The U.S. Dept. of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has submitted a proposal to require airlines to use a computer-assisted passenger screening program that selects passengers both randomly and who fit the supposed profile of a terrorist for heightened security examination of their checked bags.

EFF believes this profiling system would:

• violate due process (no probable cause when targeting random persons); and
• violate the Fourth Amendment (unreasonable search);

We urge our members to submit comments to the FAA on this matter, as soon as possible. They should be short, to-the-point, and firm but polite.

Comments may be sent electronically to 9-nprm-cmts@faa.gov or via US mail (send TWO copies) to:

U.S. Department of Transportation Dockets
Docket No. FAA-1999-5336
400 Seventh St. SW, Rm. Plaza 401
Washington, DC 20590 USA

File no later than June 18, 1999.

Please send any questions or comments to webmaster@eff.org