The Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (often abbreviated CAPPS) is a counter-terrorism system in place in the United States air travel industry. The United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) maintains a watchlist, pursuant to 49 USC § 114 (h)(2) [1], of "individuals known to pose, or suspected of posing, a risk of air piracy or terrorism or a threat to airline or passenger safety." The list is used to pre-emptively identify terrorists, or perceived terrorism threats, attempting to buy plane tickets or board planes traveling in the United States. Counter-terrorism refers to the practices, tactics, and strategies that governments, militaries, and other groups adopt in order to fight terrorism. ... Aviation or Air transport refers to the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ... The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is a controversial U.S. government agency that was created as part of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush on November 19, 2001. ... Terrorist redirects here. ...

Overview

CAPPS systems rely on what is known as a Passenger Name Record, often abbreviated PNR. When a person books a plane ticket, certain identifying information is collected by the airline: full name, address, etc. This information is used to check against some data store (i.e., a TSA No-Fly list, the FBI ten most wanted fugitive list, etc.) and assign a terrorism "risk score" to that person. High risk scores behoove the airline to subject the person to extended baggage and/or personal screening, and to contact law enforcement if necessary. The FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list arose from a conversation held in late 1949, during a game of Hearts between J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, and William Kinsey Hutchinson[1], International News Service (the predecessor of the United Press International) Editor-in...

CAPPS I

CAPPS I was first implemented in the late 1990s, in response to the perceived threat of U.S. domestic and international terrorism after incidents like the explosion of TWA Flight 800 and the Centennial Olympic Park bombing several days later in 1996. CAPPS I was administered by the FBI and FAA. CAPPS screening selected passengers for additional screening of their checked baggage for explosives. CAPPS selectees did not undergo any additional screening at passenger security checkpoints.^[1] See also 1990s, the band Germans dancing on the Berlin Wall in late 1989, the symbol of the cold war divide falls down as the world unites in the 1990s. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... TWA Flight 800 (TW800, TWA800) was a TWA passenger flight that disintegrated while flying from John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York) to Charles de Gaulle International Airport (Paris) in July of 1996, killing all 230 aboard. ... Shrapnel mark on Olympic Park sculpture. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... // At present, the FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crimes and is second to only the United States Marshal Service in terms of law enforcement jurisdiction (although the USMS by practice relegates itself to judicial duties, making the FBI the de-facto lead...   FAA redirects here. ... This article is concerned solely with chemical explosives. ...

September 11, 2001 attacks

On September 11, 2001, several of the hijackers were selected by CAPPS. Wail al-Shehri, and Satam al-Suqami were selected for extra screening of their checked bags, before they boarded American Airlines Flight 11 at Logan International Airport. Waleed al-Shehri was also selected, but since he had checked no bags, CAPPS selection had no effect on him.^[1] Mohamed Atta was selected by CAPPS when he checked in at Portland International Jetport.^[2] A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... The September 11, 2001 attacks were carried out by 19 hijackers, with planning and organization of the attacks involving numerous additional members of al-Qaeda. ... This photograph of Wail al-Shehri was captured by an ATM just days before the 9/11 attack. ... This photograph of Satam al-Suqami was released by the FBI in the days following the attack. ... AA 11 flight path from Boston to New York City Betty Ong was a Flight Attendant on Flight 11 who, during a 23 minute phone conversation with American Airlines flight operations, gave details of the seats the hijackers had occupied and the ongoing situation in the airplane before it crashed. ... Logan International Airport with aircraft taking off over harbor Bostons Logan International Airport from the airside lounge of Terminal E, illustrating how the airport is largely surrounded by water. ... This photograph of Waleed al-Shehri was released by the FBI in the days following the attack. ... Mohamed Atta ( translit: ) was named by the FBI as the suicide pilot of American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane to crash into the World Trade Center during the September 11, 2001 attacks. ... PWM logo Portland International Jetport (IATA: PWM, ICAO: KPWM) is a public airport located 2 miles (3 km) west of Portland, in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. ...

All of the hijackers on American Airlines Flight 77 were CAPPS selectees, with Hani Hanjour, Khalid al-Mihdhar, and Majed Moqed chosen by the CAPPS criteria. Nawaf al-Hazmi and Salem al-Hazmi were selected because they did not provide adequate identification, and had their checked bags held until they boarded the aircraft.^[1] Security camera image showing American Airlines Flight 77 (far right) just before impact. ... Hani Saleh Hanjour, (Arabic: هاني صالح حنجور) was one of five men named by the FBI as hijackers of American Airlines flight 77 in the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack. ... This photograph of Khalid al-Midhar was released by the FBI in the days following the attack. ... Majed Mashaan Moqed (Arabic: ماجد مشعان موقد, also transliterated Moqued) was one of five men named by the FBI to be hijackers of American Airlines Flight 77 in the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack. ... Nawaf al-Hazmi (Arabic: نواف الحازمي, also transliterated Nawaq Alhazmi) who used the alias Rabia al Makki as well as Nawaf M.S. Al Hazmi, was 25 years old in September, 2001, when he became one of five terrorists named by FBI as hijackers of American Airlines flight 77, which was crashed... This is a photo of the alleged Salem al-Hazmi, released by the FBI. Salem al-Hazmi, (Arabic: سالم الحازمي, also transliterated Alhazmi) was one of five men named on September 14, 2001 by the FBI as hijackers of American Airlines flight 77 in the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack. ...

Ahmad al-Haznawi was the only hijacker selected of those on United Airlines Flight 93, and none of the hijackers of United Airlines Flight 175 were selected by CAPPS.^[1] This photograph of Ahmed al_Haznawi was released by the FBI in the days following the attack. ... United Airlines Flight 93 was a regular flight from Newark International Airport (now known as Newark Liberty International Airport) in Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco International Airport continuing on to Narita International Airport in Tokyo, Japan, on a different aircraft. ... United Flight 175 crashes into the World Trade Center United Airlines Flight 175 was a morning flight that regularly flew from Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, California (Boston–Los Angeles route). ...

Post 9/11

In November 2001, control was transferred to the TSA, where it has "...expanded almost daily as Intelligence Community (IC) agencies and the Office of Homeland Security continue to request the addition of individuals..." [2]

In 2003, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) presented a proposal for an expanded system (CAPPS II), which was reviewed by Congress and later canceled by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is a controversial U.S. government agency that was created as part of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush on November 19, 2001. ... The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), commonly known as Homeland Security, is a Cabinet department of the Federal Government of the United States with the responsibility of protecting the territory of the United States from terrorist attacks and responding to natural disasters. ...

CAPPS II

CAPPS II was a proposal for a new CAPPS system, designed by the Office of National Risk Assessment (ONRA), a subsidiary office of the TSA, with the contracted assistance of Lockheed Martin. Congress presented the TSA with a list of Requirements, for a successor to CAPPS I. Some of those requirements were: Lockheed/BAE/Northrop F-35 Lockheed Trident missile C-130 Hercules; in production since the 1950s, now as the C-130J Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is an aerospace manufacturer formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. ...

• The government, not the airlines, will control and administer the system
• Every ticketed passenger will be screened, for instance not just those who check bags
• Every airline and every airport will be covered by the system

Like its predecessor, the CAPPS II proposal would rely on the PNR to uniquely identify people attempting to board aircraft. It would expand the PNR field to include a few extra fields, like a full street address, date of birth, and a home telephone number. It would then cross-reference these fields with government records and private sector databases to ascertain the identity of the person, and then determine a number of details about that person. Law enforcement would be contacted in the event that the person:

• is present on a terrorist or most-wanted list
• has outstanding Federal or state arrest warrants for violent crime

Otherwise, the software would calculate a "risk score" and then print a code on the boarding pass indicating the appropriate "screening level" for that person: green (no threat) indicates no additional screening, yellow (unknown or possible threat) indicates additional screening, and red (high risk) indicates no boarding and deferral to law enforcement. How this risk score would be calculated was never disclosed nor subject to public oversight of any kind outside of the TSA.

The system was jeopardized in a critical report (pdf) by the U.S. General Accounting Office in early 2004 and increased opposition from watchdog groups like the ACLU, ReclaimDemocracy.org and EPIC. Advocacy groups that believed it would undermine both privacy and safety (because terrorists allegedly could use it to their advantage), and may be unconstitutional. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is the audit, evaluation, and investigative agency of the United States Congress. ... The American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, is a non_governmental organization devoted to defending civil rights and civil liberties in the United States. ... ReclaimDemocracy. ... Electronic Privacy Information Center or EPIC is a public interest research group in Washington D.C.. It was established in 1994 to focus public attention on emerging civil liberties issues and to protect privacy, the First Amendment, and constitutional values. ...

CAPPS II was cancelled by the TSA in the summer of 2004. Shortly thereafter, the TSA announced a successor program, called Secure Flight, that would work much the same as CAPPS II. TSA hoped to test Secure Flight in August 2005 using two airlines. In February of 2006 Secure Flight was cancelled for being potentially insecure. Bags are scanned by X-ray machine, people are scanned by metal detectors Airport security refers to the techniques and methods used in protecting airports and by extension aircraft from crime and terrorism. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Surveillance Detection Report (SDR)

On July 21, 2006, TV station ABC 7 in Denver, Colorado released a report, citing air marshals that were using a quota system of reporting 1 person per month as a requirement for advancement. These reports are filed as Surveillance Detection Reports: it is unclear how many such reports are required on a person to place them on the watch lists. July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: The Mile-High City Location of Denver in Colorado, USA Coordinates: Country United States State Colorado City-County Denver (coextensive) Founded November 22, 1858 Incorporated November 7, 1861 Mayor John Hickenlooper (D) Area    - City 401. ... A quota is a prescribed number or share of something. ...

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} The Aviation Security System and the 9/11 Attacks - Staff Statement No. 3. 9/11 Commission.
2. ^ 9/11 Commission Report (Chapter 1) (July 2004).

External links

• The Electronic Privacy Information Center (April 2003). Documents Show Errors in TSA's "No-Fly" Watchlist.
• TSA customer service
• DenverChannel.com, accessed 7-25-2006: article on SDR

CAPPS II

• CAPPS II Section of HR 2115, the "Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act" The language of proposed legislation (aclu.org)
• The Transportation Security Administration, promoters of CAPPS II
• EFF Backgrounder on CAPPS II
• The Dangerous Illusion of CAPPS II A critical article exploring multiple concerns with CAPPS II (reclaimdemocracy.org)
• ACLU page on CAPPS II
• "Computer-Assisted Passenger Prescreening System Faces Significant Implementation Challenges" (pdf) summary of report on CAPPS II by the General Accounting Office
• blog providing regular updates on CAPPS II
• "In These Times" 2003 article on CAPPS II