0908_Complete_rev8:Layout 1 10/08/2009 14:41 Page 14
No-Fly Lists
not related to any Transport Canada Secure Flight
aviation security program.” (Read: it’s Beset by an ever-increasing number of
not our problem, either). She was told complaints over the administration of
she was on an “international” list. But, these lists by the airlines, TSA has been
as Ms. Hutton herself asked, “…who in trying to ameliorate some of the issues
the world do I go to for that?” When she by taking the responsibility of screening
queried the TSA – who had established a passengers on the no-fly list from the
Security is not just something we do at
Traveller Redress Inquiry Program (DHS airlines. Under a programme called
TRIP) to handle the growing number of “Secure Flight”, the TSA will manage the
complaints, they advised her that, screening, which has been accomplished
ARINC – it’s part
“[b]ecause the delays were not related to with mixed success by the airlines since
flights within or bound for the United 2001. Under Secure Flight, airlines will
of who we are
States, DHS TRIP is unable to address be required to “collect dates of birth and
your concerns.” “We have closed your gender information from customers and
For years, we’ve helped develop and implement
inquiry.” This borders on the provide that information to the TSA for
solutions for commercial, government, and
disingenuous. Regardless of whose list watchlist verification.” According to the Folk/pop singer Cat Stevens, now known as
defense industries to help strengthen security
she was on, one suspects that the name TSA, the programme “…will improve the Yusuf Islam, was the cause of a United
around the globe.
might have been supplied, or at least travel experience for all passengers, Airlines flight from London being diverted to
approved, by U.S. sources. It was only including those who have been Bangor in 2004. His name was on a watch list
Whether it’s sending and receiving
after the Huttons “went public” through misidentified in the past.” In the FY and the US government did not want the flight
information securely, providing mobile
an appearance on CBC that Glenda 2005 DHS Appropriations Act, Congress to continue to Washington.
wireless networks, supporting systems
Hutton was finally able to have her name gave the TSA ten conditions that needed
that guard nuclear power plants, or
removed from the list(s) she was on. to be met in order to address concerns plane who they know is a terrorist,
developing the latest biometric tools,
Not everyone possesses the feistiness with the Secure Flight programme. At who…is a bad guy?’ And the answer is
ARINC delivers.
and courage of Glenda Hutton. Everybody that time, Congress also required the ‘No’. All of these other issues –
has heard the story of how Ted Kennedy, Government Accountability Office (GAO) particularly on convenience for people
As a capabilities-driven
the Senator from Massachusetts, and to report on TSA’s progress in meeting with the same name as terrorists, that
company with communications,
engineering, and integration as
arguably one of the most recognisable these conditions. A GAO report issued in is unfortunately where we are. That’s
our core competencies – you
people in Washington, was denied January of 2009 stated that TSA had met the down side of it, the upside is that
can trust us to handle your
boarding a flight due to the similarity only five of the ten conditions. A follow- two million passengers are not flying
greatest security challenges.
between his name and the name “T. on report issued in April of 2009 with a terrorist.”
Kennedy” on the no-fly list. But Kennedy indicated that TSA had improved, and This is an interesting statement and
had the ability to remove his name. now met nine of the 10 conditions. bears closer examination. In actuality,
Glenda Hutton spent two years and two However, the report also indicates that Mr. Hawley cannot really guarantee that
thousand dollars in an attempt to remove the condition not fully met involved a we’re “not flying with a terrorist.” That
hers. One is left to wonder about the requirement to develop appropriate life- would be true, if the no-fly lists were, in
dozens (hundreds? thousands?) of cycle cost estimates, expenditure plans, fact, what they pretend to be: an
citizens, U.S. and otherwise, who fight budgets and schedules for Secure Flight. accurate, current list of “…known or
similar battles whenever they attempt to This condition was, the report stated, suspected terrorists.” That’s how the
board an aircraft. conditionally achieved. GAO also noted data was characterised by Donna
that it will continue to monitor the TSA’s Bucella, who managed the FBI’s Terrorist
“...Mr. Hawley cannot progress until all conditions were met. Screening Center (TSC), responsible for
As for the cost of this benefit? About compilation and dissemination of the
really guarantee that $140 million has been spent on Secure Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB).
Flight, and the programme will require at The FBI’s own web page on the TSC
we’re ‘not flying with a least another $80 million for proposed answers the question of who gets
improvements. included in the TSDB by stating that, “Per
terrorist.’ That would be [Homeland Security Presidential
Criteria, Numbers and Directive] HSPD-6, only individuals who
Our people. Our products. Our solutions.
true, if the no-fly lists Transparency are known or appropriately suspected to
Throughout the life of the no-fly lists, TSA be or have been engaged in conduct
were, in fact, what they
DEDICATION BEYOND EXPECTATION
has steadfastly refused to divulge either constituting, in preparation for, in aid of,
the criteria used to add names to the or related to terrorism are included in the
pretend to be: an lists, or the number of names they TSDB.” (Italics added). One is left
contain. Kip Hawley, the former wondering why the FBI felt it necessary to
accurate, current list of Associate Administrator of the TSA, qualify the word “suspected” by adding
justifies the inconvenience: “appropriately”. Have there been
‘known or suspected “If you look at the perfect world we’re “inappropriate” suspicions in the past?
not there. But if the fundamental thing is Perhaps the qualification is due to an
terrorists’...” to be able to say to the people who fly: ‘Is excess of caution. In the 60 Minutes
the government letting people on my broadcast of October 8, 2006,
Aviationsecurityinternational August 2009 www.asi-mag.com 14
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54