Airport officials in Washington, D.C., are reviewing proposals from companies hoping to administer the airports' Registered Traveler program. Some companies competing for the contract say they will look for other places with security bottlenecks where the Registered Traveler card can be used.DHS says passenger data documents classified. The White House on Thursday said it is unlikely to disclose documents that would explain how the U.S. shares airline passenger information with the EU. DHS officials were under court order to disclose the documents but told a judge that many of the documents are classified.
Travelers spending more time in security lines. Holiday travelers may spend more time waiting in security lines this year. A recent analysis of federal data found that the average wait time increased between 2004 and 2006 at half of the busiest airports in the U.S.
More than 15,000 travelers request removal from watch list, DHS says. DHS said that since February more than 15,000 people have requested that their names be removed from the terrorist watch list. The deep backlog of complaints has prompted lawmakers to call for a faster appeals system.
The terrorist attacks against the United States on 11 September 2001 exposed numerous flaws in data sharing among the country's government agencies. The most serious weakness may have been the ineffective list of terrorist suspects who should have been denied entry to the US or the opportunity to fly on civilian airliners. Yet, the quadrupling of the list's size between 2004 and 2007 has raised concerns that the process of compiling and managing the list is problematic. In September 2003, President George W Bush established the Terrorist Screening Centre (TSC), run jointly by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, to compile a 'master watch list' of suspected terrorists worldwide. The centre's mission includes providing round-the-clock operational support for thousands of federal screeners throughout the US for such tasks as screening individuals who apply for an entry visa, attempt to board an airplane or who are detained for questioning by local law enforcement officers.
The Terrorist Screening Centre (TSC), run jointly by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, assembles these lists by using data from a variety of sources, including information provided by the CIA as well as the departments of justice, state, and homeland security. The intelligence information typically consists of field reports, captured documents, media sources and data provided by friendly countries. In addition, different US government agencies loan personnel to the TSC. This practice of inclusive staffing can help the centre gain diverse perspectives on how to identify and catch suspected terrorists. It also promotes communication between US government agencies and harmonises the procedures of thousands of diverse federal terrorist hunters. The centre can also tell intelligence and law enforcement officers who inquire about an individual on the list if other agencies are pursuing the same person.
EU anti-terrorism plan would require storage of passenger data. EU officials are proposing an anti-terrorism plan that would call for extensive airline security measures and require airline passenger data to be stored for 13 years. The system would be similar to a passenger-data agreement between the U.S. and EU.
Satellites will monitor trucks crossing U.S.-Mexican border. Federal officials will equip commercial trucks participating in a cross-border program with satellite tracking devices to ensure that they follow federal safety and trade laws. The trucks travel between the U.S. and Mexico.
Banned carry-on items go to the highest bidder. Prohibited carry-on items collected by the TSA often end up in New Hampshire's state surplus store, where they are auctioned off to the highest bidder. "[New Hampshire residents] love this stuff," said Gil Dubay, a TSA financial specialist who coordinates the pickups for New Hampshire. "It sells."
Airport officials received notice of undercover screeners. The TSA frequently uses undercover screeners to test the effectiveness of its airport security programs. In a recent e-mail, a TSA official warned that authorities at several airports received informal advanced notice of security testing. A TSA spokeswoman said the TSA is "confident in the overall integrity of the program."
EU will propose data-collection system. In an effort to combat terrorism, the European Commission this week will propose a system that will involve collecting personal information on travelers coming in and out of the EU from airlines. Privacy advocates oppose the system. Nov 5, 2007
American Airlines
A bomb threat involving an American Airlines flight from Chicago to New York concluded peacefully on Thursday Nov. 8 after police searched the plane at New York's LaGuardia airport and found no danger, American Airlines said. Nov 8, 2007
Chicago O'Hare International
Federal officials on Wednesday arrested 24 workers who were using fake security badges for jobs in O'Hare International Airport's cargo and tarmac areas. The workers are allegedly in the U.S. illegally. The arrests come after an eight-month investigation that involved federal, state and Chicago authorities. Nov 8, 2007
Honeywell
Honeywell to release data about brainwaves project. A new Honeywell system funded by DARPA monitors analysts' brains for early signs of electrical activity triggered by seeing something interesting. The company is expected to release the results of the tests this week at the Dubai Air Show. The project seeks to learn how much time it takes humans to analyze intelligence data. Nov 11, 2007
Washington Airport
Washington airport officials mull Registered Traveler proposal. Airport officials in Washington, D.C., are reviewing proposals from companies hoping to administer a Registered Traveler program at both Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. Some companies competing for the contract say that if they win the contract, they will look for other places in the Washington area with security bottlenecks where the Registered Traveler card can be used. Nov 9, 2007
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