Are the No Fly List and Selectee List accurate?
First, it is virtually impossible to know in advance whether a person is a terrorist. Many of the Sept. 11 hijackers, for example, were in the country lawfully and were not on any of the watch lists that existed at the time. At the same time, the definition of the No Fly List – persons who “may” be a “risk” to civil aviation – is so broad that it is certain to include many people who pose no danger and have done nothing illegal. If the government has probable cause to believe a person has committed a crime, it should arrest and prosecute that person. But the people on the No Fly List and Selectee List are not charged with any crime, indicating that the government does not have probable cause to believe they are criminals. Second, the lists contain names that are not linked to a physical description, birth date, or other unique identifier that allows airlines to easily determine whether the passenger at the counter is the person on the list. Large numbers of people have been delayed, se
