's not safe because of his pacifist views! Don't you think telling the world you're the son of Osama is a far more risky thing to do?

(personally - I don't think he should be allowed to come here, given his family's long history of hiding funds, secret transfers of money etc. There are far more worthy people queuing up with far less options than this guy)

R

Assess him on HIS past, HIS risk and HIS actions. Not that of someone he's related to (either Dad's little fascination or the family's wealth etc).

I don't have the resources of Dept of Immigration or MFAT to make that call but see no reason yet to deny him over anyone else.

can't see why he shouldn't be allowed to at least apply for refugee status here

some bin laden money coming into NZ might be a windfall, plus perhaps they could build us some roads for free (assuming the other bin laden family branches are into it - ie the ones with the loot)

It's completely absurd that people want to keep him out, my understanding is that he is trying to get away from political persecution.

From what I have read about him he seems like a fairly decent bloke. The fact he's the son of Osama does not make him Osama, in fact he's spent most of his life growing up away from Osama :/

Umm... as I've proven before, we aren't the same person we were previously due to interchange of atoms.

Don't let him in. The name bin Laden must be erased from the face of the earth.

That is possibly the most obscure, unrelated post I've ever seen in CA

BALLSACKS.
Meant to quote this:

So, we are prepared to accept that our upbringing has a massive impact on shaping our children for better or worse... but not when it's an asylum seeker?

We should be asking: what has this guy been around in his childhood? Guns? Bomb-making lessons? Extreme religious teachings? Or a moderate, accepting view on the world and others?

(It's impossible to prove someone knows something but circumstantial evidence based on his close relatives points to this being a ruse - anything he says will be said with the intention of satisfying our entry criteria.)

R

For sure... I've got no problem with that. The problem I have is he knows he's got tons of media clout (what journalist wouldn't want to talk to Osama's son?) so can pervert the asylum process before he even leaves to go anywhere. It could be for the better or worse though.. As I said, his publicity probably just got him denied from another bunch of countries automatically (Aussie and Singapore for sure).

R

Ahhhhh, so when I said assess him on his past, did you just miss that bit? Even though you quoted it?
Sure, past and background CAN play a part - doesn't mean they have, and immigration applications about individuals, not theoretical possibilities.

And now you're blanketly accusing our immigration department of not following standard procedure?

Completely relevant. Why is it acceptable to judge him on his past and not on his family's present?

Not ours.. others. Asylum is claimed in the first safe country. By doing what he is doing he's possibly making it so he can't get to Aussie, Singapore etc - increasing the chance of NZ being his final port of call.

Once he's here I guess they go by the book no matter what (unless you know a Labour crony, in which case it's different).

R

Asylum seeking is not though. It is about personal connections, affiliations, associations and establishing that persecution is likely.

R

If all we had to go on was "he's Bin Laden's son" then I can see how that association would be the end of his application (outweighing the "no other evidence" is pretty easy!)

All I said is look for all the other information - from HIS past, HIS actions and HIS risk. Then weigh that up against this association (having hopefully gained a fuller understanding of the nature of it). See how it weighs out then.

The immigration dept of nz has ALWAYS followed procedure..


oh...hang on.

If he has a genuine case then it should be considered on its merits. A fathers sins should not be visited on his son.

how would you determine this?

For sure... he's deliberately making sure it's known in his native country(ies) that he's not welcome... meaning essentially he could be creating/worsening the situation on purpose simply to be justify his need for asylum elsewhere.

R

Assess him like any other (assuming we have faith the system for a second)

Although given pre-knowledge that he intends to violate his visa we should probably block him from any flights here.