An Appraisal of Air-Safety Security Measures

Esteemed Senators;

 We the undersigned represent a coalition of Global Security Professionals from around the world.

 This testimony is a collaborative effort to apprise decision makers in both the private and public sector as to the complex situations that security professionals contend with on a daily basis.

 This is a blunt assessment including our recommendations and summary at the conclusion of the text, of what we recognize as a reactionary policy towards terrorism directed against the airline industry and the free world. The acts arising from this policy erode public confidence in their corresponding national governments and empower the Islamic fundamentalists to continue practicing their brand of "Jihad" against innocent citizens.

Permit us to apologize for the candor and bluntness of this collaborative report. No offense is intended against any particular agency, policy maker or the current administration. The issue at hand is a life and death issue, a zero sum game with no margin for error. That being said, we recognize that it would be irresponsible to claim that any measures or combination of them can provide absolute security.

 It is our collective belief that the Policy of half-measures and reactionary responses has proven to be impotent and that its inadequacies continue to empower extremists who are planning future attacks.

 Terrorists have proven to be thoughtful and intelligent planners, who have invested hundreds of man-hours in research, training and analysis. The apparent abundance of funding that the Terrorists enjoy, affords them plenty of time for trial and error. We have been and remain on their timetable, not our own.

 We in the business of Global Security have no margin for error. As it has been proven time and time again, when we are wrong, innocent people perish and economies suffer incalculable losses.

 In the recent Christmas Day bomber case, there is a general consensus among Security Professionals that the current policy of "electronic strip searches", while in appearance provides the latest in high tech surveillance, in practice leaves travelers no safer today than they were on September 11, 2001.

 We recommend that while the proverbial wheel does not have to be reinvented, the use of ground-pounding common sense in our policies needs to be employed. It is our opinion that the system failed in part because of a peripheral sentiment of political correctness, whose origins were clearly aimed at avoiding an overt ethnic witch hunt, but at best has proven to be a counter-productive example as well as a misunderstanding of the values of the law abiding Muslim community both here and abroad.

Political demands required a rapid TSA response, but they may have misapplied the rapid deployment of the 'Electronic Strip Searches' (ESS) as a stop gap measure. The ESS, for all its apparent benefits creates a soft target environment for a PETN attack where a thwarted bomber may choose to detonate within the airport queues that accumulated as a result of the ESS.

 ESS has proven to cause time consuming delays, resulting in large and long queues where far more people will be vulnerable in the unsecured area of the typical airport terminal.

This kind of attack could prove to be more deadly than the destruction of a single aircraft, the after effects would be just as devastating to air travel, resulting in airport closure, re-routing of air traffic and an overall panic at airport terminals in every sector.

An additional downside to utilizing ESS for main stream inspections for all passengers is more political in nature. Already cases in London are grounding passengers who are affronted by the intrusion and mistrust of the authorities in such realms of intimate space.

There is already a disruption to airline commerce. A continued decline in the use of transport will inevitably result in more economic downturn.

The Global Security Professionals Group consists of many security professionals whose qualifications can be easily perused on www.Linkedin.com. The experience of the members of this group is both extensive and diverse. We actively engage in dialogue to address and help resolve the security problems of our times.

 We are a valuable resource available to inform and to assist in the resolution of the problems that beset the current government of this proud nation of ours. Difficult decisions must always be made in the light of the government's need to adequately meet its Duty of Care to protect the public and also meet its democratic duty to inform the public when the public is divided both in its opinions and in its understanding of the greater good. 

Misunderstandings are inevitable. In these matters our Group is willing and able to assist the government on whose shoulders lie the burden of making the final decisions that perhaps are perceived by the voting public as wrong.

It is our consensus that the security set up to prevent this latest case from occurring was obviously breached and in the public mind there was failure in our security procedures. 

This observation has been confirmed by de-facto polling using twitter, face book, numerous blogs and all manner of current forms of public communications. Our analysis recognizes that the safeguards in place are an interlocking network of barriers and information transfers and as such should be viewed in their entirety. 

 We also conclude, as we surmise that the 'man in the street' recognizes this as well; that after laying aside any political bias and looking through the lens of probability and outcomes; that the latest case, the Christmas day bombing attempt, was indeed a successful terrorist attack on the USA.

Fortunately the device malfunctioned and providence has afforded an opportunity to have these discussions in hindsight of a "security success" as it has been portrayed by some. The reality is far different. 

It will not be long before the terrorist planners who have proven to be adept at learning from their mistakes develop a strategy that will be successful in every sense of the word. We must become just as adept.  Like any chess game we must begin to anticipate several moves in advance.

Time is our collective adversary and the time to coordinate is passed due.           We wish to detail a strategy that will assist the Government in its own planning and training of existing assets in an effort to secure as many vulnerable points as possible. 

We offer this, not due to our own ego-centric views but as another set of experienced eyes, as consumers and users of the existing protocols while in possession of experience to notice the shortfalls in the same way that our antagonists also view them.

It is with this singular goal in mind that we present our own recommendations and thought processes.  We realize that there is a huge emphasis on hiring and training a lot of people for behavioral screening, document inspection, personal screening, etc.  There is a plan to throw a lot of equipment and operators at body searches.  Without an effective plan on how to properly equip, manage, motivate, evaluate (audit), train/retrain and deploy these resources, the system will deteriorate into ineffectiveness.  

 If the various "silos" of activity are not coordinated and integrated into a holistic security solution, we will fail. We can have all of the pieces in place on paper, but it requires leadership from the top down to pull things together and focus on common objectives.  It is not enough to have a "get together" to discuss each other's activities and how they should work together.  Design by committee only works if there are clearly  defined and enforced goals and measurements that   are understood by everyone. 

Take a look at the top leadership in the TSA, CIA, and NCTC.  Look at the head of SCO and other key positions.  Start looking with their education, field experience, and managerial experience.  For the most part these folks are not technically trained, experienced in the field, or cross-trained on the many disciplines that need to be understood in order to direct and lead.  Training in Law, Public Administration, Public Service, and the like are fine if the person has proved themselves with outstanding performance over a career that would qualify them to set policy, procedures, and lead in the execution of these. 
 
 Of course there are outstanding exceptions and we are equally sure that the people in charge want to do the proper things.  However, there does not seem to be a political will to put well qualified people in these positions.  It seems that if they can talk a good talk and present a good image this is more important.

We apologize to the many dedicated, well-qualified government employees that some of us have worked with over the years, but frankly many do not push back against the political boundary for what they feel are the best of career reasons. 
Commissions with no authority may expose issues, but will they get corrected?  There needs to be experience and technical qualifications that are verified.

Recommendations:

We recommend that a task force be created utilizing professional people from industry, government, and the military to collaborate in an environment that allows for true shared participation with one goal in mind:  Identifying and deploying the best solutions available today, while creating a road map to future-proof the security issues as they arise

We recommend a multi level security protocol for passenger screening.

• Beginning when the actual ticket sale, background check, no fly lists, etc.
• Boarding passes issued at departure Airport check in.
• (TIC) - Terrorist Identification and Classification - (Profiling) Check in and Security check point.
• Tier One -Standard metal detection protocol.
• Tier Two - ESS for high profile candidates.
• Tier Three - Interview - actual strip and cavity search.
• Training of TSA personal (Security shift team building) Testing, multi level certification levels attached to earning potential and advancement, attached to performance level.
• Evaluate testing procedures and test protocols.
• Technology Interventions: smart chip, biometrics, etc.
• Multi level strategy (where the existing gaps don't line up) and where the parts strengthen the whole.

Conclusions:

 The lives of our people and those around the world are in serious jeopardy.  We as a nation must put forward the best effort to protect those lives by putting aside petty politics and joining forces with Businesses, government agencies, military, citizens, and those working in the security trenches  to define, devise, and deploy a multi-tiered solution eliminating all agendas except the one that makes real life sense without political lines being drawn.

 We hope that this paper is received in the spirit of our intent, to initiate the     cross-over between Government and industry both in the private and public sector, to add new eyes to an ever expanding and increasing complex issue; we are bound together as the ultimate success of this mission affects us all.

 We could no longer stand by and pursue our professional goals without offering our observations as they co-mingle in the same arena; we share the same goals and shall suffer the same fate if our society suffers another blow as we did on September 11, 2001.

 So with the echoing sentiment of Thomas Paine who once wrote,

 "If we are to have trouble, I rather it be in my day. That my children may have peace"

 It is with this motivation that we humbly submit this for your consideration and review.

The Global Security Professional Group