Babe in arms Babe in arms

US summons British ‘terrorist’ baby for questioning

Paul Kenyon accidentally indicated that his 3-month-old grandson was an extremist on a visa application

A baby seen sleeping in a cradle, illustrative photo (Chen Leopold/Flash90)
A baby seen sleeping in a cradle, illustrative photo (Chen Leopold/Flash90)

A three-month-old baby in the UK has been summoned by the US Embassy in London for questioning after his grandfather accidentally marked him as a terrorist on a visa application.

According to reports in British media, Paul Kenyon, 62, filled out the visa forms ahead of a family vacation to Orlando Florida.

Kenyon said that on his grandson Harvey’s form, he mistakenly checked the “yes” box next to the question: “Do you seek to engage in or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities, espionage, sabotage, or genocide?”

Harvey Kenyon’s visa was denied and the baby was summoned to the US Embassy for questioning.

“I couldn’t believe that they couldn’t see it was a genuine mistake and that a three-month-old baby would be no harm to anyone,” Kenyon said.

‘He has sabotaged quite a few nappies in his time, though I didn’t tell them that at the US Embassy’

The mistake cost the family an additional $3,700 in rebooked flights.

The 62-year-old told British media outlets that US authorities did not have a sense of humor about his mistake, and refused to back down from vetting Harvey, even after they saw his age.

“They didn’t appear to have a sense of humor over it at all and couldn’t see the funny side,” he said. “He’s obviously never engaged in genocide, or espionage, but he has sabotaged quite a few nappies in his time, though I didn’t tell them that at the US Embassy.”

“It was a very expensive mistake, but I was hoping the US Embassy would realize that it was just a simple error without us having to jump through all the hoops,” Kenyon said, adding that “If you were a terrorist, I suspect you’d not be ticking yes on the Esta form anyway.”

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