Obama orders 'immediate' steps after security failure

WASHINGTON, Jan 7, 2010 (AFP) - President Barack Obama on Thursday ordered intelligence and security agencies to undertake "immediate actions" after US authorities failed to uncover a plot to blow up an airliner on Christmas Day.

In a memorandum to government departments, Obama said the measures -- including improving airport security technology and reviewing how information on suspected terrorists is managed -- were needed to counter militant groups employing new tactics.


"I have concluded that immediate actions must be taken to enhance the security of the American people," Obama said in the memo.

"These actions are necessary given inherent systemic weaknesses and human errors revealed by the review of events leading up to December 25th."

Here are the main points of the memo on "corrective actions."

State Department:

-- Review rules for how visas are issued and withdrawn, taking into account concerns over terror threats.

Department of Homeland Security:

-- Improve procedures and technology for screening passengers while respecting privacy rights.

-- Bolster cooperation with other governments on airport security

Director of National Intelligence:

-- Clarify the roles of different intelligence agencies in sifting through information on terrorist threats.

-- Improve the use of technology for managing data and linking biographical details on suspects with other intelligence information.

CIA:

-- Ensure intelligence reports are distributed quickly.

-- Improve procedures for how lists of suspected terrorists are compiled, analyzed and acted on.

FBI:

-- Review the data base and the visa status for suspected terrorists, starting with the "No Fly list" for airlines.

-- Draw up recommendations on possible changes to how watchlists of suspected terrorists are prepared.

National Counter-Terrorism Center

-- Ensure terrorism threats are tracked "exhaustively" and assigned priorities. Alert intelligence and law enforcement agencies for follow-up action.

-- Create a team devoted to improving records on possible terrorists.

White House National Security staff:

-- Review the "systemic failures" in the run-up to the attempted attack on the Northwest airplane, preparing the way for policy changes and making clear the roles of various agencies.

-- Review how different terrorist watchlists are drafted and whether computer technology needs to be improved or better linked together.


by Stephen Collinson
(c) 2010 AFP