ALBAWABA - Former Marine and UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter made headlines after announcing that the US State Department managed to seize his passport, as reported by RT.
The former marine stated that he was on his way to Russia and was flying for the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum but was taken off the plane and had his documents confiscated.
He told RT, "I was boarding the flight. Three [police] officers pulled me aside. They took my passport. When asked why, they said ‘orders of the State Department’. They had no further information for me."
US takes away former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter's passport
He added, "They pulled my bags off the plane, then escorted me out of the airport. They kept my passport."
Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova added that this breached the US First Amendment and freedom of speech. At the same time, the Fourth Amendment should refrain the government from "unreasonable searches and seizures."
Ritter visited Russia recently in January 2024 and spent time across the country including Chechnya, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other places.
Former UN Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter speaks at the Palestine Center in Washington, DC 25 April 2003, criticizing the Bush administration's rationale for the war in Iraq.(Photo by NICHOLAS ROBERTS / AFP)
Users across social media took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and expressed concern over Americans "losing their freedom". Here's what some had to say about the matter:
"Are we witnessing the fall of freedom?"
"We are entering scary territory"
"Wow, that's concerning news about Scott Ritter. It's worrying to see independent journalists facing such actions. This really makes me reflect on the importance of freedom of speech and press. It's crucial that we support ethical and balanced reporting while advocating for responsible decision-making by authorities. Let's hope for a resolution that respects individual rights and upholds democratic values."
