Shah Rukh Khan, Bollywood Superstar, Says he was Racially Profiled at Newark Airport on Friday when His Name Appeared on Computer Alert List

Another case of racial profiling is spreading around the Internet. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said that he was racially profiled at Newark Airport and detained for two hours on Friday. Khan, who was cited last year by Newsweek magazine as one of the world's 50 most influential men, was reportedly released only after Indian diplomats intervened on his behalf. According to media reports, Khan said that he was waiting for his luggage when his name appeared on a computer alert list and security then pulled him aside.

Khan, who has appeared in more than 70 films, said he endured two hours of interrogation before he was allowed to call the Indian embassy in Washington. An official there vouched for the star, who was then released.

The actor insisted he had all the proper paperwork when he was brought to a detention room at the New Jersey airport. But, he said, Khan "is a Muslim name, and I think the name is common on their checklist."

What is ironic is the fact that Khan recently signed a deal with Fox Star Studios to finance and distribute his new movie, "My Name is Khan" - the story of a Muslim man mistaken for a terrorist in post-9/11 America.

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