ACLU Opposes TSA Screening For Suspicious Behavior

Surely we can't have para-law-enforcement personnel asking people questions based upon suspicious behavior!

That's how Hitler got started!

Security screeners at 40 major airports across the country will be trained next year to use casual conversation to flush out possible terrorists.

The Transportation Security Administration will first teach screeners what suspicious behaviors to look for in travelers. These can include nervousness, wearing a big coat in the summer or reluctance to make eye contact with law enforcement. Then, the screener will quiz passengers on their travel plans in hopes of spotting possible terrorists.

The security technique, called behavior detection or behavior-pattern recognition, is already in place at several major airports, including those in Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Miami and Houston. Behavior detection is a common practice among police officers and customs agents, who often engage arriving passengers they suspect in more detailed conversation. But the proposed program that will be put in place at airport security checkpoints nationwide adds a psychological dimension to the screening process.

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The American Civil Liberties Union has warned that the screening technique could result in racial profiling.

“This is a code word for targeting brown-skinned males between ages 17 and 45 years. It’s not only racial profiling, it’s ethnic profiling,� said Timothy Sparapani, who oversees privacy rights for the ACLU.

Yeah, we can't have that, either.

posted by Ace at 12:18 AM

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