Terrorist watch list subjects can evade detection, GAO says
Rapid growth of the list and the lack of a clear plan delegating responsibilities, priorities and authority have detracted from its usefulness.
The government is not using its consolidated terrorist watch list as effectively as it should be, meaning that some suspects can pass undetected through screening processes and are not detected until after they have boarded a plane or made it into the country, Government Accountability Office investigators told lawmakers Wednesday.
Homeland Security agencies, for example, have not always properly used watch list records, according to GAO.
Customs and Border Protection has encountered situations where it identified the subject of a watch list record after the individual had been processed at a port of entry and admitted into the United States, GAO found.
Data from the Transportation Security Administration also revealed that a number of individuals who were on the government's so-called "no-fly" list passed undetected through airlines' passenger screening process and flew on international flights to or from the United States, GAO said.
The individuals were subsequently identified in-flight by Customs and Border Protection. Homeland Security officials said they were working to address the deficiencies identified in the GAO report.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing Wednesday to examine challenges the government faces in using terrorist watch lists, which is an effort managed by the Terrorist Screening Center.
"Significant progress has been made over the past four years to develop a consolidated terrorist watch list, but serious hurdles remain if it is to be as effective as we need it to be," Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., said in a statement Tuesday.
"Some of the concerns stem from its rapid growth, which could call into question the quality of the list itself," Lieberman added. GAO said the number of records in the Terrorist Screening Center's consolidated watch list has increased from about 158,000 in June 2004 to about 755,000 as of May.
"That's why we need clear standards for placing names on it. Otherwise, at a certain point, the watch list will become less effective and officials will become overwhelmed by time-consuming checks of false positive matches," Lieberman said.
GAO said a clearly defined strategy for using the watch lists is needed.
"A primary reason why screening opportunities remain untapped is because the government lacks an up-to-date strategy and implementation plan -- supported by a clearly defined leadership or governance structure -- for enhancing the effectiveness of terrorist-related screening, consistent with presidential directive," GAO wrote. "Currently, numerous existing entities have roles in watch list-related activities, including the Terrorist Screening Center, screening agencies, law enforcement agencies, and the intelligence community."
GAO added: "Without an up-to-date strategy and implementation plan and clearly defined leadership, it is difficult to establish government-wide priorities for screening, assess progress toward intended outcomes, ensure that any needed changes are implemented, and respond to issues that hinder effectiveness, such as the potential vulnerabilities discussed in this report."
GAO issued a restricted version of its report to government agencies. It said the restricted version made several recommendations to help mitigate security vulnerabilities in the terrorist watch list screening processes and to optimize the use and effectiveness of the watch list as a counterterrorism tool, including development of an up-to-date strategy and implementation plan.
GAO also recommended that White House officials ensure that the leadership or governance structure proposed by the implementation plan identifies clear lines of responsibility and authority.