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Kissinger unmoved by airport pat-down

Former US secretary of state says he is often stopped during screening because of a brace that prevents him from removing shoes

16 May 2012, 5:14 am

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NEW YORK (AP) — When former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger flies, he gets patted down by security agents — just about every time.

The 88-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner was stopped again a few days ago as he passed security at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on his way to Toronto.

But the elder statesman released a statement Tuesday, saying it’s “not unusual” for him to be patted down during airport security screening. He said he wears a brace on his foot and cannot remove his shoes.

Kissinger praised agents of the federal Transportation Security Administration for both their “professionalism” and “courtesy” while performing what he called “an important job.”

And the TSA released a statement saying there was “no indication of anything out of the ordinary” with Kissinger’s checkpoint experience last Friday.