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Terrorist Watch List Encounters and Outcomes

Created: Sun Apr 26Updated: Sun Apr 26
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Overview

This page documents the encounters with individuals on the terrorist watch list and the outcomes of those encounters, based on GAO analysis from December 2003 through May 2007.

Encounter Statistics (December 2003 - May 2007)

  • Total encounters: Approximately 53,000 times agencies encountered individuals who were on the watch list
  • Many individuals were encountered multiple times across different screening events
  • Encounters occurred through various frontline screening processes including airline reservations, port of entry arrivals, visa applications, and state/local police stops within the United States

Actions Taken in Response to Encounters

1. Arresting individuals — Law enforcement took custody of suspects based on watch list matches 2. Denying others entry into the United States — Immigration officials prevented certain individuals from entering U.S. territory 3. Questioning and releasing — Most commonly, agencies questioned individuals and then released them because there was not sufficient evidence of criminal or terrorist activity to warrant further legal action 4. Information collection and sharing — Questioning allowed agencies to collect information on the individuals encountered, which was shared with law enforcement agencies and the intelligence community for ongoing investigation purposes

Resolution Process Details

  • When a computerized name-matching system generates a "hit" (potential name match) against a watch list record:
- Obvious mismatches (negative matches) are resolved by the airline or agency if possible - Clearly positive or exact matches and matches that are inconclusive (difficult to verify) generally are referred to TSC to confirm whether the individual is a match to the watch list record - TSC refers positive and inconclusive matches to the FBI to provide an opportunity for a counterterrorism response - Deciding what action to take, if any, can involve collaboration among: - The frontline screening agency - The National Counterterrorism Center or other intelligence community members - The FBI or other investigative agencies
  • If necessary, a member of an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force can respond in person to interview and obtain additional information about the person encountered
  • In other cases, the FBI will rely on the screening agency and other law enforcement agencies (such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to respond and collect information

Operational Implications

  • The majority of encounters resulted in questioning and release rather than arrest or denial of entry, indicating that watch list inclusion alone does not constitute sufficient evidence for legal action
  • Despite this outcome pattern, the information collection during encounters provided valuable intelligence sharing opportunities with law enforcement agencies and the intelligence community
  • The process demonstrates the importance of coordination between frontline screening agencies, investigative agencies, and intelligence community members in determining appropriate responses to watch list matches

Sources

  • raw/Terrorist_Watch_List_Screening_Recommendations_to_Promote_a_Comprehensive_and_Coordinated_Approach_to_Terrorist-Related_Screening.md