| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front: WoT |
| U.S. lacked data to put suspect on no-fly list |
| 2009-12-27 |
| KAILUA, Hawaii, Dec 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. government created a record on Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab in November 2009 in the intelligence community's central repository of information on known and suspected international terrorists, but there was not enough negative information to put him on a no-fly list, a U.S. administration official said on Saturday. There are 550,000 individuals contained in the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment repository, where a record of Abdulmutallab was created. There was not enough negative information to include his name in a subset of that group, the Terrorist Screening Data Base (TSDB) that has more than 400,000 individuals and is the main identities database within the U.S. government for international terrorism, the official said. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #18 And lex has it right. The Israeli model is definitely worth considering. It HAS worked for them. They target the potential terrorist, not the person carrying the nail clippers. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul at home in the basement 2009-12-27 13:06 |
| #17 This is still 9-10 in mentality. Even under W's administration, there was no shakeup of the system after 9-11, though people tried. A human wall of people was created in the form of DHS. Under the new Administration, we are on the defensive now as a matter of policy, so our enemies will keep probing, and if they get any brains, will create mini 9-11s. And rather than take the fight to the enemy, our govt will go after the law abiding citizens. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2009-12-27 13:04 |
| #16 Just who, exactly, is State working for? My understanding is the Saud family supplements thier retirement richly. I'd start there. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2009-12-27 11:59 |
| #15 You are probably right about nothing being done. After all the Visa Express program (no checks, no interviews necessary for Muslims...) continued even after 9/11. Most of the terrorists came over via Visa Express. Only very public exposure and outcry caused the State Department to reluctantly cancel the program. They even gave the idiot who came up with the program a Big Bonus and Promotion for it. Just who, exactly, is State working for? |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2009-12-27 11:53 |
| #14 likely the Catholic Holy day of Obligation: Mary, Mother of God? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-12-27 11:50 |
| #13 UK had enough data to deny a VISA even though his daddy is a millionaire diplo attache. Yet US won't even assign double-secret probation. Did the UK intelligence agencies share that data with their American counterparts? Separately, I really would like to know what religious ceremony young Mr. Abdulmutallab was headed for in Detroit, and who was running it. How he knew about it and obtained an invitation would be nice, too. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-12-27 11:35 |
| #12 It's a good point, lex. You could always sell it to the Dhimmicrats as part of a 'stimulus' package. And it would provide jobs for graduates with degrees in gender studies. Only problem is that the SEIU would be all over those jobs like flies on ... |
| Posted by: Steve White 2009-12-27 11:34 |
| #11 If the US cannot get serious about the threat, we're about to lose a few airliners. I don't know, the 93rd volunteers are 3-0. I'd stay away from planes and move to hotels and malls if I were them. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2009-12-27 11:25 |
| #10 Here's my lead-pipe cinch predictions: Regular Joe. My prediction... If the US cannot get serious about the threat, we're about to lose a few airliners. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-12-27 11:19 |
| #9 Hey! Chill! I'm sure the One is crafting a one-hour speech even now, to put us all at ease. I'm beathless, in anticipation. |
| Posted by: Bobby at the Kids Place in Texas 2009-12-27 11:10 |
| #8 UK had enough data to deny a VISA even though his daddy is a millionaire diplo attache. Yet US won't even assign double-secret probation. Here's my lead-pipe cinch predictions: No US intelligence/VISA agencies head will roll; No new sanctions will be installed to deter Muslim terrorists; You will now have to check your contact lens case and lip balm for the princely sum of $75/bag; Another hour will be added to your in-airport wait why TSA mouth-breather oogle you through their see-thru scanner. |
| Posted by: regular joe 2009-12-27 09:14 |
| #7 An anti-terrorism strategy that relies on accurately maintaining multiple databases will always be full of holes. Long past time we moved to the Israeli solution: hire hundreds, maybe thousands, of well-trained psychology (or social work or drama) grads as full-time psychological screeners. Have them ask EVERYONE preparing to go through security on any US-bound flight, from any port, a few simple questions, a la: Where are you flying today? What's the purpose of your trip? Why are you not taking any bags for a one-way trip, Mr Atta? You say you're an architect, sir-- so tell me, in what city is Brunelleschi's dome? A good interrogator can instantly spot nervousness, a liar whose story is inconsistent, evidence of coordinated group activity. The Israelis have done this successfully with not a single sky terror incident in almost four decades. Cost? Maybe 20,000 FTE screeners, max, at an annual fully-loaded cost of maybe $100k each = $2B per year. How many billions are pissed away by DHS every year on Beltway Bandits' software and systems integration? This would be a bargain. |
| Posted by: lex 2009-12-27 08:47 |
| #6 Jamie Gorelick's protege: Janet "Comfy Shoes" Napolitano |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-12-27 08:25 |
| #5 Those who put the original firewalls in place were never held accountable or publicly rebuked. Instead they were provided cover by their sponsors in Congress. So, why shouldn't they be back in place if just only in practice rather than on paper. Fort Hood and this are just the warning signs that something big is going to happen. The usual suspects will gamble that hopey changey thingy will make it go away. Hope is not a plan. |
| Posted by: P2k on vacation 2009-12-27 08:01 |
| #4 Ok, let's see here; NAME: Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab Hokay, that's enough data for me! Put 'im on the list! |
| Posted by: Parabellum 2009-12-27 07:59 |
| #3 Wretchard wonders, Are the firewalls back? |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2009-12-27 07:23 |
| #2 Strange, very strange. There WAS enough derog to put him on the "known and suspected interntional terrorist list" but there WAS NOT enough derog to keep him from flying on US air carriers? One must assume then, that "known or suspected terrorists" are still welcome to travel on US air carriers. Something appears amiss. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-12-27 06:59 |
| #1 Bureaucratic bungling or the fog of war? Cause and effect need not be mutually exclusive and frequently aren't. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2009-12-27 04:47 |