November 28th, 2011
Cain would implement ‘targeted identification’ to aid airport security
“Targeted identification is a deliberate approach to figure out patterns associated with people who have tried to kill us. Profiling has been used in a lot of other situations, and it obscures the whole issue.”
Take-aways:
- GOP presidential candidate, Herman Cain told CNN recently that his plan for airport security involved ‘targeted identification’. This technique, he insists, is not ‘profiling’ and he does not want it to be compared to that in any way. Profiling is perceived in a negative light but Cain believes that this new approach would significantly enhance airport security.
- ‘Target identification‘, according to Cain, would heighten awareness and allow intelligence agencies to efficiently and effectively do their jobs. However, when asked to provide specifics, he would not comment.
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November 16th, 2011
Authorities Warn Terrorists Increasingly Eyeing Attacks On Buses Over Other Transit Targets | Fox News.
“It’s something that we’ve seen in reporting over time that terrorists around the world clearly are interested — because of the accessibility, the open architecture — both of buses and rail.”
Take-aways:
- With the fast-approaching holiday season in the horizon, transit and law enforcement officials are in preparation mode after a recent intelligence report released to all local officials warned that terrorists are targeting buses and other surface transportation.
- Buses as soft targets is not a new concept, it’s just becoming increasingly more popular with terrorists as can be seen in other countries. With an estimated 725 bus/suicide bomb attacks during a 5-year period bus attacks prove to be much more widespread than air attacks.
- Inspire, an al-Qaeda affiliate produced publication has “advocated the use of vehicle ramming attacks against crowds, buildings and other vehicles” over the use of IED’s. There were also similar statements recovered as evidence in OBL’s compound, after his death, that indicated his enthusiasm about “ramming the buses into buildings.”
- Neither Homeland Security nor TSA have any credible information to prove that any terrorist organizations have made specific plans to carry out an attack, however. This recent bulletin is simply a preparedness measure.
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November 3rd, 2011
TSA Finds Four To Five Guns In Carry-On Bags Every Day At Airports.
“Just think about what could be done to the other passengers. So what the TSA officers are doing is for the protection of the general public.”
Take-aways:
- John Pistole, TSA administrator testified during a congressional hearing on recent security issues. He revealed that screeners confiscate 4-5 guns each day, some loaded and most are attempted carry-ons.
- This year, so far, TSA has uncovered over 940 guns that people had left in their carry-ons or on their person. The government’s stance is now that TSA isn’t only preventing harm in the sky, but also on the ground and the general public.
- During the same hearing Pistole was criticized for ignored reports and concern of radiation exposure on the newer backscatter machines. TSA intends on conducting an independent study on radiation exposure and risk assessment.
- According to TSA reports, last months “chat-down” trial run proved to be highly successful in determining high-risk passengers. Pistole says more “number-crunching” must be done to show statistics.
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October 14th, 2011
New TSA tactic: Questioning fliers – Arizona News from The Arizona Republic.
“It means moving further away from what may have seemed like a one-size-fits-all approach to security,” TSA chief John Pistole says.
Take-aways:
- TSA has begun questioning fliers as they go through security and prior to boarding as part of new security experiment. A “chat-down” could possibly become an additional part of the screening process.
- Face-to-face questioning with a TSA agent is a new tactic being explored by the Administration. Israel’s counter terrorism initiative involves a similar process and has proven quite successful.
- Already controversial and it’s only in the trial phase, some view this as just one more way that the government will have to “invade” travelers’ privacy. Others say they understand and agree it’s about keeping the US safe, although it’s a hassle, while others say that it’s a waste of time and expect it to be ineffectual.
- Of 132,000 travelers who have been questioned, only 48 have refused. When this happens they get their bags searched. TSA says it’s not about finding out the specifics of ones’ travel, it’s also a means to gain behavioral clues as well.
- Chief Pistole believes this is something necessary to begin the process of moving away from a “one-size-fits-all approach.”
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October 12th, 2011
Nigerian man defiant, pleads guilty to trying to detonate underwear bomb on plane over Detroit – The Washington Post.
“I intended to wreck a U.S. aircraft for the U.S. wreckage of Muslim lands and property,” Abdulmutallab said.
Take-aways:
- Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian man, plead guilty to attempting to blow up NWA Flight 253 over Detroit in 2009. His motivation was to avenge the killing of Muslims worldwide.
- He was faced with 8 different charges, including conspiracy to commit terrorism, but remained calm and politely answered questions during his trial, earlier today.
- Abdulmutallab said that he intended on using the underwear bomb as a “blessed weapon to save the lives of innocent Muslims.” His plan was to detonate a bomb aboard a US aircraft in retaliation to the continued “wreckage” of Muslim land at the hands of America.
- The Nigerian man fully expected to kill the 300 people on board that Christmas day. However, the bomb malfunctioned, began smoking and Abdulmutallab was taken down by fellow passengers.
- After being badly burned by the bombing attempt, he told the FBI he was working with al-Qaeda and was being directed by Anwar al-Awlaki, who was recently killed in Yemen.
- According to court reports, he was trained by al-Qaeda in Yemen prior to his coming to America.
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October 5th, 2011
Shoes-On Screening Begins With Test at Four U.S. Airports – BusinessWeek.
“We are looking at how to further enhance security through passenger pre-screening and, whenever possible, expedite the screening process for travelers we know and trust the most,” Transportation Security Administrator John Pistole sai.
Take-aways:
- TSA announced on Monday, about the beginning of a new security trial aimed at speeding up airport checkpoint measures.
- PreCheck, a pilot program being tested in Miami, Dallas, Detroit and Atlanta allows frequent fliers, pre-approved and invited by TSA will be able to go through screening while leaving their shoes on.
- Approved passengers will have coded boarding passes that allow TSA agents to screen them in a separate lane. TSA expects that 8,000 passengers or more will be able to move through the checkpoints with this new expedited screening.
- Exact approval methods have not been released, but it does involve background checks of the frequent traveler. TSA may expand the expedited screening to allow anyone willing to submit to criminal background checks and fingerprint biometrics to participate as well.
- PreCheck is part of TSA’s risk-based security initiative, another facet to their goals of moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach.
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October 4th, 2011
US ups boarding-pass security, Transportation Security Administration.
“This technology will help facilitate risk-based security, while making the process more effective and efficient,” TSA Administrator John Pistole said in the statement.
Take-aways:
- TSA is planning on a $3.2 million purchase of 30 document-scanning systems that will be part of a trial at US airport checkpoints slated to begin in 2012. TSA agents will use these new machines to verify boarding passes and identification cards.
- According to TSA, this specific technology will enhance risk-based security while improving effectiveness and efficiency.
- Automatically identifying fraudulent boarding documents became a need after a man passed through security checkpoints and traveled across the country with the wrong boarding pass this last June.
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September 29th, 2011
U.S. man charged in Pentagon, Capitol explosive plot | Reuters.
“The conduct alleged today shows that Mr. Ferdaus had long planned to commit violent acts against our country,” U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz said in a statement.
Take-aways:
- 26-year-old Rezwan Ferdaus a U.S. citizen living in Massachusetts was arrested yesterday before he could carry out his terror plot to blow up portions of the Pentagon and the US Capitol with model airplanes.
- Ferdaus became radicalized after watching several jihadist web sites. His intentions became violent and began plotting this attack over a year ago. During this time he acquired quite an arsenal that consisted of grenades, Ak-47 assault rifles and what he thought was 25 pounds of C-4 explosives.
- The plan was to facilitate an attack on the Pentagon to “decapitate” the military by remotely controlling drone airplanes outfitted with GPS technology.
- Originally, he intended on launching the attack during the 4th of July weekend, but for whatever reason postponed it. During this time he also conducted recon in the New York area and re-wired cell phones to be used as IED’s in Iraq.
- The al-Qaeda operatives working with him ended up being undercover FBI agents, who quickly arrested Ferdaus right before he was set to launch his attack on our nation’s capitol.
- The suspect is being held without bail and has not entered a plea. However, if convicted Ferdaus faces up to 15 years in prison for providing support to a foreign terrorist organization, 20 years for attempting to destroy national defense and up to 20 years for attempting to destroy federal property.
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September 26th, 2011
CREATOR OF TSA AIRPORT SECURITY NOW SAYS “DISMANTLE IT!” – TheCypressTimes.
“I have written to Secretary Napolitano to express the need for the immediate reevaluation and reorganization of the TSA, an agency teetering on the verge of disaster,” Mica reported.
Take-aways:
- Congressman John Mica (R-FL) was a key creator of the TSA after the 9/11 attacks on the United States. A decade later he is calling for a full dismantle of the agency and now supports the privatization of airport security.
- Micah believes although TSA has received unlimited congressional funding, it has been met with shameful lapses in security. Micah has been known to call out the bureaucracy a time or two before. Last year, GAO released an accountability report, which triggered the Reps. initial interest.
- Micah was behind the development of a behavior detection program based on the Israeli model and El Al Airlines, which has proven extremely successful. TSA’s SPOT Program, the apparent equivalent, has not had quite the success.
- Micah has written a letter to DHS Secretary, Janet Napolitano indicating the need to reevaluate and reorganize TSA. According to the Rep. TSA is “teetering on the verge of disaster.”
- Furthermore, Micah stated that the TSA cannot effectively ensure the safety of our transportation system.
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September 26th, 2011
US House Committee Advances Secure Border and Security Bills.
The sharing of this vital PNR data has been a successful tool in our fight against terrorism, and weakening this tool would be detrimental to the security of both the United States and Europe. We cannot take such a risk as long as terrorists are still attempting to use airplanes as weapons against us.
Take-aways:
- Multiple transportation and border security bills were passed by the US House Committee on Homeland Security. After being passed earlier today, the measures now move on to the Full House for consideration.
- H.R. 255 would allow the continuance of passenger information sharing. In 2007 the EU and US set standards for airline information sharing. This included the watch lists that airlines use to screen and detect terrorists and other potential criminals, which helped catch Faisal Shahzad, the Times Square bomber. Now, the EU is making attempts to limit the agreement, that was initially set to remain in effect through 2014.
- H.R. 1299, AKA “Secure Border Act of 2011″ was also passed. This bill was amended to require DHS to develop operational control of the border within five years. Napolitano has called “operational control” an “archaic measure” and indicated a new measure was being developed, but there has been no word on what that measure is.
- H.R. 1801 was amended to provide expedited TSA screenings to members of the Armed Forces and their family.
- H.R. 1447 was passed to create an Aviation Security Advisory Committee housed under TSA.
- H.R. 915 will establish Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) teams to act as interagency forums, which would combat cross-border crime.
- H.R. 1165 will create a TSA Ombudsman Office.
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