Tuesday, 22 April 2014

Tsa No-Fly List Search Results

By Essie Osborn


TSA releases names of people considered threats to aviation. Prohibition from flying on security grounds has raised pertinent issues on the TSA no-fly list search for frequent travelers. It has been met with skepticism considering that these are just suspects with no criminal record.

Terrorists do not have name tags to identify them. This complicates matters for travel agents and security authorities. A perfect example is the fact that 9/11 attackers lived unnoticed and went on to cause so much damage and death. The people listed in some of these lists are harmless and have never been involved in any crime. Others are in trouble because their names are similar.

Real suspects are dealt with through investigation and arrest. This only happens where evidence can be presented. There is no evidence of any nature for those listed. This justifies the fact that they roam freely and have not recorded any statements about criminal involvement. They are suspects or people with similar names as the real suspects. No record can prove their guilt.

Only names are listed without supporting details like dates of birth or place of birth. This presents a huge dilemma to ticketing agents and security personnel. Many people may share the same name. There are no images of the accused persons either. It has led to a lot of inconvenience.

Travel delays are very disturbing to those identified as false positives. They are often stopped in airports, searched, interrogated and in the process delayed from travel. One personality who has suffered such an ordeal is Senator Ted Kennedy who was mistake for T Kennedy and delayed several times because of this similarity.

TSA has failed to keep track of the people listed on this platform. This has caused numerous people to be delayed time and again. The fact that the search and frisking are repeated indicates a fault with the system of including the names. A frequent flier would expect that after the first search, his name will be cleared to eliminate suspicion in subsequent trips.

Only by having trouble at the airport does one discover that his name is in the list. Such information is not available before hand. People are allowed to travel if they are listed as selectees. One can therefore not prepare for such delays especially considering that the names keep fluctuating.

Individuals with a caution on their name are not allowed to check-in through the internet, automated systems or kiosks. They must present themselves personally to the person at the counter. One can check his status through airport personnel but they are under no obligation to disclose this information.

There is a legal process for reducing suspicion and ensuring that your name is not on the list. A person who suspects that he is there should fill the Traveler Identification Verification Form and submit it to TSA. This process does not lead to total clearance. Some people continue to experience travel hitches despite submitting the form.

Eliminating the name form the list is done through an appeal process. It is constitutional and simplified through the assistance of several civil societies. It saves a person from constant harassment and suspicion.




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