Security in DOH is actually very strict when it comes to US bound flights. I have flown DOH - IAD quite a few times from the Premium Business class terminal and there is extra security right before you board the bus. This is apart from a guy from the US embassy with a "special" box (containing a laptop and a scanning device) at the check-in counter asking and verifying all papers needed to board the flight. I was told by the customer service personnel that they have to perform these to comply with the strict rules set by US for inbound flights esp from the middle east. The pre-bus security let all my stuff including my laptop and other items in my laptop bag but they made a big deal about the knitting needles (wooden) my wife kept in her handbag. They made us gate-check the knitting needles and we got them back at IAD. (Of course all through the trip my wife and I were joking about a potential terrorist trying to hijack a flight with a knitting needle - "Hands up ELSE I shall make a sweater for u"!! LOL.
