WASHINGTON — The government is now requiring airlines to check no-fly lists within two hours of being notified of list updates — a move aimed at preventing known terror suspects from boarding airplanes — as the man accused in the Times Square bombing attempt did.
Faisal Shahzad, who prosecutors say tried to blow up an SUV in Times Square Saturday evening, was added to the no-fly list early Monday afternoon, only hours before he boarded an Emirates flight bound to Dubai.
When updates are made to the no-fly list, notifications are sent to airlines instructing them to check the updated list. Until now, airlines have been required to check for updated lists every 24 hours. Effective immediately, airlines will have to check the updated list within two hours of being notified of changes, according to a U.S. homeland security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the policy change. The official says airlines could be fined if they don’t comply.
The no-fly list has been one of the government’s most public counterterrorism tools since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But the list is only as good as the officials who analyze it and those who match names against it. If an intelligence lead is not shared, or if an analyst is unable to connect one piece of information to another, a suspected terrorist could slip onto an airplane. And if an airline decides not to look at an updated version of the list, someone on the list can board an airliner.
Shahzad was able to purchase a last-minute ticket from Emirates airlines and board a Dubai-bound airplane at John F. Kennedy International Airport late Monday night.
But Emirates airlines apparently failed to check the latest version of the terror watch list that included Shahzad’s name.
Customs and Border Protection officials saw Shahzad’s name on the list of passengers 30 minutes before the flight was to take off. They pulled Shahzad off the plane and arrested him before the plane left the gate.
Once it did, authorities ordered the flight to return so they could interview two other people aboard; they were cleared of any involvement and released, authorities said.
The transcript of communications telling Emirates Flight EK202 — which had been cleared to line up on the runway — to turn around and head back to the gate:
Male voice: “202, looks like you’re going to be No.1, monitor tower on 123 point end at this time.”
Plane: “123 niner Emirates 202, goodnight”
Female voice: “I’m with 202 heavy Kennedy (inaudible) runway 22 right position. Actually, I have a message for you to go back to the gate immediately. So make the left turn when able.” (The designation “heavy” means it’s a wide-body plane.)
Plane: “22 202 turning …”
Female voice: “I am with 202 make the left turn on to echo left alpha back to the ramp. I don’t know exactly why, but you can call your company for the reason.”
Plane: “Will do that. Left onto echo and then on to alpha and back to the gate via gulf?”
Female voice: “Yes, whatever is convenient.”
Plane: “Emirates 202.”
Male voice: “Ground Emirates 202 heavy.”
Female voice: “Emirates 202 heavy, go ahead.”
Plane: “Yes ma’am we’re trying to figure out what’s going on here right now. But as far as we know I’d like to request you to just keep the flight plan open for now.”
Female voice: “Emirates 202 heavy, no problem. The flight plan’s good for another two hours.”
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