We previously reported on our blog about two British tourists who were detained and prevented from entering the U.S. on the Visa Waiver Program due to a couple of unfortunate tweets. Forbes now quoted a spokesperson from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol stating that the tweets were not the original basis of heightened interest in Mr. van Bryan and Ms. Banting, but apparently a concerned citizen:

“Based on information provided by the LAX Port Authority Infoline – a suspicious activity tipline – CBP conducted a secondary interview of two subjects presenting for entry into the United States,” and that “[i]nformation gathered during this interview revealed that both individuals were inadmissible to the United States and were returned to their country of residence.”

According to the form issued to Mr. van Bryan upon denial of entry, “Mr. Bryan confirmed that he had posted on his Tweeter [sic] website account that he was coming to the United States to dig up the grave of Marilyn Monroe. Also on his tweeter account Mr. Bryan posted that he was coming to destroy America.”

As things stand now, U.S. authorities might not have stumbled across the tweets themselves after all. But was their discovery the result of a concerned citizen taking action – or of a practical joke gone wrong?

(c) Picture: Twitter