The Swamp: Report: terror watch list has glitches

Posted March 17, 2008 12:23 PM

Andrew Zajac

A Justice Deparment Inspector General report out this morning lauds the FBI for developing a generally careful process for collecting names for the terrorism watch list, but nonetheless notes troubling difficulties including failure to remove names when appropriate.

The watch list was set up by the federal government following 9-11 to collect names of people with possible links to terrorism. It contained about 860,000 names as of last October.

The likeliest place the list impacts ordinary citizens is at airports. If you have name that's the same or similar that of someone on the list, you could be pulled aside for additional questioning and searches.

Today's report is the latest in a string of evaluations that point to difficulties managing a growing list of such size and identify problems such as names wrongly included, difficulty in getting one's name removed if it's been incorrectly added and inability of government security services to detect people named on the list when they travel into or out of the country.

If you don't have time for the full report, here's the DOJ IG's press release summarizing findings: Download file

Comments

If they want to find terrorists they need look no furture than Saudi Arabia!!! They'll follow us home...give me a break.

Posted by: Logic Prisoner | March 17, 2008 12:39 PM

I wonder if John E. is on that list, if not it probably should be , oh i forgot he's fighting in Iraq with Dale Peters,,,right Johnny Boy ?

Posted by: Don B. | March 17, 2008 1:02 PM

I'm okay with it, so long as it keeps us safe from Cat Stevens.

Posted by: Jeff | March 17, 2008 1:23 PM

wonder if John E. is on that list, if not it probably should be , oh i forgot he's fighting in Iraq with Dale Peters,,,right Johnny Boy ?

This amuses me to no end, it's always the chickenhawk Republicans (Don B) who spent their high school days getting stuffed into lockers by the cool kids and never saw a fight that they didn't want to avoid, who are always coming on here and puffing out their chests for "staying the course" in the pre-emptive Iraq disaster....while they sit at home hiding behind their keyboards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kgznT2y1rg

Posted by: your worst nightmare | March 17, 2008 2:13 PM

not fair not fair... your worst nightmare just gave me a wedgie!!!
you boob. I for one, while not being that cool in HS, sure never backed away from fight.
now quit using aliases JohnE

Posted by: Steve Hussein S | March 17, 2008 2:23 PM

Special-ed Stevie,

What are you crying about today?

PS - are you wearing your "Go USA" flag pin?
http://photobucket.com/mediadetail/?media=http%3A%2F%2Fi34.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fd139%2FDyos%2Flarrycraig.jpg&searchTerm=american%20flag%20pin&pageOffset=4

We wouldn't want to look unpatriotic now, would we?

Posted by: John Hussein E | March 17, 2008 2:36 PM

"REPUBLICAN CONGRESS SPEAKS"

IT'S NOT LIKE YOU DIDN'T GET INVITED TO THE BARBECUE, NOT EVERYONE COULD HAVE GONE.

MEANWHILE, OUR WAR ON TERROR HAS NETTED 860,000 AMERICANS DATAMINED, SCRUTINIZED, AND SENT A LETTER ASKING WHY THEY DIDN'T VOTE FOR GEORGE BUSH AND THEY BETTER VOTE FOR JOHN MCCAIN.

860,000 AMERICANS BEING WATCHED AND DATAMINED FOR POLITICAL GAIN AND "POLITICAL FEAR"

"SADDAM HUSSEIN IS A MAN WHO TOLD THE WORLD HE WOULDN'T HAVE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, BUT HE'S GOT THEM" GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH 11/2/2002.

TODAY, IF YOU ARE WILLING TO SPEND 20.00 YOU CAN MAIL ORDER THE "TRUTH" ON A CD, THAT SAYS "BUT HE DOESN'T"

860,000 PEOPLE TO FINALLY EXPERIENCE THAT "GET A CLUE" MOMENT IN THE WHITEHOUSE.

NO NEED TO FEAR "GEORGE BUSH'S GOVERNMENT" IS HEAR!
THERE! EVERYWHERE!

"AND NOT ONLY THAT, HE IS--WOULD LIKE NOTHING BETTER THAN TO HOOK-UP WITH ONE OF THESE SHADOWY TERRORIST NETWORKS LIKE "AL QAEDA" gwb 2/2/2002 SPEACH "IRAQ MUST DISARM"

FIVE (5) YEARS LATER, 4,000 DEAD, NO WMD'S, NO AL QAEDA SHADOWY TERRORIST NETWORK, AMERICA GETS A VISIT FROM "JOHN MCCAIN" AND DICK CHENEY.

OH US LUCKY CHARMS, LUCKY, LUCKY CHARMS!

Posted by: Roger Morris | March 17, 2008 2:37 PM

NEVERMIND!!!

I'M JUST A MOUTHPIECE!! Please DON'T REGARD WHAT I SAY BECAUSE I'M A LITTLE BIT ON THE SLOW SIDE.
I LOVE ALL CAPS.
JUST NEVERMIND!!!

Posted by: Roger Morris | March 17, 2008 3:24 PM

Surprise, surprise.

When have "lists" ever worked?

There was the old drunk, McCarthy, trying to re-ignite a failing political career with his (fake) lists of "communists."

There was Stalin with his (arbitrary) lists of "wreckers."

There was Nixon with his (paranoid) "enemies" list.

The truth is that it wouldn't matter one bit were Osama bin Laden to flew in a plane over the United States, so long as proper security was in place.

The original 9/11 mob only succeeded because basic security was so sloppy.

Examples:

For years, in response to waves of hijackings, there were advocates of secure cockpit doors. Washington legislators ignored it.

Again, for years, there were advocates of upgrading the inspection services at airports. It was widely recognized that they were lax and the personal who worked at it were poor.

Had either of these simple measures been in place, there would have been no 9/11.

Now, the U.S. has excessive, colossally costly measures that do nothing for real security.

The "list" is one of these. It takes a huge effort to keep such a list fitting and up-to-date. So much so, that the task is close to impossible.

And there have been countless errors since the beginning. Sen Edward Kennedy was stopped early on. The bureaucracy for getting an incorrect name off the list is unbelievable and stone stupid.

Posted by: John Chuckman, Toronto, Canada | March 17, 2008 4:28 PM

To quote the wise old sage;

"No $#!✺, Sherlock!?

Posted by: C.Morris | March 17, 2008 6:35 PM

And to think the CAPS LOCK botton would stay off. Silly me.

Posted by: CAPS LOCK off | March 17, 2008 6:54 PM

"Report: terror watch list has glitches"

In other news, dog bites man.

I know it seems hard for simpletons like Special Ed Stevie and Lil' Johnny to see this, but guess what: Chimpy is the WORST PRESIDENT EVER. THere is no possible way his administration would be actually competent at something important like national security.

Posted by: weinerdog43 | March 17, 2008 10:24 PM