TSA nominee wants to move airport screening closer to 'Israeli model'

TSA nominee wants to move airport screening closer to 'Israeli model'

www.cnn.com

Washington (CNN) -- President Obama's nominee to head the Transportation Security Administration told Congress on Tuesday he wants U.S. airport security to more closely resemble security at Israeli airports, where officers engage travelers in conversations and questions to determine whether they are a threat to aircraft.

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I'm in favor of this but it'd also be great if they heavily arm the TSA agents. Also put more armed air-marshals on board the plane. Whether they're provided by the federal government and/or by a private military/security firm--ie: US Training Center/Xe, G4S Wackenhut, Triple Canopy, Dyncorp, etc. And on top of that? Allow American-citizens who hold multi-state concealed handgun licenses to carry their handguns on board the planes (Or let them on board with C2 air-tasers if they don't have CHL's. In fact they could sell C2 Air-Tasers in the airport gift-shops and people who buy them and take 'em on board the planes could get a discount on their flight-tickets.)

If we were to do all of the above? We probably wouldn't need the body-scanners. Personally I think the body-scanners are just more toys with extra bells & whistles that KINDA REALLY aren't a necessary must to buy. If they were to upgrade their explosive material detection tech plus provide better training in all of the above mentioned facets. And have armed airport-employees (whether they're armed with live firearms and/or Air-Tasers, GREAT!) then the option of having body-scanners would be a distant second.

www.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 3/23/10 by Marked One]

And who will watch the watchers?

The TSA guy probably has 2 passports.

Guess which nationality is the second.

[edit on 23-3-2010 by Grey Magic]

Originally posted by Grey Magic
Guess which nationality is the second.

I might have been wrong

But this explains a llot.

Prior to joining TSA, Rossides was appointed as the co-chair of a Blue Ribbon panel to overhaul the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms in the aftermath of the Waco event. She served at ATF for 8 years as the director of all law enforcement, regulatory and leadership training; she also served for 6 years as a member of Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's (FLETC) Board of Directors for state and local law enforcement training.

Quite a carreer change in these times.

www.iol.co.za...

By Bianca Capazorio

South Africa's diplomatic standoff with Israel remains shrouded in mystery.

This follows the use of OR Tambo airport in Joburg by two alleged assassins of a Hamas activist in Dubai, on their return to Tel Aviv in January.

The alleged killers - identified by Dubai police investigating the murder of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh - arrived in Joburg on an Emirates Air flight and transferred to the Israeli airline El Al.

El Al's operations here were already under official scrutiny after it emerged the airline's security operations were run by the Israeli security agency Shin Bet.

It turned out that El Al security staff were protected by protocols of immunity normally reserved for diplomats. Moreover, they were issued weapons registered to the Israeli embassy.

After these facts came to light, the South African government stripped two El Al security guards of their diplomatic passports.

It also threatened to withdraw diplomatic immunity for the El Al operation in South Africa.

A Carte Blanche expose showed the airline's armed security staff carry out profiling targeting Muslims.

The Israelis responded by insisting that if Israel could not guarantee the security of its nationals and its interests, El Al would be forced to withdraw from the country.

Israeli Shin Bet spies uncovered in South African Airports working for EL AL airlines - PART 1

www.youtube.com...

An investigation into claims by South Africans that they have been harassed at airports by people claiming to be with 'Airport security' when in fact they are working for el al and israeli airline. The interesting part though is that all these security guards are trained by Shin Bet and actually work for them. Shockingly they illegally detain and question passengers (even when not flying on their plane), as well as illegally search people, make copies of documents and pass these off to Israel.

Israeli Shin Bet spies uncovered in South African Airports working for EL AL airlines - PART 2

www.youtube.com...

Seems that EL AL airline security guards are trained by Shin Bet and actually work for them. And in South Africa they come to work with a uzi in a brief case and all have diplomatic immunity and the weapons are issued to the Israeli embassy. The guards all have diplomatic passports.

So do they operate the same way in all countries?

Verint Systems is a leading provider of analytic software-based solutions for security and business intelligence. Used by over 1,000 organizations in over 50 countries, Verint’s software generates actionable intelligence through the collection, retention and analysis of voice, fax, video, email, Internet and data transmissions from multiple communications networks. Verint helps governments and businesses make sense of the vast video, voice, and data they capture.

Headquartered in Melville, New York, Verint delivers actionable intelligence solutions that help our customers achieve their security and operational objectives. Government and commercial organizations worldwide recognize Verint for innovation, long-term business value, and outstanding return on investment.

Communications Interception & Analytics Solutions

Verint Communications Interception & Analytics Solutions help Communications Service Providers and law enforcement, national security, and intelligence agencies neutralize threats from criminals and terrorists. The company’s systems collect, filter, and analyze voice and data on traditional and advanced communications networks - wireline and wireless, cable and satellite, Internet, multimedia, and VoIP. Solutions are designed for compliance with ETSI, CALEA and other regional and country-specific lawful interception regulations and standards.

Communications Service Providers

Communications Service Providers must provide Law Enforcement Agencies with secure access to intercept targeted communications on their networks, deliver intercepted communications to Law Enforcement Agencies for further investigation, and perform these activities in compliance with government electronic surveillance regulations.

Verint helps Communications Service Providers intercept and deliver communications in compliance with ETSI, CALEA and other regional and country-specific lawful interception regulations and standards.

Law Enforcement Agencies

Criminals and terrorists continue to exploit new communications technologies and services to plan and execute their activities. These advances in communications require Law Enforcement Agencies to be able to intercept and analyze new types of communications as they emerge, and operate more productively and efficiently as the volume of communications grows.

Intelligence and National Security Agencies

Verint provides national security agencies, military SIGINT units, and other intelligence organizations with a unified platform for the mass interception, filtering, and analysis of voice and data.

www.industry-trade.gov.il...

Thats one good partner to have when your running a Mossad hit in Dubai.

About us
Verint is a top 30 US enterprise software company that helps organizations make sense of the vast information they collect as part of their daily operations. The company's actionable intelligence solutions are designed to integrate and analyze huge volumes of data ― images captured by thousands of cameras, trends buried in millions of calls, threats hidden in billions of interactions. By identifying critical intelligence that might not otherwise be found, they help industry and government take more effective action to achieve performance and security goals.
Verint solutions are engineered for cost-effective deployment in global operations and complex environments. Built on open, standards-based architectures, these solutions add value to the systems in which government and industry have already invested and help them realize the benefits of expanding information networks and emerging information technologies.

Activities
Activity :
Developers of telephone conversation surveillance (tapping) equipment.

www.export.gov.il...

According to former CIA officer [Philip] Giraldi and other US intelligence sources, software manufactured and maintained by Verint, Inc. handles most of American law enforcement's wiretaps. Says Giraldi: "Phone calls are intercepted, recorded, and transmitted to US investigators by Verint, which claims that it has to be 'hands on' with its equipment to maintain the system." Giraldi also notes Verint is reimbursed for up to 50 percent of its R&D costs by the Israeli Ministry of Industry and Trade. According to Giraldi, the extent of the use of Verint technology "is considered classified," but sources have spoken out and told Giraldi they are worried about the security of Verint wiretap systems. The key concern, says Giraldi, is the issue of a "trojan" embedded in the software. (Christopher Ketcham, "An Israeli Trojan Horse," CounterPunch, Weekend Edition, September 27-28, 2008)

Verint Systems, Inc. provides analytic software-based solutions for the security and business intelligence markets. Its analytic solutions collect, retain, and analyze voice, fax, video, email, Internet, and data transmissions from voice, video and IP networks for the purpose of generating actionable intelligence for decision makers. The company primarily offers communications interception solutions, such as STAR-GATE, RELIANT, and VANTAGE; networked video solutions that include NEXTIVA; and contact center actionable intelligence solutions, which include ULTRA. Verint Systems serves government entities, global corporations, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, transportation agencies, retail stores, utilities, and communications service providers. (Verint Systems, Inc. Business Week, Information Technology Sector, accessed November 26, 2008)

STAR-GATE ... [is] designed to manage vast numbers of targets, concurrent sessions, call data records, and communications, STAR-GATE transparently accesses targeted communications without alerting subscribers or disrupting service. Verint partners with leading switch and network equipment vendors across the globe to deliver passive, active, and hybrid solutions for a wide range of communication technologies and communication services. ... STAR-GATE can manage network topologies from small, single-switch implementations to country-wide deployments. (Verint, "STAR-GATE Lawful Interception and Data Retention Compliance Solutions for Communication Service Providers," accessed November 28, 2008)

www.pacificfreepress.com...

And don't forget Verint runs airport security.

Nextiva IP Video Solutions for Airport Security
Verint video surveillance and analytics portfolio, certified by the US Department of Homeland Security

verint.com...

And Verint is ran by Israelis becuase the company is based out of Israel and due to infringment rights on all software and hardware the company uses repair and maitance must be done by them. Verint runs airport security in 130 countries includeing the U.S.

[edit on 23-3-2010 by JBA2848]

Originally posted by JBA2848

Well then I'm willing to bet that the Israelis also own shares in the body-scanner manufacturers. Or if not the manufacturers are FROM Israel. Good find.

Why don't Obama and his officials go through it since they are so for it.

I wont be going through these things. This is all gonna spil out in front of your face.

Originally posted by Mind1universe
This is all gonna spil out in front of your face.

I'm VERY much looking forward to it.