TSA Operations Manual Posted Online

[Zed Snardbody]

Link

TSA investigates online posting of airport screening procedures

The agency posted the 94-page document on a federal website in March. It was removed Sunday after bloggers noticed that redacted portions were still visible.

Reporting from Washington - The Transportation Security Administration is investigating a breach in which a manual detailing sensitive airport screening procedures appeared on a government website, officials said Tuesday.

Legislators criticized the TSA for inadvertently revealing information such as the criteria for airport searches and the passenger nationalities that require special scrutiny.

The agency posted the 94-page document on a federal website in March while offering opportunities for private contractors. The manual was not removed until Sunday, when bloggers alerted the agency's in-house blogger that nominally redacted portions were visible if readers cut and pasted the document, officials said.

"The release of a Standard Operating Procedures manual for TSA officers is an embarrassing mistake that calls into question the judgment of agency managers," Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said in a statement. "A security manual, redacted or not, is not the type of document we want to share with the world. That it was incompetently redacted only compounds the error."

The agency acknowledged the security breach and announced that a full review was underway. Although the document was described as containing "security sensitive information," a TSA statement said the traveling public had not been endangered.

"An outdated, unclassified version of a Standard Operating Procedures was improperly posted by the agency to the Federal Business Opportunities website, wherein redacted information was not properly protected," the statement said. It asserted that "while the document does demonstrate the complexities of checkpoint security, it does not contain information related to the specifics of everyday checkpoint screening procedures."

In fact, evolving intelligence about potential threats prevented implementation of the manual. Procedures have been updated six times since it was written, said a TSA official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the internal review was not complete.

"The traveling public should be assured that appropriate measures have been put in place to ensure the continued implementation of a strong security screening program," the statement said.

Nonetheless, some legislators called for an outside agency to conduct an investigation. In a letter Tuesday to Gale Rossides, acting administrator of the agency, leaders of the House Committee on Homeland Security also warned that "online sources" in the public had compromised the information by posting it on websites.

"We are deeply concerned by this incident, as it appears to demonstrate some challenges that TSA faces in the handling" of security-sensitive information, said the letter from Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the committee. "Undoubtedly, this raises potential security concerns across our transportation system."

The manual was posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website as part of a program in which the TSA contracts with private firms to provide security screening at airports, officials said.

The redacted sections included a directive to conduct special screening of travelers from 12 nations with governments considered hostile to the United States or those from regions plagued by war and terrorist activity such as Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The document also outlined screening procedures for passengers such as law enforcement officers, elected officials and diplomats.

The TSA, like Customs and Border Protection, is being run by an acting chief because Congress has not yet confirmed nominees to leadership posts.

The nominee for TSA director is Erroll Southers, a veteran of California law enforcement, including the force that protects Los Angeles International Airport. Southers has undergone two hearings and his confirmation process is well underway, officials said.

What they posted is an older copy of the management SOP not the one that describes how the searches are to be conducted, but how checkpoint operations and other such things are to be done. Someone is going to get their ass chewed royally.

[Zed Snardbody]

Link to the story that links to the PDF as well.

Link

[Quetzalcoatl]

Perusing the leaked docs...
So apparently those who hold Cuban, Iranian, North Korea,n Libyan, Syrian, Sudanese, Afghanistani, Lebanese, Somalian, Iraqi, Yemeni or Algerian passports are 'auto' targetted for extra screening. Why Cuba, for fuck's sake? They had the decency to tolerate a secretive, illegal prison in their backyard. This isn't the Goddamn Cold War anymore.

[Zed Snardbody]

Perusing the leaked docs...
So apparently those who hold Cuban, Iranian, North Korea,n Libyan, Syrian, Sudanese, Afghanistani, Lebanese, Somalian, Iraqi, Yemeni or Algerian passports are 'auto' targetted for extra screening. Why Cuba, for fuck's sake? They had the decency to tolerate a secretive, illegal prison in their backyard. This isn't the Goddamn Cold War anymore.

Its because they're still on the State Department list of Terrorist Sponsoring countries.

http://www.state.gov/s/ct/c14151.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Spon ... _Terrorism

[aerius]

Why Cuba, for fuck's sake? They had the decency to tolerate a secretive, illegal prison in their backyard. This isn't the Goddamn Cold War anymore.

Well, there's a bit of a trade embargo against them, can't be lettin' people sneak in those fine Cuban cigars you know.

[Coyote]

I guess it was too much to ask that they have it spelled out in writing that they were to confiscate my $80.00 Leatherman and Gerber tools from my cheked-luggage dufflebags every time I flew.

"Leave them open for routine spot checks" my white ass. More like "Is that a Leatherman I see on the X-ray? Fuck yeah, I'm 'confiscating' that piece of 'contraband'." Like getting treated like a cow in a slaughter chute at security checkpoints wasn't enough, now they help themselves to whatever they want in my luggage like a bunch of Third-World Brownshirt thugs.

Fuck TSA. Those cocksuckers have helped themselves to all sorts of Leathermans and pocket knives that were in my checked baggage. I hope this reports erupts in a public-relations firestorm that creates all kinds of trouble for them.

[Axis Kast]

"Leave them open for routine spot checks" my white ass. More like "Is that a Leatherman I see on the X-ray? Fuck yeah, I'm 'confiscating' that piece of 'contraband'." Like getting treated like a cow in a slaughter chute at security checkpoints wasn't enough, now they help themselves to whatever they want in my luggage like a bunch of Third-World Brownshirt thugs.

Fuck TSA. Those cocksuckers have helped themselves to all sorts of Leathermans and pocket knives that were in my checked baggage. I hope this reports erupts in a public-relations firestorm that creates all kinds of trouble for them.

Since September 11, I've been under the impression that such confiscations are routine; indeed, I wouldn't think of trying to ship knives or utility tools even in checked luggage. I'm surprised that you appear to have believed otherwise.

I'm also surprised by the emotion behind your response. Some of the security functions conducted at airports appear to me to be ludicrous, but I've never felt that they were absolutely unacceptable; I'm receiving a service in the form of the flight itself -- if they want me to jump through hoops, I will.

[General Zod]

Since September 11, I've been under the impression that such confiscations are routine; indeed, I wouldn't think of trying to ship knives or utility tools even in checked luggage. I'm surprised that you appear to have believed otherwise.

If you'd actually read the TSA's website of allowed items, some knives and weapons are supposed to be permitted in checked luggage.

[Coyote]

Since September 11, I've been under the impression that such confiscations are routine; indeed, I wouldn't think of trying to ship knives or utility tools even in checked luggage. I'm surprised that you appear to have believed otherwise.

It's not like I'm shipping katanas and halberds. It's pocket knives and Leatherman tools, which I dutifully remove from my person where they are handy and put in checked bags like I'm supposed to. If something is sealed in the baggage compartment there is no reason at all for those sticky-fingered dogs to take it.

I'm also surprised by the emotion behind your response. Some of the security functions conducted at airports appear to me to be ludicrous, but I've never felt that they were absolutely unacceptable; I'm receiving a service in the form of the flight itself -- if they want me to jump through hoops, I will.

You're right, it's my fault for being upset that I am being robbed by a uniformed official who is supposed to be performing a duty. And if you complain or raise a stink about it at the airport? Yeah, good luck with that. I expect this kind of shit from airport security in places like Nigeria, not the US. I'm sorry, I am a paying customer, not a criminal or a circus animal. If you want to jump through hoops and hand over personal possessions at some playcop's whim you go right on ahead and be happy. What next, a rapist charging his victim for the condom he uses?

[Solauren]

The 9-11 Hijackers were paying customers as well.

[Coyote]

Ooohh, the George W. Bush answer. Explain to me how I'm going to get my pocket knife from the sealed cargo hold, hm? If the 9-11 hijackers had checked their box cutters in their luggage, only to sneak into the cargo hold and retrieve them for use later, you might have a point.

Otherwise, no; these are uniformed semi-police using their powers to search and confiscate to enrich themselves, and you have no recourse to complain. I'm heartened to see one more person admit that 9-11 gives authorities permission to do as they please. And people wonder how the Patriot Act ever got passed here in good ol' Spartafreedomerica-democracyland.

[Garibaldi]

What's your basis for assuming that the individual agent who confiscates your tools is going to be taking it home later that day?

[Raesene]

What's your basis for assuming that the individual agent who confiscates your tools is going to be taking it home later that day?

Why do they need to remove it from checked-in luggage stored in the cargo hold during flight ?

[Garibaldi]

Why do they need to remove it from checked-in luggage stored in the cargo hold during flight ?

Who cares? They probably don't. But there's a significant difference between claiming that TSA regulations are stupid and claiming that TSA agents are thieves who are enriching themselves at the expense of the public.

[General Zod]

Why do they need to remove it from checked-in luggage stored in the cargo hold during flight ?

Who cares? They probably don't. But there's a significant difference between claiming that TSA regulations are stupid and claiming that TSA agents are thieves who are enriching themselves at the expense of the public.

It was perfectly within regulations to have the tool in checked baggage. If TSA agents are removing things that they're not supposed to, there's only two possible explanations. They're too stupid to bother reading and follow their own policy, in which case they should be fired. Or they're taking it for personal gain, in which case they should be fired and given a stay in jail. Either way someone should be getting their ass removed.

[Raesene]

Why do they need to remove it from checked-in luggage stored in the cargo hold during flight ?

Who cares? They probably don't. But there's a significant difference between claiming that TSA regulations are stupid and claiming that TSA agents are thieves who are enriching themselves at the expense of the public.

If he doesn't get a certificate or a note what happened to his items (Coyote, you didn't get something ?) or some call to explain why he had it in his luggage, then what else happened to it ? I'd expect a conficated item to leave a paper trail, even if only for the statisticians (?) to proclaim how many potentially dangerous items were found.

[Coyote]

I was right in the middle of replying when the power went out at my work; we're in the middle of a week of extreme-freezing temperatures (unusual for Boise) and the power has gone out 4 times now...


Anyhow, as to why I think it is TSA-- this sort of thing started happening only after TSA was created as an agency. Before I shipped pocketknives and such in checked baggage all the time with no problem; I had (on a few occassions) even sent unloaded firearms in checked baggage (there was a way to do that perfectly legally; I don't know if you still can since I haven't done it since the early 1990's).

My bags have been TSA searched several times, and I get a note saying that they did a random security check each time. And, each time, nothing was listed as confiscated. Now, the first time it happened was with my old Leatherman that I'd had since about 1992 or so. It disappeared and I wondered if maybe I had forgotten to pack it, even. Then, I bought a $80.00 Gerber to replace it. That, too disappeared within a year and a half under the same circumstances (TSA note, bag searched and badly repacked so it barely closed). That Gerber was still "new and expensive" to me and had seen me through Iraq so I was certain of my packing. I figured that was fishy as hell and reminded myself never to pack such things in my air luggage anymore, even though I'd looked up the regs after that and noted I'd done nothing wrong.

Then, I was flying again and had a Swiss Army pocketknife on my person, and realized I was in line to go check into a flight. I had no choice but to stuff it in my about-to-be-checked bag and, yup, note from TSA saying nothing was confiscated but, no knife.

Everything was packed in accordance to regulations (even the hastily-stashed Swiss Army knife). AFAIK only TSA, not baggage handlers, have a duty to go through bags, and I never had a problem with baggage handlers before in the pre-TSA days anyway.

Naturally, the TSA-supplied receipts all say nothing was taken, so I have little recourse but to get into a "he said/she said" type argument. I'd have to prove I had a Leatherman in there in the first place and the receipt would be only hard evidence besides my word, and it's be up to me to claim the receipts were falsified-- good luck, eh? If I had hard information, I'd've hired a lawyer to at leats try writing a stern letter to the TSA to get compensation for the items at least, but without anything like that I have nothing. Nothing but my bile.

Is it possible someone else did it? Possible. Luckily all I've done is bitch, I haven't beat up a TSA agent in a dark alley or anything like that. But I find the liklihood to be very low, given the nature of the situation and the access & security of the system as I've expereinced it before.

[Gil Hamilton]

Since September 11, I've been under the impression that such confiscations are routine; indeed, I wouldn't think of trying to ship knives or utility tools even in checked luggage. I'm surprised that you appear to have believed otherwise.

I'm also surprised by the emotion behind your response. Some of the security functions conducted at airports appear to me to be ludicrous, but I've never felt that they were absolutely unacceptable; I'm receiving a service in the form of the flight itself -- if they want me to jump through hoops, I will.

Actually, theft by TSA security is a notorious problem. Since their inception, the TSA has been dogged by the fact that TSA guards sometimes "confiscate" valuables into their own pockets.

[General Zod]

Here's some actual examples of TSA getting caught with their pants down. Screeners not given proper background checks, more than 60 arrested at 30 different airports, and at least one instance of an employee stealing over $200,000 in electronics. There's a lot more instances, but these are some of the prominent ones.

[Elfdart]

Another reason I refuse to fly. I used to get hassled by airport rent-a-cops BEFORE 9-11, so I'm not about to pay an arm and a leg for shitty service, headaches and the privilege of having my belongings rummaged through by fucktards who are free to help themselves to my stuff.

I had to go to a funeral last year and drove 2800 miles rather than fly on an airline. Maybe next time I'll try Amtrak. If I had to travel overseas, I'd drive to Canada or Mexico and catch a plane there. Fuck the TSA.

[Lonestar]

I was right in the middle of replying when the power went out at my work; we're in the middle of a week of extreme-freezing temperatures (unusual for Boise) and the power has gone out 4 times now...


Anyhow, as to why I think it is TSA-- this sort of thing started happening only after TSA was created as an agency. Before I shipped pocketknives and such in checked baggage all the time with no problem; I had (on a few occassions) even sent unloaded firearms in checked baggage (there was a way to do that perfectly legally; I don't know if you still can since I haven't done it since the early 1990's).

My bags have been TSA searched several times, and I get a note saying that they did a random security check each time. And, each time, nothing was listed as confiscated. Now, the first time it happened was with my old Leatherman that I'd had since about 1992 or so. It disappeared and I wondered if maybe I had forgotten to pack it, even. Then, I bought a $80.00 Gerber to replace it. That, too disappeared within a year and a half under the same circumstances (TSA note, bag searched and badly repacked so it barely closed). That Gerber was still "new and expensive" to me and had seen me through Iraq so I was certain of my packing. I figured that was fishy as hell and reminded myself never to pack such things in my air luggage anymore, even though I'd looked up the regs after that and noted I'd done nothing wrong.

Then, I was flying again and had a Swiss Army pocketknife on my person, and realized I was in line to go check into a flight. I had no choice but to stuff it in my about-to-be-checked bag and, yup, note from TSA saying nothing was confiscated but, no knife.

Everything was packed in accordance to regulations (even the hastily-stashed Swiss Army knife). AFAIK only TSA, not baggage handlers, have a duty to go through bags, and I never had a problem with baggage handlers before in the pre-TSA days anyway.

Naturally, the TSA-supplied receipts all say nothing was taken, so I have little recourse but to get into a "he said/she said" type argument. I'd have to prove I had a Leatherman in there in the first place and the receipt would be only hard evidence besides my word, and it's be up to me to claim the receipts were falsified-- good luck, eh? If I had hard information, I'd've hired a lawyer to at leats try writing a stern letter to the TSA to get compensation for the items at least, but without anything like that I have nothing. Nothing but my bile.

Is it possible someone else did it? Possible. Luckily all I've done is bitch, I haven't beat up a TSA agent in a dark alley or anything like that. But I find the liklihood to be very low, given the nature of the situation and the access & security of the system as I've expereinced it before.

Amen brother, I've had tools stolen(while on business trips for the federal government, natch) from checked luggage-with-TSA-lock before. I always get the "well can you PROVE they were in there?" response. My company had a kinda lackadaisical attitude towards fighting to get compensation...

...until one trip a coworker of mine who was hauling an O-scope and a big honkin' Fluke network tester had both stolen. He was on a trip to see why a particularly troublesome circuit was down between an important site in Nevada at Not-Nellis and another site(DISA run circuits to these kind of sites have '80s tech at each hop, making troubleshooting a pain in the ass). Holy fuck. THEN it became important. So now when you travel with tools you have a process you go through.

Seriously, I hate to say that the TSA is a den of thieves, but it REALLY IS a den of thieves. Worse, they are incompetent thieves. I know a guy who knows a guy(I know, I know) who's on the "Red Team" and manages to wreck havoc almost every time he goes through security.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

Another reason I refuse to fly. I used to get hassled by airport rent-a-cops BEFORE 9-11, so I'm not about to pay an arm and a leg for shitty service, headaches and the privilege of having my belongings rummaged through by fucktards who are free to help themselves to my stuff.

I had to go to a funeral last year and drove 2800 miles rather than fly on an airline. Maybe next time I'll try Amtrak. If I had to travel overseas, I'd drive to Canada or Mexico and catch a plane there. Fuck the TSA.

I have in fact taken a train to Canada and then flown from Toronto before, so I've done exactly that.

Worse, TSA personnel are just federally employed rentacops anyway; they're frequently officers cashiered for poor performance at police departments, or hero wannabees, they have an insanely horrendous turnover rate, they're basically the McDonalds burger-flippers of the Federal law enforcement world, and they have surprisingly little power, which is sure to breed resentment and abuses like this.

[Zed Snardbody]

I wont beat a dead horse, I made it clear in the last thread about how bad they've fucked up the agency and how its effected everything else by not coming close to defining what they want out of the TSO's and what they want the agency to be.

I'm not going to deny the baggage thefts either, but TSA has made it a lot easier for airline baggage handlers to steal as well, and headquarters cost cutting measures of getting rid of strapping machines and manual straps has not helped anything and turned it into a giant game of TSA vs Airlines when it comes to thefts.

[irishmick79]

Why Cuba, for fuck's sake? They had the decency to tolerate a secretive, illegal prison in their backyard. This isn't the Goddamn Cold War anymore.

Well, there's a bit of a trade embargo against them, can't be lettin' people sneak in those fine Cuban cigars you know.

That, and Cuba also runs a pretty aggressive intelligence apparatus against the cuban refugee populations in the US, in particular against the anti-Castro folks.