SPF mistakenly arrest world renown NZ surgeon at Changi, Shit Times no report?

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

Is there a more fucked up police force in the world then the SPF? These idiots thought that a world renown cardiac surgeon was a thief and arrested him at the Changi. Fucking idiots.

NZ heart surgeon Adam El-Gamel released in Singapore

The family of a world-renowned heart surgeon are relieved he was released without charge after he was arrested at Singapore's Changi Airport yesterday.

Adam El-Gamel, also known as Ahmed, was travelling with his wife, Valerie, from Auckland to India, where he was due to teach a new surgical technique to fellow surgeons, when he was arrested.

The surgeon's daughter, Nancy El-Gamel, said her family would now have to think twice before travelling.

"It's an example of how travel is changing," she said. "Anyone could, without reason, get held in a jail cell for questioning, anywhere in the world."

She encouraged anyone travelling overseas to ensure their visa and paperwork was up to date to avoid confusion.

"My father is a good man and we're relieved he has got the freedom he deserves."

She said her father was of Egyptian descent and that his appearance could have been related to his arrest.

"He definitely looks more Middle Eastern, but he doesn't wear any of the Middle Eastern clothing or robes," she said.

"He's not Muslim and doesn't practise Islam."

She had travelled with her father many times, and on a recent trip to Dallas he received less than hospitable treatment.

"Dad is a frequent flier so he is a Gold Star Alliance member, meaning he gets special access to VIP lounges, and the [air hostess] ushered us to the economy section and I had to pull her up and tell her that Dad had a gold card," she said.

"I can't see any other reason for the reaction he gets. Everywhere else apart from New Zealand he gets dirty looks.

"My dad works so much. He is either dedicating his life to saving people or he's at home being a great dad."

She said the family loved living in rural Waikato because they were always treated with respect there.

She got news that her father was released without charge at midnight, New Zealand time.

"I rang my mum and she was pretty hysterical and said Dad had been arrested, and I just couldn't believe it," she said.

The El-Gamels, who have lived with their daughter in Waikato for five years, had reached India on their British passports but were denied entry and sent back to Singapore.

The family have New Zealand permanent residency.

"Usually you could enter on a visitor visa, but they changed the rules on December 25, meaning those on a British passport are off that list, so we were sent back to Singapore," Valerie El-Gamel said.

The pair landed back in Singapore yesterday at 6.33am local time.

"We were going through immigration and I got through but Adam didn't," she said.

"A lady approached us and said something about theft and police took Adam away.

"I got a call from him about 30-40 minutes later saying he was being fingerprinted, and then half an hour after that he called me saying he was arrested.

"They think he's involved in a theft ring and has other passports, but he only has a British one."

She believed her husband's arrest was due to a misunderstanding.

She said she and her husband frequently travelled overseas together and her husband was treated differently all the time because of his appearance.

"It's been little things, but nothing as big as this. It could have something to do with the way he looks," she said.

The arrest came as the world is reeling from a terrorist attack in Paris where a dozen journalists and police at a French satirical magazine were shot dead.

The safetravel.govt.nz website advised caution to travellers to Singapore because of an underlying threat from terrorism.

"New Zealanders in Singapore should monitor any developments that may affect their safety and follow any instructions issued by the local authorities," the site said.

"Extensive measures to combat terrorism, including strong border controls, security and police surveillance, and restrictions on access to some public venues, have been put in place by the Singaporean Government."

Waikato District Health Board communications director Mary Anne Gill said El-Gamel had been employed by the board since January 2010.

"We know Adam very well and he is a highly valued and highly respected cardiothoracic surgeon, so it seems very strange," she said.

"He has made a big difference in a lot of patients' lives ."

Braemar Hospital chief executive Paul Bennett said he and his staff had worked with EL-Gamel for five years and had got to know him well.

"He's working here once a week," Bennett said.

"He's one of the world's best cardiac surgeons without a doubt. The last thing he would do is steal from anyone.

"It's unbelievable that this could happen. It's not the Adam that we know.

"Clearly there has been a misunderstanding. I find this absolutely incredulous."


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