Terrorist Screening
What is the Terrorist Screening Center?
The Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) is a multi-agency center that was established to consolidate and integrate various terrorist "watch lists" and to provide constant operational support for federal screeners. Established in late 2003 by a presidential directive, the TSC has been given responsibility for administering the Terrorist Screening Database. The goal of the TSC is to ensure that screeners, agents, and investigators are all using unified and comprehensive anti-terrorist information so that they can act quickly when a suspected terrorist is stopped anywhere within the federal system.
The TSC was created in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The TSC is administered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), but includes the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of State, as well as federal intelligence agencies.
What is the Terrorist Screening Database?
The Terrorist Screening Database was proposed when officials realized that two of the September 11th hijackers had been on a terrorist watch list. The purpose of the Terrorist Screening Database will be to help federal agencies and local law enforcement to identify known or suspected terrorists. When the Terrorist Screening Database is fully functional, federal agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration should be able to access it online, in real time. Plans include making the Terrorist Screening Database capable of storing "biometric" information such as fingerprints. Private companies will be able to submit names of individuals for screening for any connection to terrorism.
Civil Rights advocates express concerns
Currently, specific details as to what information would place an individual's name in the Terrorist Screening Database have not been made public. This has led to concerns by civil liberties advocates and some lawmakers, who have wondered how mistakes will be corrected and how privacy will be safeguarded.
Some civil rights organizations have also expressed concern over the significant ramifications of being identified as a potential terrorist, especially if the individual poses no threat to security or is placed on the list by mistake. Similarly, some lawmakers say they are concerned that civil liberties and privacy interests will not be carefully protected.
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