-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 <http://www.menafn.com/qn_print.asp?StoryID=CqAld0eidDxmTzxuTCgfZC3bVCNrZ> MENAFN - Middle East North Africa . Financial Network U.S., Europe still tweaking anti-terror tech UPI - UPI - Tuesday, November 23, 2004 Date: Tuesday, November 23, 2004 7:28:15 PM EST By DONNA BORAK WASHINGTON, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. and European officials said they may encounter more problems implementing new anti-terrorism measures, including the "no-fly" list of passengers banned from U.S. airlines and biometric passports, but are working together on the issue. The viability of such anti-terror technology is important to the U.S. travel industry, which was dealt a severe blow after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. In fact, the Travel Industry Association of America said Monday that as part of the fiscal year 2005 omnibus spending package Congress had included $10 million to promote the United States as an international travel destination. Last Saturday an international flight from Paris to California was diverted to Bangor, Maine because a Moroccan passenger was discovered to be on the U.S. "no-fly" list after the plane had taken off. Senior Department of Homeland Security officials warned on Monday that problems with the "no-fly" list would likely continue even when their new computerized screening system was put in place next year. "Obviously, you want the system to work perfectly. I don't know that when you have systems built upon human information and human responses that you are ever going to have a perfect system," said Asa Hutchinson, DHS undersecretary for border and transportation security. Hutchinson faulted the current advance passenger information system, human error and ineffective technology for the security failure. "We have to build a better system design that will greatly reduce and minimize these types of incidents from happening ... You also have to build a system that is capable of responding, (has) good checks and balances, and has layered defenses that is not reliant on one particular system," Hutchinson said at a joint press conference with John Faull, the European Union's director general for Justice and Home Affairs. Expected changes include a revamp of the current advance passenger information system. Currently, airlines are not capable of matching passengers with terrorist-watch lists until 15 minutes after takeoff. The obvious goal is to prevent suspect individuals from boarding at all. In addition to faster matching against terrorist-watch lists, the new system would integrate U.S. and European anti-terror efforts. Hutchinson suggested that the new biometric passport and multilateral efforts among nations would be the solution to alleviating further security failures. Biometric devices were among the 9/11 Commission recommendations. Passports of people entering the United States would be required to contain a special type of computer chip, known as RFID or radio-frequency identification. The chip would contain a digitized facial image of the bearer. Current rules would require them by October 2005. Such biometric passports and visas will help government officials authenticate documents and potentially identify terrorists, officials said. Hutchinson explained that the United States would be aggressively working with its European allies to meet the deadline, but the emphasis on testing would be first priority, before any passports were issued. "Obviously, that has to be completed before production is implemented," said Hutchinson. Last month, the DHS was granted a yearlong extension till the October 2005 deadline. It initially requested two years. "We are working very hard to meet the deadline," said Hutchinson. The European Union agreed in October to use biometric passports. EU Director Faull said that the decision to utilize biometric passports was not the result of pressure by the United States, but a common-sense decision in the face of a common threat. "These are problems that cannot be solved unilaterally," said Hutchinson. It is expected that the United States will demand visas from 27 countries if they do not have biometric passports by October 2005. According to Faull, production has already started on biometric passports and it is expected that the first will be ready in 18 months. Faull explained that there were a number of challenges facing the two parties, but that both were working together to resolve any issues. At the press conference, Hutchinson characterized talks with European Union officials as "frank and open." "In our discussions it is clear to me, that the European Union has accelerated their counter-terrorism efforts and we are grateful for that," he said, adding that the United States and the EU share "common concerns" about terrorism. - -- - ----------------- R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah@ibuc.com> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 1308 iQA/AwUBQaSqqcPxH8jf3ohaEQLXJQCdE8Wj8/8bibK1fGThO0F4G387udcAoNO7 dSvgDVi8kQl+UEkuLlmg4g/s =WgYi -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----