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The U.S. government is rapidly expanding the number of names it accepts for inclusion on its terrorist watch list, with more than 1.5 million added in the last five years, according to numbers divulged by the government in a civil lawsuit.
About 99 percent of the names submitted are accepted, leading to criticism that the government is "wildly loose" in its use of the list. From the article:
Those included in the Terrorist Screening Database could find themselves on the government's no-fly list or face additional scrutiny at airports, though only a small percentage of people in the database are actually on the list.
It has been known for years that the government became more aggressive in nominating people for the watch list following al-Qaida operative Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's failed effort to blow up an airplane over Detroit on Christmas Day 2009. But the numbers disclosed by the government show submissions have snowballed. In fiscal 2009, which ended Sept. 30, 2009, 227,932 names were nominated to the database. In fiscal 2010, which includes the months after the attempted Christmas bombing, nominations rose to 250,847. In fiscal 2012, they increased to 336,712, and in fiscal 2013 - the most recent year provided - nominations jumped to 468,749.
The government disclosed the figures in a civil lawsuit out of Virginia challenging the constitutionality of the no-fly list.
(Score: 1) by harmless on Sunday July 20 2014, @09:48PM
If you actually speak to the same person as the 'terrorist', that's only two degrees of separation.
The third degree also includes everyone you interact with.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 20 2014, @10:11PM
i did say "within 3 degrees", not "exactly at 3 degrees".
(Score: 3, Funny) by BsAtHome on Sunday July 20 2014, @11:09PM
With three degrees of separation you have quite a few people. Lets project this list onto the US. One person "knows" about 150 others. The uniqueness factor we'll set at 5%. The first degree of separation results in 150*0.05*1.5e6~11.3e6. The second degree amounts to ~84.4e6 and the third degree of separation is 632.8e6 persons.
That would suggest there are more terrorists in the US than there are citizens in that country. Is clearly shows that the US must have an excess group of ~300e6 classifiable as illegal immigrants that cannot be up to any good. That should sum it up quite nicely.
I was always sure that nothing good could come from that side of the pond, a country filled with terrorists and illegal immigrants. My simple calculations are sure proof of that position.
(Score: 4, Funny) by Adamsjas on Monday July 21 2014, @01:09AM
And yet you post on the same suspect website with the rest of us terrorists?
Welcome to the list you filthy terrorist, come on in, the beer is in the keg in the bathtub, weed over by that smoky corner, pizza is on the way, its being delivered with by the SWAT guys. (oh, don't worry, those dudes are on the list too). Party on.
(Score: 2) by BsAtHome on Monday July 21 2014, @09:45AM
I've been found guilty by association for many things, including association with this site. And, in the good tradition of applied self-justice in a self-censored manner, have been convicted to death by old age.
Don't mind if I take a pint... Cheers.