FBI’s Lapses on Terrorist Watch List Put Nation at Risk, Report Warns
The FBI has retained almost 24,000 names on the nation’s terrorist watch list without current or proper justification, while failing to include people who are subjects of terrorist investigations, according to a Justice Department report issued yesterday.
The FBI’s lapses “create a risk to national security,” Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine said in the report. In addition, he said, keeping people on the list improperly can lead to unnecessary delays for travelers at airports, along highways and elsewhere.
The results also underscore concerns raised by civil liberties advocates about the list’s accuracy and transparency, and its impact on those who are inappropriately listed — or confused with someone who is on the list.