No Fly List Terrorism

August 25, 2007

According to Homeland Security’s “Terrorist Screening Center” a terrorist is:

"… a known or suspected terrorist such as those who finance terrorist activities, are known members of a terrorist organizations, terrorist operatives, or someone that provides material support to a terrorist or terrorist organization,"

Right now, more than 20,000 people are flagged each year up from 2,400 in 2004, with about 550 detained as possible terrorists. Included on the lists are infants with terrorist names and they too, if they travel are routinely denied a flight or border crossing. It is good to know the government is protecting us from terrorist babies who might be carrying bombs in their diapers.

Despite these revelations, they still cannot get it right. Hundreds, possibly thousands of people are denied travel due to their errors which allows terrorists to fly. This was the case with terrorist plot originating in England last year where a Muslim group was planning to hijack planes bound for the United States. None involved in the plot were on the list. None. Presumably all would have been allowed to travel except for the baby.

Every person falsely listed dilutes the database's effectiveness thereby ensuring real terrorists will be overlooked with tragic consequences. It seems Homeland Security doesn't understand. Possibly babies and innocent adults are easier to harass than the real bad guys.

Based on Homeland Security’s definition of a "known or suspect terrorist", Bush should be on the no fly list as terrorist for giving billions of dollars in financial support to Saudi Arabia which admits its Muslim schools train terrorists, for no longer seriously hunting for bin Laden by dismantling the unit charged with his capture and for generating fear in millions of Americans in the name of the war on terrorism.