One of Mali's most prominent musicians has criticized the TSA after his custom-made kora — a 21-string bridge-harp — was destroyed by agents at New York's JFK Airport.
A TSA spokesperson later denied the instrument had been damaged by the agency.
"It is most unfortunate that Mr. Sissoko’s instrument was damaged in transport," said the spokesperson via email late Thursday."However, after a thorough review of the claim, it was determined that TSA did not open the instrument case because it did not trigger an alarm when it was screened for possible explosives."about the incident, Sissoko, 52, said he discovered the instrument in pieces Tuesday at his home in Paris. He said he had boarded the flight Feb. 2.
Sissoko had just completed a tour of U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and New York, with his group, 3MA. The band takes its name from the first two letters of each member's country of origin in French: Mali, Maroc , Madagascar. Sissoko started playing the kora for the Orchestre National du Mali when he was 13, and he eventually toured across Africa. After moving to France, he formed his own troupe, gaining international recognition.Isobel van Hagen
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