Thursday, March 28, 2024

What Is A Government Watch List

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U S Secret Services Most Wanted Fugitives List

A Former FBI Agent Explains the Terrorist Watch List | Explorer

Like the FBI, the U. S. Secret Service maintains a list of wanted criminals, its Most Wanted Fugitives. The current list offers rewards of $1 million each for information leading to the arrest of either Oleksander Vitalyevich or Artem Viacheslavovich Radchenko. The former recruited the latter to hack into the computer networks of the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission . . . and data related to the financial earnings of publicly traded companies before they were released.

Its not hard to see why you DONT want to be on this list!

How Does A Government Watchlist Help Businesses

So what does a government watchlist actually do for your business? There are a lot of benefits your company might experience when you start using a government watchlist. There are a variety of benefits that you could experience with a government watchlist, which means the watchlist will help you do a variety of things more easily.

  • Do your due diligence.

U S National Security Agencys Watchlist

The names of people who downloaded Tor privacy software in 2011 may have been added to the U. S. National Security Agency watchlist. It is known that the federal government monitored email of five Muslim-Americans, including a former Bush Administration official, despite these citizens vehement denials of having been involved in terrorism or espionage, or to have advocated violent jihad or . . . to have been implicated in any crime, despite years of intense scrutiny by the government and the press.

All five of the Muslim-Americans whose email was monitored have extraordinary credentials. Faisal Gill was a Republican candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates Asim Ghafoor, a prominent attorney whose clients were charged in terrorism-related cases Hooshang Amirahmadi, a professor at Rutgers University Agha Saeed, a professor at California State University and Nihad Awad, a Muslim civil rights organization leader.

The NSA countered charges of digital spying by insisting that it collects information for valid foreign intelligence purposes and . . . minimizes information it collects about U. S. residents. However, the Agencys minimizing procedures vary by program, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board observed. Under Prism , for example, the NSA shares much more than minimized data with the FBI and CIA.

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Specially Designated Nationals And Blocked Persons List Human Readable Lists

As part of its enforcement efforts, OFAC publishes a list of individuals and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, targeted countries. It also lists individuals, groups, and entities, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers designated under programs that are not country-specific. Collectively, such individuals and companies are called “Specially Designated Nationals” or “SDNs.” Their assets are blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them. View more information on Treasury’s Sanctions Programs.

Can People In The Fbis Terrorist Screening Database Buy Guns

How To Tell If You

Yes. Prospective gun buyers can only be denied if they fall into one of nine categories of purchasers prohibited under federal law felons and drug users, for example. Being a suspected terrorist isnt one of them. The Government Accountability Office reported that between 2004 and 2015, known or suspected terrorists tried to buy guns 2,477 times and 91 percent of their background checks were approved.

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Why Choose The Mintz International Security Screening Service

With over 95 years of experience in the background check industry, Mintz Global Screening has the expertise to offer personalized and highly reliable services. This is principally due to our extremely rigorous investigative methods, along with a consultative approach. It is no coincidence that we are now recognized as leaders in our industry.

When choosing our international security screening service, you will benefit from unique advantages:

  • International search on various government watch lists
  • Includes the OFAC Specially Designated Nationals list and the OSFI Canadian Sanctions List
  • Short processing time

How Do I Know If Im On The Watch List

You probably wont ever know for sure if youre on the master watch list. The FBI doesnt disclose its contents. But its a good bet that if the bureau visits you about a terrorism-related investigation, youre probably on there.

As a result of the ACLUs lawsuit with Knaeble, the government in 2015 began telling Americans they were on the no-fly list and offering some reasons. Travelers still dont get advance notice, however, so the only way to find out if you cant fly is to try to board a plane and see whether you get accosted by security. People on the list can file for redress. But Hugh Handeyside, a staff attorney with the ACLUs National Security Project, says the government provides scant information and there is still no process for contesting your inclusion in front of a neutral third-party.

Knaeble, the U.S. Army veteran stranded in Bogotá, was eventually able to return to the United States in August 2010 but not without trouble. He traveled for 12 days, passing through Panama City before arriving in Mexicali, California. Along the way, American and foreign authorities detained, interrogated, and searched him numerous times.

Even though the government has changed its policies about alerting travelers on the no-fly list, the ACLU contends that the process is still far short of constitutional and is fighting in court to get it changed. The debate continues.

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How To Get On A Government Watchlist

The inner workings of a watchlist nomination are of course unknown the government has been extremely secretive about the names on the various watch lists. However, there are a few well-known ways to get your name put on the federal governments watchlist. It basically just takes any action that a machine-learning algorithm calculates is outside the norm.

Heres how you can get your name on a government watchlist:

  • Have a criminal record for terrorist-related activates.
  • Associate with a known terrorist, terrorist organization, or anti-government consortium. This includes family members and unfortunately, certain religious organizations.
  • Make frequent trips to areas or countries known to support terrorism. You only have to raise reasonable suspicion that youre involved in terrorism to make the list.
  • Have an active membership in an extremist group.
  • Be male, travel alone, and carry no bags on a one-way trip.
  • Internet searching for topics related to or attributed to terrorist-type activities.
  • Make an unusual purchase large amounts of fuel, makeup that disguises your appearance, unusual construction supplies, electronic components, out-of-the-ordinary farm supplies, flying lessons, etc. and pay with PayPal, Bitcoin, or a throwaway credit card.
  • Participate in several activities that alone may be OK but together could trigger terrorist suspicion. For instance, visit hacking websites, post a tirade against the government, build your own fireworks, and join the Tea Party.
  • What Is A Government Watchlist

    Government to release a national watchlist on illegal drugs

    A government watchlist is just a watchlist thats put together by the government rather than by a private entity. There are actually many government watchliststhe U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, and Treasury all have watchlists that may include different threats. Depending on what your business is about, you may need to use certain watchlists or all of them.One of the most comprehensive government watchlists is the FBIs Terrorist Screening Center watchlist, which allows you to look through individuals who may pose a domestic threat. This list is public and the U.S. Treasury updates it on a regular basis to include the most important individuals you might need to avoid.

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    Dozens Of People On Fbi Terrorist Watch List Came To Dc The Day Of Capitol Riot

    Dozens of people on a terrorist watch list were in Washington for pro-Trump events Jan. 6, a day that ended in a chaotic crime rampage when a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, according to people familiar with evidence gathered in the FBIs investigation.

    The majority of the watch-listed individuals in Washington that day are suspected white supremacists whose past conduct so alarmed investigators that their names had been previously entered into the national Terrorist Screening Database, or TSDB, a massive set of names flagged as potential security risks, these people said. The watch list is larger and separate from the no-fly list the government maintains to prevent terrorism suspects from boarding airplanes, and those listed are not automatically barred from any public or commercial spaces, current and former officials said.

    The presence of so many watch-listed individuals in one place without more robust security measures to protect the public is another example of the intelligence failures preceding last weeks fatal assault that sent lawmakers running for their lives, some current and former law enforcement officials argued. The revelation follows a Washington Post report earlier this week detailing the FBIs failure to act aggressively on an internal intelligence report of Internet discussions about plans to attack Congress, smash windows, break down doors and get violent … go there ready for war.

    The FBI declined to comment.

    About The Terrorist Screening Center

    Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the President and Congress mandated that federal executive departments and agencies share terrorism information with those in the counterterrorism community responsible for protecting the homeland. In 2003, the Terrorist Screening Center was created to fulfill that mandate.

    The Terrorist Screening Center, a multi-agency center administered by the FBI, is the U.S. Governments consolidated counterterrorism watchlisting component and is responsible for the management and operation of the Terrorist Screening Database, commonly known as the watchlist.

    The watchlist is a single database that contains sensitive national security and law enforcement information concerning the identities of those who are known or reasonably suspected of being involved in terrorist activities. The TSC uses the watchlist to support front-line screening agencies in positively identifying known or suspected terrorists who are attempting to obtain visas, enter the country, board an aircraft, or engage in other activities.

    The TSC is a vital part of the U.S. Governments counterterrorism early warning and interdiction network.

    You can learn more about the Terrorist Screening Center by reviewing answers to our frequently asked questions.

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    Exposed Server Was Taken Down After Three Weeks

    In a today, Bob Diachenko, Cyber Threat Intelligence Director at security firm Security Discovery, said he discovered a copy of the TSC database on a Bahrainian IP address.

    The exposed Elasticsearch cluster contained 1.9 million records, Diachenko said. I do not know how much of the full TSC Watchlist it stored, but it seems plausible that the entire list was exposed.

    Information exposed in the leak included data points such as:

    • Full name

    Bob Diachenko

    Diachenko said he notified the Department of Homeland Security on July 19, the day the database was indexed by search engines Censys and ZoomEye, and when he also found it.

    The exposed server was taken down about three weeks later, on August 9, 2021. Its not clear why it took so long, and I dont know for sure whether any unauthorized parties accessed it.

    Bob Diachenko, Cyber Threat Intelligence Director at security firm Security Discovery

    Contacted by The Record earlier today, the FBI had no comment.

    It is unclear if the exposed Elasticsearch server was managed by a US agency, one of its partners, or if this was an illegally obtained copy.

    While the existence of the TSC database was kept secret for more than a decade, in recent years, the DHS began notifying US citizens when they were added to the TSCs No Fly List.

    Without knowing who is to blame for this leak, it is unclear if the FBI or DHS will have to notify US citizens that were added on the TSC No Fly List that their data was exposed online.

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    In todays global economy, automated sanctions screening is the only way your business can identify transactions involving a designated person or entity and maintain compliance with denied party screening lists. CSIs WatchDOG® Elite allows companies to compare their customers names against national, global and government watch list searches.

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    Protecting Privacy And Safeguarding Civil Liberties

    The TSC is dedicated to ensuring watchlisting and screening activities are conducted in a manner consistent with protecting privacy and civil liberties. Individuals are included in the watchlist when there is reasonable suspicion to believe that a person is a known or suspected terrorist. Individuals are not watchlisted based solely on race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, or any First Amendment-protected activities such as free speech, the exercise of religion, freedom of press, freedom of peaceful assembly, and petitioning the government for redress of grievances.

    And the TSC regularly conducts comprehensive and case-specific quality assurance reviews of data in the Terrorist Screening Database to ensure the U.S. Governments substantive criteria for watchlisting is met and to ensure the records maintained in the watchlist are current, accurate, and thorough.

    Federal Bureau Of Prisons

    The Federal Bureau of Prisons is a law enforcement agency subdivision of the U.S. Department of Justice. It is responsible for the administration of the federal prison system and all judicially ordered federal executions. There are over 116 institutions and 210,000 federal offenders under the supervision of the BOP.

    utilizes the Federal Bureau of Prison Inmate Locator to search for candidates that are currently or previously have been incarcerated in federal prison from 1982 to present.

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    Us Government Watchlisting: Unfair Process And Devastating Consequences

    The U.S. government today maintains a massive watchlisting system that risks stigmatizing hundreds of thousands of people, including American citizens, as known or suspected terrorists based on secret standards and secret evidence, without a meaningful process to challenge error and clear their names. The watchlists in this system are shared widely within the federal government, with state and local law enforcement agencies, and even with foreign governments, heightening the negative consequences for listed individuals. Being placed on a U.S. government watchlist can mean an inability to travel by air or sea invasive screening at airports denial of a U.S. visa or permission to enter to the United States and detention and questioning by U.S. or foreign authoritiesto say nothing of shame, fear, uncertainty, and denigration as a terrorism suspect. Watchlisting can prevent disabled military veterans from obtaining needed benefits, separate family members for months or years, ruin employment prospects, and isolate an individual from friends and associates.

    Entities Of Particular Concern

    Are you on a federal watch list?

    The most recent Entities of Particular Concern designations were made by the Secretary of State on November 15, 2021:

    Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Greater Sahara, ISIS-West Africa, Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin, and the Taliban.*

    *The Talibans designation is based on information analyzed as of August 15, 2021.

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    Checking Your Licence Plate

    Cameras are virtually everywhere when you’re on the road. If you’re driving somewhere, you’re likely on the government’s radar. From cameras at traffic lights to licence plate trackers that keep track of your tolls, it is virtually impossible to escape the eagle eye when you’re in transit. It’s not as if your travel locations are discarded either, as police departments around the country are compiling data of where people are traveling even those with no criminal history who are not deemed to be a threat. Apart from the overbearing government, there is another potential risk involved with the storing of this data. Hackers and third parties interested in this information can steal and sell it to the highest bidder. It’s mostly true that you wouldn’t really need to worry about the police if you’re not doing anything wrong, but hackers don’t care about criminal history.

    The Bop Has Different Security Levels They Are:

    • Federal Prison Camps minimum security facilities
    • Federal Correctional Institutions low or medium security facilities
    • United States Penitentiaries medium or high security facilities
    • Federal Correctional Complexes Co-locations of BOP facilities and have different security locations and genders of inmates

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    Check Your Credit Reports For Ofac Alerts

    Obtain a free copy of your credit report, since OFAC alerts may appear on them. Find out how to order your free credit reports from Annual Report.com. Even if you don’t find an alert, you may be flagged. According to Sinnar: “Despite the fact that the Fair Credit Reporting Act gives consumers the right to see all the information in their credit files, at least one major credit reporting agency reportedly includes OFAC alerts only on credit reports that are sent to businesses,” but not on copies sent to you.If you are flagged, you should contact the credit reporting agency to have your name removed.

    They Know Where You Are

    OMG David is on the Government Watch List ...

    Pretty much everyone has a cell phone at this point, with most of them being smartphones. Cell phones now have a GPS installed in each one, which means there is no longer a reliance on cell phone towers to triangulate a persons position. The government doesnt pay much attention to people who are moving inside the US , but people who are outside of the US are frequent targets of US government tracking. As shown by Edward Snowden, the NSA collects around 5 million cell phone locations every day. This means that they can monitor where a person goes and who they meet with. They will be able to reasonably determine a persons relationship based on who they are meeting with and where they are going. While this is useful for tracking criminals or potential terrorists, many of the people whose data gets collected are regular, law-abiding individuals.

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