AP: Government quietly rates millions of travelers for terrorism potential

[Newsjock]

http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=5752675&nav=3YeX

For the past four years, without public notice, federal agents have assigned millions of Americans and other international travelers computer-generated scores assessing the risk they pose of being terrorists or criminals.

The travelers are not allowed to see or directly challenge these risk assessments. And the government intends to keep them on file for 40 years.

... The scores are assigned to people entering and leaving the United States after computers assess their travel records, including where they are from, how they paid for tickets, their motor vehicle records, past one-way travel, seating preference and what kind of meals they ordered.

... Still, privacy advocates view ATS with alarm. "It's probably the most invasive system the government has yet deployed in terms of the number of people affected," David Sobel, a lawyer at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil liberties group devoted to electronic data issues, said in an interview.

[dchill]

1. Beginning with...

political party affiliation, no doubt.

[NeoConsSuck]

13. Wasn't there a Green Party rep

detained in Maine right after 9-11?

[dchill]

16. Yep - Nancy Oden

http://www.counterpunch.org/oden1.html

Armed government agents grabbed Nancy Oden, Green Party USA coordinating committee member, Thursday at Bangor International Airport in Bangor Maine, as she attempted to board an American Airlines flight to Chicago.

"An official told me that my name had been flagged in the computer," a shaken Oden said. "I was targeted because the
Green Party USA opposes the bombing of innocent civilians in Afghanistan."

Oden, a long-time organic farmer and peace activist in northern Maine, was ordered away from the plane. Military personnel with automatic weapons surrounded Oden and instructed all airlines to deny her passage on any flight.

"I was told that the airport was closed to me until further notice and that my ticket would not be refunded," Oden said.

So we have been "safer" all along!

[leftchick]

2. whether they belong to antiwar movements

and the peace movement. I have no doubt they will be included.

[leveymg]

4. I wonder how many points we get for posting on DU?

In late 2004, I sat on a runway in South America for 35 minutes while TSA made up its mind whether to clear our flight back to the US. As we finally started to roll, the US Air Captain got on the intercom and apologized for the unexpected delay. He mentioned that he had never seen TSA take such a long time to issue a clearance. Made me wonder.

[leftchick]

7. I think about my internet activities

everytime I fly. Frankly I believe it is just a matter of time before one of us is detained. Too bad the freeper anthrax terrorists are not targeted.

[leveymg]

11. As stupid as this Admnistration is, the

FBI, CIA and military people I meet in the DC area are all smart, well-informed, decent people. They're the ones who've been blocking the Bushniks from imposing a real police state.

[LiberalFighter]

8. Maybe there were fellow DU'ers on board with you at the time.

[leveymg]

10. Didn't recognize any of the screen names seated nearby

It turned out to be a pleasant flight home.

[Quantess]

3. Excellent use of taxpayer money!

As we all know, there are millions of terrorists right here in America! Just take a look at their DMV records-- that right there is very incriminating!!!111
:eyes:
What a load of BS.

[Renew Deal]

5. Registered Democrat, Posts at DU, Thinks Bush is a war criminal

That will get you to the top of the list.

[leveymg]

6. Skinner compiles the list of GITMO-qualified DU members. Kid you not.

Just being silly. ;-) :+ :evilgrin:

[LiberalFighter]

9. When we get control of the White House...

we need to explicitly add Bush and all members of his administration to that list after everyone else on the list is removed that should be removed.

Once Bush and his buddies are added those specific records need to be password encrypted so they can't be deleted. :) And an additional data included requiring extreme measures. How about sending them to Gitmo and waterboard.

Those involved in this project need to be added to the top of this list.

[Newsjock]

12. EXPANDED VERSION of story, with more info

http://www.examiner.com/a-429405~AP__Feds_Rate_Travelers_for_Terrorism.html

... In comments to the Homeland Security Department about ATS, Sobel said, "Some individuals will be denied the right to travel and many the right to travel free of unwarranted interference as a result of the maintenance of such material."

Sobel said in the interview the government notice also raises the possibility that faulty risk assessments could cost innocent people jobs in shipping or travel, government contracts, licenses or other benefits.

The government notice says ATS data may be shared with state, local and foreign governments for use in hiring decisions and in granting licenses, security clearances, contracts or other benefits. In some cases, the data may be shared with courts, Congress and even private contractors.

... In the Federal Register, the department exempted ATS from many provisions of the Privacy Act designed to protect people from secret, possibly inaccurate government dossiers. As a result, it said travelers cannot learn whether the system has assessed them. Nor can they see the records "for the purpose of contesting the content."

[spillthebeans]

14. Welcome to the USSR

[indepat]

15. As blatantly asinine as every RW endeavor: full of crapola, zero merit, millions needless hurt and

they don't give a flying F-word. Dem Congress needs investigate this system like everything initiated by the neonastycons. :patriot:

[mhatrw]

17. This Program HELPS Terrorists.

Any terrorist cell with adequate would simply do a few test runs to find pout how to best game the system!

So what purpose does this serve other than to intimidate law abiding US citizens, who are left with no recourse? It is totalitarianism for totalitarianism's sake.

BTW, General Wesley Clark is a big player in all of this crap.

[mhatrw]

18. Kick. n/t

[Hibernias Daughter]

19. Sorry Newsjock, I didn't know mine was a dupe

They'll probably remove it :blush:

[enki23]

20. Wthat kind of meals they ordered" = Halal

.

[LiberalEsto]

21. So what's your terror score?

New pickup line or conversation-starter for 2007