海角大神

Republican Senator聽Rand聽Paul聽was stopped at an airport on Monday for setting off an alarm and refusing a patdown, prompting his father, U.S. presidential candidate聽Ron聽Paul, to accuse security officials of being part of an "out of control" police state.

In a harshly worded attack on the Transportation Security Administration, which handles security screenings at U.S. airports,聽Ron聽Paul, known for his strident libertarian views, said the TSA "gropes and grabs our kids and our seniors and does nothing to keep us safe."

After聽Rand聽Paul聽refused the patdown, he was escorted out of the airport security area in聽Nashville,Tennessee, by local authorities, the TSA said.聽Paul聽missed his flight to聽Washington, but was later rebooked and rescreened without incident.

As favorites of the anti-Washington聽Tea Party movement,聽Paul聽and his father, who is a U.S. Represenative from聽Texas, have helped lead the charge against what critics call excessive federal intrusion, from healthcare to body searches.

At a聽Senate聽hearing last June,聽Rand聽Paul聽challenged TSA Administrator聽John Pistole聽over his agency's random patdowns of travelers at airports, including the case of a 6-year-old girl from his home state of聽Kentucky.

"This isn't to say that we don't believe in safety procedures,"聽Paul聽said. "But I think I feel less safe because you're doing these invasive exams on a six-year-old. It makes me think you're clueless that you think she's going to attack our country and that you're not doing your research on the people who would attack our country."

On the campaign trial,聽Ron聽Paul聽has called for the abolition of the TSA on the grounds that it wastes taxpayer money and violates personal liberties.

Rand聽Paul聽has recommended that authorities eliminate patdowns as part of everyday security, saying TSA should more heavily emphasize non-invasive methods for assessing risk.

The senator has even complained that close screening of members of聽Congress聽and other frequent fliers known to airlines and security officials is a poor use of security resources.

TSA DEFENDS PROCEDURES

The TSA was created following the Sept. 11, 2001, airplane attacks by al Qaeda on the聽United States.

Full body imaging and patdowns at U.S. airports began in 2010, and immediately triggered a public backlash and fire from both sides of the political aisle.

Secretary of State聽Hillary Clinton, a leading member of the聽Obama administration, weighed in on the controversy at the time, saying she would avoid pat downs if possible.

More than 650 million passengers fly on U.S. airlines, most using one of the more than 400 airports where TSA operates checkpoints.

The agency defends its procedures, which they say are needed to ensure passenger safety.

Paul's personal showdown with airport security unfolded as he headed to聽Washington聽to address an anti-abortion rally and to return to work after a long congressional holiday break.

The senator's father,聽Ron聽Paul, tweeted that his son was detained for refusing a full-body pat-down "after anomaly in body scanner."

The TSA did not say what triggered the alarm and denied聽Paul聽had been detained.