It was bad enough when I read this post about anti-terror police targeting “suspicious” photographers. It highlighted the poster to the right. The text?

Thousands of people take photos every day. What if one of them seems odd?
Terrorists use surveillance to help plan attacks, taking photos and making notes about security measures like the location of CCTV cameras. If you soee someone doing that, we need to know. Let experienced officers decide what action to take.

I reacted by writing a little guide on shooting like a terrorist. Of course, I was talking about shooting photographs, but that’s beside the point. The point is that as photographer, I’m already viewed with a certain level of suspicion.

I didn’t really dig any deeper then, but now that I have and I’ve learned more about this counter-terrorism campaign directly from the source (found via thomashawk.com), I’ve learned that I’ve got two strikes against me in this whole campaign. Why?

Apparently, I’m a terrorist, not only because I’m a photographer, but also because I’ve got two phones.

Yes, having more than one phone means you’re a terrorist, at least according to this poster:

Thousands of people have mobiles. What if someone with several seems suspicious?
Terrorists need communication. They often collect and use many anonymous pay-as-you-go phones, as well as swapping SIM cards and handsets. If you’re suspicious of the number of phones someone has, we need to know. Let experienced officers decide what action to take.

Of course, the fact that I’m in the Philippines makes this whole rant (or at least the second part) almost irrelevant. It’s almost normal for people here to carry two phones, and sometimes more.

The thing is, whether I’m in the UK or not, the mere idea that I can get harassed for doing something perfectly legal annoys me.

I like shooting unusual subjects - I don’t want to have the same photo that 328,521,843 other people have already shot. I want a different perspective. That doesn’t make me a terrorist.

In the same thread, I like the fact that I get unlimited talk time (but lousy reception) on one phone line, and better reliability on the other. That doesn’t make me a terrorist either.

I know I’m not in the UK, but with the Filipino’s penchant for adapting and adopting foreign ideas and policies, I wouldn’t be surprised if this type of paranoia reaches these shores. I’m really hoping against it though.