Gov't Orders Air Passenger Data for Test

[R.A. Hettinga]

<http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&u=/ap/20041112/ap_on_re_us/passenger_screening_1&printer=1>

Yahoo!


Gov't Orders Air Passenger Data for Test



 Fri Nov 12, 2:35 PM ET

By LESLIE MILLER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON -  The government on Friday ordered airlines to turn over
personal information about passengers who flew within the United States in
June in order to test a new system for identifying potential terrorists.

  


 The system, dubbed "Secure Flight," will compare passenger data with names
on two government watch lists, a "no fly" list comprised of people who are
known or suspected to be terrorists, and a list of people who require more
scrutiny before boarding planes.

 "Secure Flight represents a significant step in securing domestic air
travel and safeguarding national security information, namely, the
watchlists," the Transportation Security Administration said in a notice
announcing the order.

 Currently, the federal government shares parts of the list with airlines,
which are responsible for making sure suspected terrorists don't get on
planes. People within the commercial aviation industry say the lists have
the names of more than 100,000 people on them.

 The order follows a 30-day period during which the public was allowed to
comment on the Secure Flight proposal. About 500 people commented on the
plan; the overwhelming majority opposed it, saying it would invade their
privacy and infringe on their civil liberties.

 An airline industry representative said the carriers, which support the
plan, are studying the order.

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R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah at ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'

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