US creates terrorist fingerprint database

[TexasLawyer]

December 27, 2006 edition

US creates terrorist fingerprint database

By Warren Richey | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

The US government is building a massive database designed to identify individual terror suspects from fingerprints on objects such as a tea glass in an Iraqi apartment or a shell casing in an abandoned Al Qaeda training camp.

The database is being created in part by forensic specialists searching for and preserving evidence overseas. They are collecting unidentified latent fingerprints in places once occupied by Al Qaeda and other suspected terrorists. The information is feeding into a computerized system designed to match a name with an unidentified fingerprint.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff calls the program "a quantum step forward in security." "(It) gives us the ability to identify the unknown, unidentified terrorist," he said in a recent speech. "It also creates a powerful deterrent for anybody who has ever spent time sitting in a training camp, or building a bomb in a safe house, or carrying out a terrorist mission on a battlefield."

Not everyone sees the creation of such a database as progress. Privacy advocates and civil libertarians say it could lead to a dangerous erosion of American rights.

<snip>

http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1227/p01s03-usfp.html

[PSPS]

1. Gee, it sure worked well with Brandon Mayfield, didn't it?

Garbage in, garbage out.

[TexasLawyer]

3. good point

plus, they'll inevitably be collecting fingerprints from innocent people (e.g., people who rented an apartment or hotel room that is later rented to a suspected terrorists, neighbors, landlords, children, etc...)

And the US doesn't have a great track record with quickly exonerating the innocent.

[CHIMO]

2. The Republic of Northern America

Disenchantment and growing irritation with the U.S. South could lead northern American states to seek a union with Canadian provinces, writes Stéphane Kelly

In 1891, the intellectual Goldwin Smith caused a furor when he published Canada and the Canadian Question. He suggested that if Canadians believed in the democratic ideal, they must accept the inevitable: Annexation of Canada by the American republic.

The writer noted that the divide created by the English Civil War, which pitted Puritans against Cavaliers, had replicated itself in North America. Canadians embraced the aristocratic ideal of the Cavaliers while Americans held dear the democratic ideal of the Puritans.

Who would have thought that roles would have reversed themselves a century later? That the United States would be seen as a society with an affinity for aristocratic values while Canada would be perceived as an alternative model, because of its attachment to democratic values?

This reversal could change the political landscape of North America.

http://www.thestar.com/article/164488

[damntexdem]

6. A future sloban I'd much prefer to hear:

"Yes, terrorist attacks are a terrible price to pay -- but it's a price we willingly pay to retain our freedoms."

[Crayson]

4. What's new?

I thought the US already takes fingerprints and photos from every visitor anyway.

Thats millions of people.
Citizens fingerprints are sure to follow soon.

Why should they have different databases for citizens, travellers and virtually ANYBODY on the globe whose fingerprints they can lay their hands on.

Throw them all together and add a little attribute/flag "IsTerrorist"

[damntexdem]

5. Ooh, those evil terrorist fingerprints:

getting themselves all over bombs that blow up, thus obscuring the fingerprints.

Ultimately, the government will have to confiscate all fingerprints -- after all, we can get along without them, although it would be good to be allowed to keep the fingers to which they were attached.

Yeah, another triumph for Hoaxland Security!

[gratuitous]

7. "Identify the unknown, unidentified terrorist"

Like someone who would take revenge for guilt by association, Mr. Chertoff? Surprisingly, his answer would apparently be yes without the least trace of irony.

"It creates a power deterrent for anybody who has ever spend time sitting in a training camp {or sitting somewhere that subsequently became a training camp}, or building a bomb in a safe house {or occupying a house that was used by bad people at any time in the past}, or carrying out a terrorist mission on a battlefield {whatever in hell that means, and considering the number of folks scooped up willy-nilly and dropped into Gitmo, it probably means, well, just about anybody they decide they don't like}."

More useless energy spent on measures that won't enhance security and that will probably make us less secure. But will without any doubt whatsoever put more Treasury dollars into the overstuffed pockets of this administration's backers. Mission accomplished!

[superconnected]

8. How many years and HOW much money later did it take them

to do this?

Ah well, guess I should go turn myself in. Peace supporters are terrorists in der fuhrers eyes.