The phrase entered wide currency with a slightly different meaning in the United Kingdom following the London bombings of 7 July 2005. The four bombers involved in those bombings were reported in the press to be "cleanskins", according to police sources, meaning that their profiles did not fit the expected profile of bombers.
Terrorist organizations, smugglers, and others performing secretive activities prefer to subvert cleanskins as there is less chance that they will arouse suspicion. For example, a person with previous convictions for importing drugs is more likely to be detained than a person never convicted.
The word cleanskin originally comes from Australia, and refers to an unbranded cattle. The earliest references being around the 1860s. The word then evolved to mean a person whom has had no conviction recorded against them, a person who was 'clean'.
External links
- Language Log - Appearance of 'Cleanskins'
- Cleanskin reference in Australian history
- Cleanskin references in Australian history
- Australian news reference to cleanskins in smuggling
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Last updated on Friday June 20, 2008 at 14:56:40 PDT (GMT -0700)
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