Report: Behavior detection officers at US airports have missed at least 16 terrorists

Report: Airport behavior units miss 16 terrorists

WASHINGTON — A new government report says at least 16 known terrorists have passed through U.S. airports where federal officials were trained to spot suspicious behavior.

The Government Accountability Office report says that between May 2004 and August 2008, behavior detection officers who work for the Transportation Security Administration made about 1,100 arrests. None were for terrorism.

Florida Republican Rep. John Mica says behavior detection officers were working at New York’s Kennedy airport when the Times Square bomb suspect passed through airport security undetected.

The program is designed to spot terrorists and others who pose a threat to aviation. The behavior detection program is one of 20 layers in the nation’s aviation security.