Behavioral Analysis Pilot Working to Weed Out the Real Threats

BOSTON, MA – Behavior analysis of passengers at U.S. airports will add an enhanced layer of screening to prevent terrorist attacks and will help to eliminate the invasive screenings of passengers who are more obvious non-threats. That testimony came during today's field hearing of the U.S. House Homeland Security Oversight, Investigations and Management Subcommittee at Boston Logan International Airport.

"As a member of Congress we often hear complaints," said Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX), who chairs the subcommittee. "Why are we treating all Americans as an equal threat? Shouldn't we be more risk-based? Shouldn't we be looking more at the real threat than the grandmother? And I think that's the more common-sense approach. And I think that's an approach that this behavior detection program seeks to do: looking not at every individual as an equal threat but let's look at the behavior of the individual to spot those potential threats. How we can get beyond the day where the grandmother is patted down, the World War II veteran is patted down and the child is patted down.

The behavior analysis pilot program, based on the Israeli model, began at Logan Airport in August and could be extended to airports across the country. Unlike behavior observation already in place in most U.S. airports, the program at Logan involves agents asking passengers questions as they move through security before boarding their flight. The questions asked are similar in nature to those already asked of international passengers and give agents better ability to weed out potential threats.

"We're looking for the reactions, the behaviors. And we're also looking for inconsistencies in their story. And that is refining our process so that we will treat people differently," testified Admiral (Ret.) George Naccara, the Transportation Security Administration's Federal Security Director. "Our goal is to minimize the pat downs that are conducted on a child 12 and under. As you suggested they are much lower risk."

Logan International was the launch pad for two of the aircraft involved in the 9/11 attacks: American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, which slammed into the North and South Towers of New York’s World Trade Center. Since 9/11, Logan has become a security model for the nation's airports, often the test ground for the latest technological security innovations.

Among the changes compared with 10 years ago, Logan has consolidated 11 points of access into two military grade fortified entrances. It now has a 10-foot-high concrete wall perimeter instead of an eight foot fence and has bomb-resistant trash receptacles. It was the first major airport to have 100% biometric access control to restricted areas of the airport. Because Logan is partially surrounded by water, the Massachusetts Port Authority has even deputized the clammers who fish off the end of Logan's runways, recruiting them as additional eyes and ears to report suspicious activity.

"To sit here and think not too far from where we sit Mohammad Atta and his band of hijackers slipped through detection, slipped through our security and got onto those airplanes and proceeded to kill 3,000 people gives me a tremendous sense of sorrow, but also obligation to make this place more secure," said Rep. McCaul.

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PHOTO: Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX), with Congressman Bill Keating (D-MA) chairs a homeland security field hearing at Boston Logan Airport on the status of airport security.