State of the Shelanman

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May 12, 2005

The No-Fly List Strikes Again

Today I read an article from Reuters that really pissed me off...

So, basically, Air France forgot to check the U.S. No-Fly list before allowing a man to board a U.S.-bound aircraft. The plane was diverted to Maine, where the man on the No-Fly list and his family were removed from the aircraft, questioned and detained for an unknown duration.

Personally, I don't believe in super-secret No-Fly lists. If the government wants to put someone on a No-Fly list, they should have to get a warrant, and then send the person a copy of the warrant, including a warning that they will be unable to board aircraft. All entries should have an expiration date that is publically available, non-extendable (without another warrant), and of reasonable duration. Personally, I'd say less than a few months in the vast majority of cases. Such warrants should be more difficult to obtain than a search warrant, but no harder to obtain than an arrest warrant.

So, in my book, detaining the man on the No-Fly list is both morally and legally wrong (unless an arrest warrant has also been issued)

Howeve,even if you believe in the No-Fly list, you should be angry. Why? Because 3 individuals who were not on the No-Fly list were also detained simply because they are relatives of the "suspect."

If a man were dangerous -- no, I'll make it even easier for you to say "yes" -- if a man were a known serial killer (which the detained man is not accused of being), would it be OK to arrest his family?

I didn't think so

So why is it OK to detain and interrogate them when the man is simply on a secret list of people who aren't suspected of anything and who didn't know they weren't supposed to fly?

— The Shelanman

Posted by andrew at May 12, 2005 03:52 PM

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