US government puts people on terrorist watch lists without "concrete facts"

By Dustin M Braden - 23 Jul '14 18:40PM

The Intercept has obtained the handbook that was created by the United States government as a guide for how and when to put someone on a terrorist watch list.

The Intercept has made the 166-page handbook, "March 2013 Watchlisting Guidance," available online for anyone to see. The cover has the emblems of 19 different government agencies who contributed to the guidelines and utilizes them

Among the most shocking revelations is the fact that neither "concrete evidence," nor "irrefutable proof," were deemed necessary to place someone on a terrorist watch list.

Being placed on such a list can have a number of ramifications for individuals. They may end up on the government's no fly list, which prevents them from boarding an airplane inside, or destined for the United States. It also automatically triggers more invasive security evaluations at border crossing or during routine police stops for things like speeding.

The guidelines allow people to be placed on such lists using only, "fragmentary information," and even enable the watchlisting of people who are deceased.

Both the Bush and Obama administrations have fought tooth and nail to prevent the release of this document, despite its officiall designation as unclassified.

The handbook's definition of terrorism is also a bit befuddling, as it includes the destruction of government property, or computers belong to financial institutions.

While some may claim that such measures are necessary and don't focus on innocent people, it has already been demonstrated numerous times that innocents end up on such watch lists and pay the price for it.

In 2004, United States Senator Ted Kennedy was not allowed on five different flights because his name was similar to a name on the no fly list. At another time, the no fly list included the president of Bolivia and the head of the Lebanese parliament. It even ensnared Mikey Hicks, who received his first pat down from the Transportation Security Administration at the age of two.