TSA's Program to Spot Terrorists a $200M Sham?

(CBS)  Times Square bombing suspect Faisal Shahzad was arrested after he boarded a plane headed for Dubai, though the government is spending millions each year on a program that's supposed to spot terrorists before they reach the gate. As CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports, the program doesn't seem to be working.

There's a hidden layer of airport security most people don't know about. It's called "behavior detection," and involves specially trained Transportation Security Administration employees whose primary mission is to spot terrorists.

They look for unique facial expressions and body language that may identify a potential threat. About 3,000 of these officers work at 161 U.S. airports -- costing taxpayers nearly $200 million in 2009. This year, the TSA asked Congress for $20 million more to expand the program.

60 Minutes: Expert Says TSA Screening Is Theater

But CBS News has learned that the program is failing to catch terrorists. It's never even caught one.

In fact, sources tell CBS News a Government Accountability Office investigation is raising serious questions about the program.

The GAO uncovered at least 16 individuals later accused of involvement in terrorist plots flew 23 different times through U.S. airports since 2004. Yet none were stopped by TSA behavior detection officers working at those airports.

"It's a disgrace," said aviation security analyst Charles Slepian. "Why didn't they stop them? If it worked, you would catch them."

Scientists are split over whether it's even possible to recognize terrorists simply by behavior detection. A 2008 report found no evidence it works.

"TSA is doing a number of things in the area of behavior detection and I personally think that some of them are shams," said Stephen Fienberg, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University.

In a statement Wednesday, the TSA called the program a "vital layer" of security, "based in science," that has resulted in more than 1,700 arrests for "illegal activities" like drug smuggling.

The report based on the GAO investigation is due out Thursday. It will recommend across-the-board improvements in the program - ones the TSA is expected to accept.

More on the TSA from 60 Minutes:


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[jec77]

The $200M cost is ONLY the behavior-detection program, which sounds like the behavior profiling program Israel uses. Not to fault the method (because the the way it's carried out in ISRAEL sounds great), but it's telling that the TSA missed the Times Square bomber and the GAO's 16 individuals--Not only that, but these people were missed by the behavior profiling program, the no-fly list AND regular TSA screening--the regular screening that was patting down "randomly selected" attractive women and yellow, brown, black and disabled people before and is now busy touching kids as well. CBS was way too kind in this article. It's not that TSA's behavior detection program has not worked. TSA as a whole has not given results, only inconveniences, and now, add to that the molestation of the greater public including minors.

[rm1020]

This program works very well. If some July day, you take the Metro to Reagan and the AC isn't working, they will notice the sweat and read every document in your briefcase, use every detection machine, and give you a thorough pat down.

If your 14 year old daughter takes 6 colors of eye makeup in her carry-on, they will pick up on that threat, too... and it may take the 14yr old a while to convince them that there is nothing unusual about it.

[Tom_Collins9]

The most effective thing the American public can do to protect themselves from being slayed in the name of Allah is to kill federal judges and lawyers like 9/11 Commissioner, Jim Thompson who support and advocate killing innocent airline passengers.

[stevexh]

I'm infuriated by the fact that CBS didn't call out the screener for the flat-out LIE that the naked body scanner is not able to store images. The TSA itself admitted the machines can, in fact, store images.

[AtLeastResearchIt]

CBS' lack of basic information on this topic is unbelievable, and I won't even comment on some of the postings I've seen. TSA Behavior Detection Officers are just that-- they are trained to spot BEHAVIORS that are scientifically proven indicators of stress, fear, and deception. This has produced a side benefit of catching thousands of criminals and wackos that you definitely don't want to share an airplane with.

Furthermore, TSA officers are NOT law enforcement officers, and they do not have any arrest powers- they only enact TSA policies, one of which is to refer certain issues to law enforcement, who may or may not do anything at all. The fact that we KNOW 16 terrorists have been able to take 23 airplane rides only means that the FBI is able to track their every move, and obviously they didn't get any prohibited items on the plane with them or you'd have heard about another 9/11 already.

TSA does not chase bad guys around. The screeners you see every day are the DEFENSIVE team: some are linemen, some are defensive backs, some are safeties. Tracking terrorists, tracing their networks, and bringing them down are the function of federal law enforcement, not TSA. CBS and other propaganda outlets intentionally mis-characterize TSA's role in order to portray it as a failure, while TSA keeps guns, knives, and yes, bombs off our airliners, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

[usconstitution1]

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MY BROTHERS FRIENDS ARE BIILIONAIRES!! 3.875 COLLEGE GPA, GRADUATE SCHOOL, YEARS, etc...

[spentHO]

DON'T MOVE TO TEXAS? ARE YOU ON DRUGS? WHO GIVE A FK IF YOUR BROTHERS FRIENDS ARE BILLIONAIRES - WHICH I HIGHLY DOUBT. YOUR WHOLE COMMENT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SINCE. SINCE YOU ARE TRYING TO DISRESPECT THE WHITE PEOPLE IN TEXAS YOU, PLEASE GO DIE NOW.

[Arizona4Juan]

This news story reminded me of an experience I had while driving on the interstate one evening. I, just like everybody else, was in a hurry and had decided to exceed the posted speed limit. As I came over a hill, I saw that almost all the traffic ahead of me (three lanes of moving vehicles) had hit their brakes at the same time. The night sky was set ablaze with the red glow of brake lights. I too, joined the gang of brake pedal pushers when I noticed the highway patrol car sitting on the side of the road.

Do you think the highway patrol keeps a count of the number of vehicles that slowed down when they came over that hill and saw the patrol car? I doubt it! If the highway patrol is only able to stop and ticket one speeding motorist but at the same time, causes fifty other speeding motorists to slow down to the posted speed limit, is the highway patrol considered to be a "sham" or a "waste of money?"

Give TSA a break!

[AtLeastResearchIt]

Right on. How many terrorist or criminal acts have been simply DETERRED by TSA since 2002? Impossible to say, or put a price on.

[jane125]

Some of these comments make me laugh, seriously. Way to go to overgeneralize everything and say that ALL TSA agents are rude, arrogant, etc, etc. Why don't we create airports with absolutely zero security, id checks, x ray bins and see who voluntarily flies through there? Everyone always like to talk big and how everything is a waste of their money, but when push comes to shove, TSA has made 1,700 arrests for illegal activities, such as drug smuggling. They're not just out there looking for terrorists. They're out there looking for people BREAKING THE LAW

[ops_guy]

First off, TSA officers are not sworn so they didn't make any arrests. That fairly critical point aside, your logical still fails. 1,700 "arrests"? Is that per year? Let's assume so. The $7B/year price tag divided by 1,700 comes out to $4.12M per "arrest." So, paying $4.12 million to catch the Dell "Dude" guy sneaking his bong through security is bit steep. Don't you think. A new model is definitely called for.

[bmid2ton]

I agree with ops_guy's comment. But I just wanted to say I don't think anybody's trying to say "all" TSA agents are rude, etc. However, some of the rules are so stupid / ineffective that people are naturally appalled that they're being asked to submit to them. They're confiscating shampoo, toothpaste, making us take off our shoes and belts to walk through the metal detector. *** do we need a metal detector for if it can't spot something in your shoe or belt? How is my shampoo a threat? I'm perfectly fine with security that makes sense. Most people are. But I think many of the rules are made with politics in mind, NOT security. The public has to "feel" safe, even if many of the things that make them "feel" safe aren't making them safer. I really can't believe confiscating the unopened can of Pepsi I accidentally left in my backpack makes us one iota safer.

[griz326]

Profiling by race, creed, financial circumstance, criminal record and employment record is the minimum criteria for fundamental security. Until they start profiling the rest is just window dressing.

[trillion1]

The only way the TSA will catch a terrorist is if the terrorists look like old people with walkers or babies.