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["Toni Hawryluk" <tonihawr AT msn.com>]

"Squawk* as in lawsuit - - - *that* is all that's being "tested" 

here as *everybody* oughta know by now ... 



http://famulus.msnbc.com/famulusgen/ap11-12-113022.asp?t=apnew&vts=111220041625<http://famulus.msnbc.com/famulusgen/ap11-12-113022.asp?t=apnew&vts=111220041625>

 

Government orders airlines to turn over passenger data

 

By LESLIE MILLER
ASSOCIATED PRESS

 

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 - The government ordered U.S. airlines Friday to turn 
over personal information about passengers so it can test a system for 
identifying potential terrorists. The move was expected but nonetheless 
brought protests from civil libertarians worried about invasions of privacy. 

 

     Under the system, called ''Secure Flight,'' the Transportation Security 
Administration will compare passenger data with names on two government watch 
lists: a ''no-fly'' list comprises known or suspected terrorists, and a 
''watch'' list names people who should face tighter scrutiny before boarding 
planes. 
       ''Secure Flight represents a significant step in securing domestic air 
travel and safeguarding national security information, namely, the 
watchlists,'' the TSA said in a notice announcing the order. 
       The TSA order gives 72 airlines until Nov. 23 to turn over 
computerized data for passengers who traveled on domestic flights during 
June. 
       The data - known as passenger name records, or PNR - can include 
credit card numbers, travel itineraries, addresses, telephone numbers and 
meal requests. The latter can indicate a passenger's religion or ethnicity. 
       Barry Steinhardt, an American Civil Liberties Union lawyer, said a 
major problem is the lists include the names of many people who are not 
security risks. 
       Among those subjected to extra scrutiny in recent months was Sen. 
Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass. The singer formerly known as Cat Stevens, now 
Yusuf Islam, is trying to get off the no-fly list after he was removed from a 
<>London-to-Washington flight because the list said he had links to 
terrorists. 
       The lists are ''a hodgepodge of information, accurate and 
inaccurate,'' Steinhardt said. ''They're the basement of the program, and the 
floor is rotten.'' 
       The government has sought to improve its process for checking 
passengers since the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers exposed holes. The 
government's first attempt was scuttled because of fears the government would 
have access to too much personal information. 
       The TSA says Secure Flight differs from the previous plan because it 
does not compare personal data with commercial databases. The agency said, 
however, it will test the passenger information ''on a very limited basis'' 
against commercial data. 
       Under the current system, the government shares parts of the 
watchlists with airlines, which are responsible for making sure suspected 
terrorists don't get on planes. But the airlines don't have access to 
everyone who's considered a threat to aviation because some of the names of 
known or suspected terrorists are classified. 
       People within the commercial aviation industry say there are more than 
100,000 names on the lists. 
       Under Secure Flight, the government would take responsibility for 
checking passengers. That was among recommendations of the commission that 
investigated the Sept. 11 attacks. 
       An airline industry representative said the carriers support the 
government's goals but remain wary of privacy concerns. 
       ''U.S. airlines have long-standing concerns that center on privacy and 
operational issues,'' said James May, president of the Air Transport 
Association, which represents major airlines. ''We hope many of the issues 
will be successfully addressed during the test phase of Secure Flight.'' 
       About 500 people formally commented on the Secure Flight plan this 
fall. Almost all opposed it, saying it would allow the government to monitor 
where people go and deprive them of the right to travel without telling them 
why. 
       In issuing the order, the TSA didn't resolve another key concern for 
privacy advocates: redress. There still is no formal way for people 
mistakenly identified as terrorists, or who have the same name as a suspected 
terrorist, to get off the lists. 
       ''They've done absolutely nothing to tell us what they really intend 
on doing,'' said Bill Scannell, a privacy advocate who manages the 
www.unsecureflight.com<http://www.unsecureflight.com/> Web site. ''Their 
attitude seems to be, 'Trust us.''' 
       Justin Oberman, who heads the TSA office that's developing Secure 
Flight, said the agency will set up a passenger advocate's office with clear 
policies and procedures. He said a process of redress wasn't needed until 
Secure Flight begins. 
       The passenger advocate will handle complaints from passengers who have 
the same name as those on watchlists, as well as those who think they were 
mistakenly put on a watchlist, he said. 
       He defended Secure Flight as a well-thought-out effort to protect 
passengers from terrorists. 
       Oberman said the TSA will present the final plan for Secure Flight 
early next year. 

       On the Net: 
       Transportation Security Administration: 
http://www.tsa.gov<http://www.tsa.gov/> 
© 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be 
published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.