20,000 added to terror-watchlist each month
- added July 14, 2008
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- Ogmin
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The government calls its watch list one of the most effective tools in its fight against terrorism. It was created after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks to consolidate 12 existing lists and make sure no terrorists slipped through the cracks - whether when entering the country or if otherwise stopped for questioning. Last year, congressional investigators found "general agreement that the watch list has helped to combat terrorism."
Other audits of the watch list over the last several years, however, have concluded that it has mistakenly flagged innocent people whose names are similar to those on it. More than 30,000 airline passengers had asked the Homeland Security Department to clear their names from the list as of October 2006. Additionally, as many as 20 suspected terrorists were left off the list as of last year due to a technology glitch.
Chad Kolton, a spokesman for the FBI's Terrorist Screening Center that maintains the list, said the government is working to fix the gaps.
"We strive to have the watch list contain all appropriately suspected terrorists who represent a threat to the U.S., but only appropriately suspected terrorists," Kolton said.
The ACLU predicted the watch list would include 1 million names as early as Monday. The civil liberties group reached that number by citing the 700,000 records on the watch list as of last September and adding 20,000 names each month, as forecast by the Justice Department's inspector general.
Other audits of the watch list over the last several years, however, have concluded that it has mistakenly flagged innocent people whose names are similar to those on it. More than 30,000 airline passengers had asked the Homeland Security Department to clear their names from the list as of October 2006. Additionally, as many as 20 suspected terrorists were left off the list as of last year due to a technology glitch.
Chad Kolton, a spokesman for the FBI's Terrorist Screening Center that maintains the list, said the government is working to fix the gaps.
"We strive to have the watch list contain all appropriately suspected terrorists who represent a threat to the U.S., but only appropriately suspected terrorists," Kolton said.
The ACLU predicted the watch list would include 1 million names as early as Monday. The civil liberties group reached that number by citing the 700,000 records on the watch list as of last September and adding 20,000 names each month, as forecast by the Justice Department's inspector general.
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Are there really that many people in the world who would kill innocent people all in the name of destroying a very imperialistic country? Or is this just another measure of fear and control?
Thank you Ogmin for sharing these stories and others like them! You are very intelligent and open minded, please keep it up!-
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- josh_rotbert
- 1 month ago
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This is absolutely terrifying. At this rate, the numerical equivalent of the population of Chicago will be on the watch list by this time next year. Of course the DOJ would never admit there are probably only 20-30,000 known terrorists in the whole world.
Didn't the Nazis have a similar watch list? -
I doubt they will ever have every name that should be on that list.. It is really terrifting to know there are that many people in this world , who could look in the face of a complete stranger and take thier life
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Fear fear fear!!! 80% percent of your american day should be spent in fear! the other 20%? sleeping...
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- Dr_Dank_Thumb
- 1 month ago
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Can you say Minority report, no personal freedom or liberty
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- TexasPatriot67
- 1 month ago
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The article begins with a story about the Justice Department's former top criminal prosecutor who has been put on such a list and can't seem to get his name removed. He is pulled aside and delayed every time he wants to board a plane. You have to wonder if some of this isn't fueled by lobbyists who are representing security firms at airports, ports and borders.
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