Aviation Security
TSA Is Taking Steps to Validate the Science Underlying Its Passenger Behavior Detection Program, but Efforts May Not Be Comprehensive Gao ID: GAO-11-461T April 6, 2011The attempted passenger aircraft bombing of Northwest flight 253 on December 25, 2009, provided a vivid reminder that the civil aviation system remains an attractive terrorist target. To enhance aviation security, in October 2003 the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began testing of its Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques (SPOT) program to identify persons who may pose a risk to aviation security. The SPOT program utilizes behavior observation and analysis techniques to identify potentially high-risk passengers. This testimony provides information on (1) the extent to which TSA has validated the scientific basis for SPOT and (2) other operational challenges. This statement is based on a prior report GAO issued in May 2010 on SPOT, including selected updates made in March 2011. For the updates, GAO reviewed documentation on TSA's progress in implementing the report's recommendations.
As GAO reported in May 2010, TSA deployed its behavior detection program nationwide before first determining whether there was a scientifically valid basis for the program. According to TSA, the program was deployed before a scientific validation of the program was completed in response to the need to address potential security threats. However, a scientific consensus does not exist on whether behavior detection principles can be reliably used for counterterrorism purposes, according to a 2008 report of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences. DHS is conducting a study on the scientific basis of SPOT. Thus, in May 2010, GAO recommended that DHS convene an independent panel of experts to review the methodology of its study. DHS concurred and stated that it is convening an independent panel to review its current efforts to help validate the scientific basis for the program, which is expected to complete its work by early April 2011. Nonetheless, DHS's study to assess SPOT is not designed to fully validate whether behavior detection can be used to reliably identify individuals in an airport environment who pose a security risk. For example, factors such as the length of time behavior detection officers (BDO) can observe passengers without becoming fatigued are not part of the plan and could provide additional information on the extent to which SPOT can be effectively implemented. The results of a panel to review DHS's methodology could help ensure a rigorous, scientific validation of SPOT. As GAO previously reported, TSA experienced SPOT operational challenges, including not systematically collecting and analyzing information obtained by BDOs on passengers who may pose a threat to the aviation system. Better utilizing existing resources would enhance TSA's ability to quickly verify passenger identity and could help TSA to more reliably "connect the dots" with regard to persons who pose a threat. Thus, GAO recommended that TSA clarify BDO guidance for inputting information into the database used to track suspicious activities, and develop a schedule to expand access to this database across all SPOT airports. TSA agreed and in March 2011 stated that it has revised the SPOT standard operating procedures on how BDOs are to input data into the database used to report suspicious activities. TSA plans to implement these revised procedures in April 2011. TSA also reported that all SPOT airports have access to this database as of March 2011. In addition, GAO reported that individuals allegedly involved in six terrorist plots transited SPOT airports. GAO recommended in May 2010 that TSA study the feasibility of using airport video recordings of the behaviors exhibited by persons transiting airport checkpoints who were later charged with or pleaded guilty to terrorism-related offenses. GAO reported that such recordings could provide insights about behaviors that may be common among terrorists or could demonstrate that terrorists do not generally display any identifying behaviors. TSA agreed that studying airport videos could be a useful tool in understanding terrorist behaviors in the airport environment and in March 2011 reported that it is exploring ways to better utilize such recordings. GAO has made recommendations in prior work to strengthen TSA's SPOT program. TSA generally concurred with the recommendations and has actions under way to address them. GAO provided the updated information to TSA. TSA had no comment.
GAO-11-461T, Aviation Security: TSA Is Taking Steps to Validate the Science Underlying Its Passenger Behavior Detection Program, but Efforts May Not Be Comprehensive
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United States Government Accountability Office:
GAO:
Testimony:
Before the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, Committee on
Science, Space, and Technology, House of Representatives:
For Release on Delivery:
Expected at 10:00 a.m. EDT:
Wednesday, April 6, 2011:
Aviation Security:
TSA Is Taking Steps to Validate the Science Underlying Its Passenger
Behavior Detection Program, but Efforts May Not Be Comprehensive:
Statement of Stephen M. Lord, Director:
Homeland Security and Justice Issues:
GAO-11-461T:
GAO Highlights:
Highlights of GAO-11-461T, a testimony before the Subcommittee on
Investigations and Oversight, Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology, House of Representatives.
Why GAO Did This Study:
The attempted passenger aircraft bombing of Northwest flight 253 on
December 25, 2009, provided a vivid reminder that the civil aviation
system remains an attractive terrorist target. To enhance aviation
security, in October 2003 the Department of Homeland Security‘s (DHS)
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began testing of its
Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques (SPOT) program to
identify persons who may pose a risk to aviation security. The SPOT
program utilizes behavior observation and analysis techniques to
identify potentially high-risk passengers. This testimony provides
information on (1) the extent to which TSA has validated the
scientific basis for SPOT and (2) other operational challenges. This
statement is based on a prior report GAO issued in May 2010 on SPOT,
including selected updates made in March 2011. For the updates, GAO
reviewed documentation on TSA‘s progress in implementing the report‘s
recommendations.
What GAO Found:
As GAO reported in May 2010, TSA deployed its behavior detection
program nationwide before first determining whether there was a
scientifically valid basis for the program. According to TSA, the
program was deployed before a scientific validation of the program was
completed in response to the need to address potential security
threats. However, a scientific consensus does not exist on whether
behavior detection principles can be reliably used for
counterterrorism purposes, according to a 2008 report of the National
Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences. DHS is
conducting a study on the scientific basis of SPOT. Thus, in May 2010,
GAO recommended that DHS convene an independent panel of experts to
review the methodology of its study. DHS concurred and stated that it
is convening an independent panel to review its current efforts to
help validate the scientific basis for the program, which is expected
to complete its work by early April 2011. Nonetheless, DHS‘s study to
assess SPOT is not designed to fully validate whether behavior
detection can be used to reliably identify individuals in an airport
environment who pose a security risk. For example, factors such as the
length of time behavior detection officers (BDO) can observe
passengers without becoming fatigued are not part of the plan and
could provide additional information on the extent to which SPOT can
be effectively implemented. The results of a panel to review DHS‘s
methodology could help ensure a rigorous, scientific validation of SPOT.
As GAO previously reported, TSA experienced SPOT operational
challenges, including not systematically collecting and analyzing
information obtained by BDOs on passengers who may pose a threat to
the aviation system. Better utilizing existing resources would enhance
TSA‘s ability to quickly verify passenger identity and could help TSA
to more reliably ’connect the dots“ with regard to persons who pose a
threat. Thus, GAO recommended that TSA clarify BDO guidance for
inputting information into the database used to track suspicious
activities, and develop a schedule to expand access to this database
across all SPOT airports. TSA agreed and in March 2011 stated that it
has revised the SPOT standard operating procedures on how BDOs are to
input data into the database used to report suspicious activities. TSA
plans to implement these revised procedures in April 2011. TSA also
reported that all SPOT airports have access to this database as of
March 2011. In addition, GAO reported that individuals allegedly
involved in six terrorist plots transited SPOT airports. GAO
recommended in May 2010 that TSA study the feasibility of using
airport video recordings of the behaviors exhibited by persons
transiting airport checkpoints who were later charged with or pleaded
guilty to terrorism-related offenses. GAO reported that such
recordings could provide insights about behaviors that may be common
among terrorists or could demonstrate that terrorists do not generally
display any identifying behaviors. TSA agreed that studying airport
videos could be a useful tool in understanding terrorist behaviors in
the airport environment and in March 2011 reported that it is
exploring ways to better utilize such recordings.
What GAO Recommends:
GAO has made recommendations in prior work to strengthen TSA‘s SPOT
program. TSA generally concurred with the recommendations and has
actions under way to address them. GAO provided the updated
information to TSA. TSA had no comment.
View [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-461T] or key
components. For more information, contact Stephen M. Lord at (202) 512-
4379 or lords@gao.gov'
[End of section]
Chairman Broun, Ranking Member Edwards, and Members of the Subcommittee:
I appreciate the opportunity to participate in today's hearing to
discuss the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) behavior-
based passenger screening program known as the Screening of Passengers
by Observation Techniques (SPOT) program. The attempted U.S. passenger
aircraft bombing of Northwest flight 253 on December 25, 2009,
provided a vivid reminder that civil aviation remains an attractive
terrorist target and underscores the need for effective passenger
screening. To help enhance aviation security, in October 2003, the
Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) TSA began testing its SPOT
program to identify persons who may pose a risk to aviation security.
The SPOT program utilizes behavior observation and analysis techniques
to identify potentially high-risk passengers. TSA designed SPOT to
provide behavior detection officers (BDO) with a means of identifying
persons who may pose a potential security risk at TSA-regulated
airports by focusing on behaviors and appearances that deviate from an
established baseline and that may be indicative of stress, fear, or
deception.
In instances when a passenger's SPOT indicators place him or her above
a numerical threshold, he or she will be directed to the second step
of SPOT, referral screening. This involves additional questioning and
physical search of his or her person and property by BDOs and
transportation security officers. This referral screening occurs in
the checkpoint area. A referral to a law enforcement officer (LEO) is
a potential third step in the SPOT process. After a passenger has been
referred by the BDOs to a LEO, the LEO is then expected to
independently determine, through additional investigation, such as
questioning the passenger and, if appropriate, conducting an identity
verification and background check through the Federal Bureau of
Investigation's (FBI) National Crime Information Center (NCIC),
whether sufficient grounds exist to take further action, such as
detaining or arresting the passenger. BDOs have been selectively
deployed to 161 of the 462 TSA-regulated airports in the United
States. The conference report accompanying the fiscal year 2010 DHS
appropriations act provided $211.9 million for the SPOT
program.[Footnote 1] The administration has requested $232 million for
SPOT for fiscal year 2011, a $20.2 million (9.5 percent) increase over
the fiscal year 2010 funding level, to support 3,350 BDOs. If this
increase is appropriated, TSA will have invested over $800 million in
the program since fiscal year 2007. In addition, DHS has requested
about $254 million, a $21.9 million increase, in fiscal year 2012 to
support an additional 350 BDOs.
My statement today discusses TSA's and DHS's efforts to validate the
scientific basis of the SPOT program, as well as steps that TSA is
taking to address operational challenges in deploying SPOT to
airports. My comments are based primarily on our May 2010 report.
[Footnote 2] It also includes selective updates we obtained in March
2011. For our May 2010 report, we reviewed relevant literature on
behavior analysis by subject matter experts. This included a 2008
study by the National Research Council of the National Academy of
Sciences that included a discussion section on the issue of deception
and behavioral surveillance, as well as other issues related to
behavioral analysis.[Footnote 3] We interviewed recognized experts in
the field, as well as cognizant officials from other U.S. government
agencies that utilize behavior analysis in their work, including U.S.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Secret Service, the
Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS), and the FBI. To better understand
how SPOT incorporated expertise on behavior analysis for aviation
security, we also interviewed current and retired officials of
Israel's El Al Airlines,[Footnote 4] whose security processes TSA
cites as providing part of the basis of the SPOT program. To identify
any challenges that emerged during implementation of the SPOT program,
we conducted field site visits to 15 TSA-regulated airports with SPOT,
which represent almost 10 percent of the 161 TSA-regulated airports
with SPOT to observe operations and meet with key program personnel.
To obtain comparative data on how SPOT had been implemented at
different airports across the nation, we conducted a survey of all
federal security directors responsible for security operations at TSA-
regulated airports with SPOT. We obtained a 100 percent response rate.
In addition, to determine if individuals who were later charged with
or pleaded guilty to terrorism-related offenses had transited SPOT
airports and whether TSA could obtain information from these transits
to enhance its understanding of terrorist behaviors, we reviewed CBP
and Department of Justice information to (1) identify individuals who
were charged with or pleaded guilty to terrorism-related offenses and
(2) determine if these individuals had, prior to being charged,
transited airports where SPOT had been deployed. For the updates, we
reviewed documentation from TSA on the steps it has taken to implement
the recommendations from our May 2010 report. More detailed
information about our scope and methodology is included in our May
2010 report. We conducted this work in accordance with generally
accepted government auditing standards.
TSA Did Not Validate the Science Underlying the SPOT Program before
Deploying SPOT:
As discussed in our May 2010 report, TSA deployed SPOT nationwide
before first determining whether there was a scientifically valid
basis for using behavior and appearance indicators as a means for
reliably identifying passengers who may pose a risk to the U.S.
aviation system. A validation study by DHS's Science and Technology
Directorate is under way now, but questions exist regarding whether
the study's methodology is sufficiently comprehensive to validate the
SPOT program. Specifically, DHS's plan to assess SPOT is not designed
to fully validate whether behavior detection can be used to reliably
identify individuals in an airport environment who pose a security
risk. The results of an independent assessment are needed to determine
whether current validation efforts are sufficiently comprehensive to
validate the program, and to support future requests for increased
funding.
According to TSA, SPOT was deployed before a scientific validation of
the program was completed, but TSA stated that this deployment was
made in response to the need to address potential threats to the
aviation system, such as suicide bombers. TSA also stated that the
program was based upon scientific research available at the time
regarding human behaviors. Moreover, TSA stated that no other large-
scale U.S. or international screening program incorporating behavior-
and appearance-based indicators has ever been rigorously
scientifically validated.
However, a 2008 report issued by the National Research Council of the
National Academy of Sciences stated that the scientific evidence for
behavioral monitoring is preliminary in nature.[Footnote 5] The report
also noted that an information-based program, such as a behavior
detection program, should first determine if a scientific foundation
exists and use scientifically valid criteria to evaluate its
effectiveness before deployment. The report added that such programs
should have a sound experimental basis and that the documentation on
the program's effectiveness should be reviewed by an independent
entity capable of evaluating the supporting scientific evidence.
[Footnote 6]
As we reported in May 2010, an independent panel of experts could help
DHS develop a comprehensive methodology to determine if the SPOT
program is based on valid scientific principles that can be
effectively applied in an airport environment for counterterrorism
purposes. Thus, we recommended that the Secretary of Homeland Security
convene an independent panel of experts to review the methodology of
the validation study on the SPOT program being conducted to determine
whether the study's methodology is sufficiently comprehensive to
validate the SPOT program. We also recommended that this assessment
include appropriate input from other federal agencies with expertise
in behavior detection and relevant subject matter experts.[Footnote 7]
DHS concurred and stated that its current validation study includes an
independent review of the study that will include input from a broad
range of federal and operational agencies and relevant experts,
including those from academia. According to DHS's Science and
Technology Directorate, this independent review is expected to be
completed in early April 2011.
As discussed in our May 2010 report, DHS has contracted with the
American Institutes for Research to conduct its validation study. DHS
stated that the ongoing independent review will include, among other
things, recommendations on additional studies that should be
undertaken to more fully validate the science underlying the SPOT
screening process. As we noted in our report, research on other
issues, such as determining the number of individuals needed to
observe a given number of passengers moving at a given rate per day in
an airport environment or the duration that such observation can be
conducted by BDOs before observation fatigue affects effectiveness,
could provide additional information on the extent to which SPOT can
be effectively implemented in airports. Additional research could also
help determine the need for periodic refresher training for the BDOs
since research has not yet determined whether behavior detection is
easily forgotten or can be potentially degraded with time or lack of
use. Because such questions exist, the results of an independent panel
of experts to assess the methodology of the study could provide DHS
with additional assurance regarding whether the study's methodology is
sufficiently comprehensive to validate the SPOT program.
Moreover, DHS stated that its current effort to validate the science
underlying SPOT includes 3 years of operational SPOT referral data and
preliminary results indicate that it is supportive of SPOT. However,
in May 2010, we reported weaknesses in TSA's process for maintaining
operational data from the SPOT program database. Because of these data-
related issues, we reported that meaningful analyses could not be
conducted to determine if there is an association between certain
behaviors and the likelihood that a person displaying certain
behaviors would be referred to a law enforcement officer or whether
any behavior or combination of behaviors could be used to distinguish
deceptive from nondeceptive individuals.[Footnote 8]
As we reported in March 2011, Congress may wish to consider limiting
program funding pending receipt of an independent assessment of TSA's
SPOT program.[Footnote 9] We identified potential budget savings of
about $20 million per year if funding were frozen at current levels
until validation efforts are complete. Specifically, in the near term,
we reported that Congress could consider freezing appropriation levels
for the SPOT program at the 2010 level until the validation effort is
completed. Assuming that TSA is planning to expand the program at a
similar rate each year, this action could result in possible savings
of about $20 million per year, or $100 million over 5 years, since TSA
is seeking about a $20 million increase for SPOT in fiscal year 2011.
We also reported that upon completion of the validation effort,
Congress may also wish to consider the study's results--including
those on the program's effectiveness in using behavior-based screening
techniques to detect terrorists in the aviation environment--in making
future funding decisions regarding the program.
TSA Is Taking Steps to Address Operational Challenges in Implementing
the SPOT Program:
In May 2010, we reported that TSA is not fully utilizing the resources
it has available to systematically collect the information obtained by
BDOs on passengers whose behaviors and appearances resulted in either
a referral to a BDO or to a LEO, and who thus may pose a risk to the
aviation system. As we previously reported, TSA does not provide
official guidance on how or when BDOs or other TSA personnel should
enter data into the Transportation Information Sharing System or which
data should be entered.[Footnote 10] Official guidance on what data
should be entered into the system on passengers could better position
TSA personnel to be able to consistently collect information to
facilitate synthesis and analysis in "connecting the dots" with regard
to persons who may pose a threat to the aviation system.
Moreover, as of May 2010, TSA had not developed a schedule or
milestones by which database access would be deployed to SPOT
airports, or a date by which access at all SPOT airports would be
completed. Setting milestones for expanding Transportation Information
Sharing System access to all SPOT airports, and setting a date by
which the expansion will be completed, could better position TSA to
identify threats to the aviation system that may otherwise go
undetected and help TSA track its progress in expanding Transportation
Information Sharing System access as management intended. Thus, we
previously recommended that TSA provide guidance in the SPOT standard
operating procedures or other directives to BDOs, and to other TSA
personnel as appropriate, on how and when to input data into the
Transportation Information Sharing System database.[Footnote 11] In
March 2011, TSA stated that it has taken steps to implement our
recommendation by revising SPOT standard operating procedures to
provide guidance directing the input of BDO data into the
Transportation Information Sharing System. TSA plans to implement
these revised procedures in April 2011. In addition, all SPOT airports
have access to the Transportation Information Sharing System as of
March 2011 according to TSA.
In addition, as we previously reported, studying airport video
recordings of the behaviors exhibited by persons transiting airport
checkpoints who were later charged with or pleaded guilty to terrorism-
related offenses could provide important insights about behaviors that
may be common among terrorists or could demonstrate that terrorists do
not generally display any identifying behaviors. In addition, such
images could help determine if BDOs are looking for the right
behaviors or seeing the behaviors they have been trained to observe.
Using CBP and Department of Justice information, we examined the
travel of key individuals allegedly involved in six terrorist plots
that have been uncovered by law enforcement agencies.[Footnote 12] We
determined that at least 16 of the individuals allegedly involved in
these plots moved through 8 different airports where the SPOT program
had been implemented.[Footnote 13] Six of the 8 airports were among
the 10 highest-risk airports, as rated by TSA in its Current Airport
Threat Assessment. In total, these individuals moved through SPOT
airports on at least 23 different occasions. For example, according to
Department of Justice documents, in December 2007 an individual who
later pleaded guilty to providing material support to Somali
terrorists boarded a plane at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International
Airport en route to Somalia. Similarly, in August 2008, an individual
who later pleaded guilty to providing material support to al Qaeda
boarded a plane at Newark Liberty International Airport en route to
Pakistan to receive terrorist training to support his efforts to
attack the New York subway system.
Our survey of federal security directors at 161 SPOT airports
indicated that most checkpoints at SPOT airports have surveillance
cameras installed. Thus, we reported that TSA may be able to utilize
the information collected from the video infrastructure at the
nation's airports to study the behavior of persons who were later
charged with or pleaded guilty to terrorism-related offenses to help
improve and refine the existing SPOT program. As a result, in our May
2010 report, we recommended that if the current validation effort
determines that the SPOT program has a scientifically validated basis
for using behavior detection for counterterrorism purposes in the
airport environment, then TSA should study the feasibility of using
airport checkpoint surveillance video recordings to enhance its
understanding of terrorist behaviors.[Footnote 14] DHS agreed with our
recommendation and noted that TSA agrees this could be a useful tool
and is working with DHS's Science and Technology Directorate to
utilize video case studies of terrorists, if possible. TSA officials
agreed that examining video recordings of individuals who were later
charged with or pleaded guilty to terrorism-related offenses, as they
used the aviation system to travel to overseas locations allegedly to
receive terrorist training or to execute attacks, could help inform
the SPOT program's identification of behavioral indicators. In March
2011, TSA stated that it is exploring ways to better utilize video
recordings to identify these behavioral indicators.
Chairman Broun, Ranking Member Edwards, and Members of the
Subcommittee, this concludes my statement. I look forward to answering
any questions that you may have at this time.
Contacts and Acknowledgments:
For questions about this statement, please contact Stephen M. Lord at
(202) 512-4379 or lords@gao.gov. Contact points for our Offices of
Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last
page of this statement. Individuals making key contributions to this
testimony are David M. Bruno, Assistant Director; Ryan Consaul;
Katherine Davis; Emily Gunn; and Tracey King.
[End of section]
Footnotes:
[1] H.R. Rep. 111-298, at 77 (2009) (Conf. Rep.).
[2] See GAO, Aviation Security: Efforts to Validate TSA's Passenger
Screening Behavior Detection Program Underway, but Opportunities Exist
to Strengthen Validation and Address Operational Challenges,
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-763] (Washington, D.C.:
May 20, 2010).
[3] National Research Council, Protecting Individual Privacy in the
Struggle Against Terrorists: A Framework for Assessment (Washington,
D.C.: National Academies Press, 2008). The report's preparation was
overseen by the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Technical
and Privacy Dimensions of Information for Terrorism Prevention and
Other National Goals. Although the report addresses broader issues
related to privacy and data mining, a senior National Research Council
official stated that the committee included behavior detection as a
focus because any behavior detection program could have privacy
implications.
[4] Although SPOT is based in some respects on El Al's aviation
security program, El Al's processes differ in substantive ways from
those used by the SPOT program. In particular, El Al does not use a
list of specific behaviors with numerical values for each, or a
numerical threshold to determine whether to question a passenger;
rather, El Al security officers utilize behavioral indicators as a
basis for interviewing all passengers boarding El Al passenger
aircraft, and access relevant intelligence databases, when deemed
appropriate. According to these officials, El Al also permits what is
termed "profiling," in which passengers may be singled out for further
questioning based on their nationality, ethnicity, religion,
appearance, or other descriptive characteristics, but these are not
the only bases on which a passenger may be questioned. The scale of El
Al operations is considerably smaller than that of major airlines
operating within the United States. In Israel, El Al operates out of
one hub airport; in contrast, there are 462 TSA-regulated airports in
the United States.
[5] Specifically, the report states that the scientific support for
linkages between behavioral and physiological markers and mental state
is strongest for elementary states, such as simple emotions; weak for
more complex states, such as deception; and nonexistent for highly
complex states, such as when individuals hold terrorist intent and
beliefs.
[6] A study performed by the JASON Program Office raised similar
concerns. The JASON Program Office is an independent scientific
advisory group that provides consulting services to the U.S.
government on matters of defense science and technology.
[7] See [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-763].
[8] See [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-763].
[9] See GAO, Opportunities to Reduce Potential Duplication in
Government Programs, Save Tax Dollars, and Enhance Revenue,
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-318SP] (Washington,
D.C.: Mar. 1, 2011).
[10] The Transportation Information Sharing System is a database owned
by TSA's FAMS component; the data entered into it may be shared with
other federal, state, or local law enforcement and law enforcement
support entities. Federal air marshals file reports related to the
observation of suspicious activities and input this information, as
well as incident reports submitted by airline employees and other
individuals within the aviation domain, into the Transportation
Information Sharing System.
[11] See [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-763].
[12] The analysis included only flights leaving the United States.
Department of Justice data show that more than 400 individuals have
been convicted in the United States for terrorism-related offenses
since September 11, 2001. We did not examine the travel itineraries of
all these individuals.
[13] The events included the Mumbai, India, attack of 2008; a plot to
attack the Quantico, Virginia, Marine base in 2008; an effort by five
Americans to receive training and fight in Pakistan in December 2009;
a plot to attack infrastructure in New York City in 2009; an effort to
provide men and support for terrorists in Somalia in 2008; and an
attack on a U.S. base in Afghanistan by an American who received
training in Pakistan. We were unable to confirm whether BDOs were
stationed at the checkpoints used by these individuals at the time
they traveled.
[14] See [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-763].
[End of section]
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Washington, D.C. 20548:
