Stranded Student Fights ‘No Fly List’

An SDSU graduate, who spent the past year studying international law in Costa Rica, was not allowed to board a flight home to San Diego.

When San Diego native Kavon Iraniha, 27, went to a Costa Rican airport Tuesday, he was told he could not fly because the U.S. government had put him on the "No Fly List."

When he went to the U.S. embassy, Iraniha said he was interviewed by FBI agents for several hours.

He vented on his Facebook page posting “I don't have any felonies, I am not a druggie! I am an educated American-Iranian Muslim citizen; I guess that makes me a threat."

Back home in San Diego, there were some who questioned the motives behind adding Iraniha to the No Fly List, saying this could be a case of racial profiling.

"Essentially at the end of the day, he was told he was on a No Fly List with no reason," said Hanif Mohebi with the Council on American-Islamic relations.

According to the FBI, the Terrorist Screening Center is the agency that compiles the "no fly list". A list that allows the US government to keep certain people who are considered a security risk from boarding a plane.

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"One of our issues with no fly lists in general is that it's very vague people get on it with no specific qualification that this happens and you get on."

A local FBI spokesperson says agents are well aware of Kavon's situation, but could not comment on the case at this time.

So for now, Kavon must find another way to get back to San Diego, without boarding a plane.

"It's really scary because that puts a lot of fear in the hearts of people the next time they want to go to a vacation they're thinking would that be my last time?" Mohebi said.