Ten-finger scan to get into USA
Pastor Dale Morgan
Ten-finger scan to get into USA*
More security at US airports but The Sunday Times discovers flaws in the
system
Chris Haslam-
Timesonline
Security screening for arriving passengers has been stepped up yet
again at American airports, but The Sunday Times has learnt of
worrying flaws in new fingerprint-scanning technology.
Last week, Logan airport, in Boston, became the third US airport to
install the 10-finger scanners. Dulles airport, which serves
Washington, DC, began using the devices in November and Atlanta
airport began this month. By the end of the year, the devices will be
installed at every international airport in the USA, as well as at
seaports and border crossings.
NonUS residents have had two fingers scanned on entry since 2004, but
the Department of Homeland Security believes the 10-finger standard
will allow easier identification of undesirables, based on full or
partial prints left at the scene of a crime or collected from
terrorist safe houses or battlefields.
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Described by Identix, their manufacturer as "slap and roll"
technology, the scanners require four scans to capture a full set of
prints. These are then compared with more than 3.2m fingerprints held
in the FBI and Department of Defense databases.
Identix claims that the scanner can perform its duties in "less than
15 seconds". It says "you do need to be a trained fingerprint expert"
to use the machines, and while operators at Atlanta have reported only
"teething troubles" with the new equipment, the system has caused
problems in the past.
In 2003, Californian Roger Benson filed a lawsuit after he was stopped
by police for a traffic violation and fingerprinted using the same
scanner. His prints were incorrectly matched with a convicted felon
and he served 43 days in prison.
Miguel Espinoza brought a lawsuit against Identix in 2004 after his
prints were wrongly assigned to a convicted murderer. The case was
dismissed after the judge ruled that human error, and not the scanner,
had caused the mix-up, but human-rights groups say overdependence on
technology will continue to put travellers at risk.
Last July, a US government report found that "systems supporting the
US-VISIT program have significant information security control
weaknesses", but homeland security chief Michael Chertoff is an
enthusiast. "Moving to 10 fingerprints is completely consistent with,
and in fact enhances, our ability to protect," he said.