(This is an item from our new blog: Unofficial Sources.)
Going to Disney World this summer? Don’t laugh excessively with widely open staring eyes — because those behavior indicators could identify you as a potential terrorist. Packing a Mickey Mouse costume? Wearing a disguise is another indicator.
Yes, the Transportation Security Administration’s embattled $900 million behavior detection program, called Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques, or SPOT, is not just used at airports. It’s also used at theme parks.
TSA has trained security teams from SeaWorld, Disney World and Busch Gardens to use the same checklist of behavior indicators, which includes “wearing a disguise,” “whistling,” “exaggerated yawning” and “excessive laughter,” according to interviews and documents obtained by The Intercept.
In March, The Intercept published the now widely ridiculed 92-item checklist of behavior indicators used by TSA’s behavior detection officers at airports around the country. The SPOT program, now referred to by TSA as the Behavior Detection Analysis program, has been the subject of several audits and reviews by oversight agencies and congressional committees, which have criticized the program’s methodology and scientific basis.
The Intercept also reported earlier this month that the indicators were primarily targeting undocumented immigrants, rather than terrorists.
On July 22, 2009, TSA trained about 400 members of local law enforcement from central Florida — including SeaWorld’s director and assistant director of security, and representatives from Disney World and Busch Gardens — in the same checklist used by the SPOT program.
“They have plainclothes people at SeaWorld and Disney doing the same behavior detection, looking for the same indicators we look for at the airport,” a source told The Intercept.
SeaWorld and the Greater Orlando Airport Authority (GOAA), which manages Orlando International Airport, have long had close relations because many of the people flying into the airport are heading to the parks, which are also potential targets of terrorist attacks.
“So GOAA, Disney, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens all work together in the most advanced security measures,” the source said.
A “Certificate of Completion” dated July 22, 2009, featuring TSA and Department of Homeland Security seals, thanks participants for their completion of TSA’s eight-hour “Behavior Recognition for Law Enforcement” training, which was certified through Valencia Community College.
A representative for SeaWorld and Busch Gardens, which are owned by the same company, declined to comment. TSA, in response to The Intercept’s query, provided the following statement: “The Behavior Detection and Analysis (BDA) program is designed to detect individuals who exhibit anomalous behaviors indicating they fear discovery and may pose a risk to aviation security. The program was created by TSA, using behavior analysis techniques that have been successfully employed by law enforcement and security personnel both in the U.S. and internationally. No single behavior alone will cause a traveler to be referred to additional screening or will result in a call to a law enforcement officer (LEO).”
Disney World did not respond to requests for comment.
Photo of gun components found by TSA officials in a stuffed toy in May 2012. (AP Photo/Transportation Security Administration)
This government now spends more tax dollars to watch it’s own people than any in the history of the world and that with absolutely no accountability. It is truly the Military Industrial Complex’s sinister Fascism at its best-and-getting-better. Yes, corporate-collaborated-and sanctioned theft of the Peoples’ money and surveillance of the same-all under the guise of National Security during the eternal War on Terror. The most disturbing thing about all of this is that the government usually fails in its War-On- * . You fill in the blank…drugs, education, poverty, illiteracy, etc… It’s all such a facade and the government now has the technology to control the masses when and if they ever wake up and rise up while they continue to funnel tax dollars into their coffers to feed the Corporate Complex. This is Western Capitalism working its magic.
Are people allowed to carry concealed, or open carry weapons into these places of family entertainment?
So what I see here is more ridicule but no atta boys for the gun that was caught by tsa——interesting
Often when I go to the airport I often see camouflage-wearing terrorists in groups. They self-righteously say they’re fighting for “our freedoms” and “to keep America safe.” TSA doesn’t bother them.
And then I read articles like this:
Missouri National Guard Troops referred to Ferguson protesters as ‘enemy forces’, emails show
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/apr/17/missouri-national-guard-ferguson-protesters-email
I’m totally going to Busch Gardens tomorrow with my fake mustache and vampire fangs and I’m totally going to yawn…
Because waiting 45 min. to ride a roller coaster is TOTTALY F#@&ING EXCITING! =D
It doesn’t surprise me but thanks.
Well, if the TSA trained them I feel sorry for the old ladies in wheelchairs with baking goods.
I think the problem is less that Disney is receiving training on how to identify potential terrorists than they are receiving training from the bumbling idiots at the TSA.
Disneyworld could have saved a lot of money and just asked me to train them to spot terrorists. After all, I’ve spotted the same number of terrorists as the TSA has so far – ZERO!
______ BUILDING 7 SEVEN ______
“heres your sign”
…..CAN YOU SEE THE SPOTLIGHT SHINING INTO YOUR FACE ……YET?
Are you aware , YET, of the THIRD SKYSCRAPER COMING STRAIGHT DOWN on SEPT 11th.
HAVE YOU LISTENED TO KURT HASKELLS __CONSISTENT TESTIMONY…?
Have you watched “NATIONAL SECURITY ALERT” or any other 911 DOCUMENTARY, FACT LADEN FILMS…..?
ARE YOU GOING TO LIVE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE SLEEP WALKING /ZOMBIE STYLE…..APATHY INTO TOTAL TYRANNY [which is NOT GOOD THING for you public school sheeple]
The only terrorist group that would target Sea World is PETA.
um…, yes I’d like to report some suspicious activity. yeah, I saw these 7 guys and they were, like, you know, real short and swarthy? yeah, and um they were carrying shovels and pickaxes over their shoulders! yeah, and um they were singing some sort of religious sounding song about off to work they go? yeah, I was terrified!……
How many terrorist have the TSA caught ? ZERO
“Now that you’ve blown up half a city what are you going to do next”?
“I’m going to Disney World”.
I was initially skeptical about the screening checklist. But since employing it in everyday life, I’ve discovered that I am surrounded by terrorists, which has been a real eye opener. ‘Widely open staring eyes’.. wait, that’s on the list…
Spend the $900 million on a border fence.
These blue-polyester-clad imbeciles couldn’t train a sheep in a beastiality snuff film….
Things in Bizzaro Land are serious folks. I think Mickey, Donald, Goofey and co. should be accompanied by armed security at all times.
I’m the furthest thing from a supporter of these behavior tactics (as I think they won’t do any good) and I’m a diehard libertarian-conservative, but let me explain why this is a sensationalized story. Seaworld and Disney have gift shops, staffed by their employees, at the airports. That’s probably the extent of where the knowledge gained from an 8-hour community college class went. It makes sense to be vigilant in that environment, especially in a post 9/11 world.
Secondly, this program has been in place since 2009, and yet there have been no cases where anybody has been through ANYTHING that some of these previous commenters are saying. There’s no groping at the parks. The most security you’ll get is from an aging guard poking through your backpack with a dowel rod.
Jana Winter, either post the names of these supposed “unnamed sources” or pull this scare tactics story. It is without merit. Go back to TMZ!
Mike, that was very impressive. I would have laughed louder, but my kids are sleeping! Best lead in ever!
So besides the No Fly List, is there a No Roller Coaster List? Maybe a No Subway List, No Shopping At The Supermarket List, and a No Walking On The Sidewalk List? I mean, it’s certainly expedient to replace outmoded models of law enforcement based on almost purely hypothetical jury trials with a simpler set of procedures where government bureaucrats simply decide who they think can be allowed to do things, without any guarantee of explanation much less appeal.
If TSA is so good at identifying terrorist then how come TSA has never foung one?
note to self: Do not post high score at Frontierland shooting gallery…
Wearing a disguise? At Disney World? The mouse is in trouble.
Things to watch out for: NRA apparel, anything showing support for the Constitution, a Bible and especially anything negative towards the president.
Let’s face it, let’s be honest with ourselves; TSA couldn’t find their dornier with both hands, even if they tried!
“Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques, or SPOT, is not just used at airports. It’s also used at theme parks.”
What a great idea. When you consider all the terrorists that the TSA has identified and captured, you can’t help but feel safer. Who better to lead a blind man than another blind man?
Boycott these supporters of fascism.
I now have a better reason to boycot Disney. A organization that follows corrupt illegal practices will no longer get my money. Time to remove the TSA. Oh and if they are monitoring my emai…I work for the DIA.
If that’s true, they already know it.
If that’s true, they already know.
What a bunch of fags. I would feel 900% safer if they would somehow convince Democrat-offspring to finally obey their political-party’s own Gun-Control Laws… There are lots of them that already exist. If this “amazing feat” were possible, then the murder rate would instantly fall by 900% in America. I know you disagree, because you didn’t hear of this from your only window to the outside world (the monopolized media-conglomerate)- but blacks kill more blacks at a far greater rate than the total number of all dead bodies caused by white people (yes, including those weirdo/gay-acceptance-distressed school shootings)…
Great. So my wife and kids are going to get groped at Disneyland and Seaworld too.
Excessive laughter??? The TSA has clearly never stood behind a gaggle of teenage boys/girls… or, wait, could it be that our children are terrorists?
Given the known movements of the 911 hijackers before the operation it seems training strippers to recognize terrorists would be a better use of resources.
Look, everyone does wrong and they just need to be forgiven. As an example, I was touching my self on the couch the other day and after I was done I prayed about it and was able to not touch my self again till bed time. As you can see, Jesus made it possible and so we just need to get the TSA to start praying.
What a complete waste of money, there is no valid data supporting a project of this type; yet TSA spends money like a drunken sailor on stuff that is a complete bust.
Then again, under this administration where has been about a 24% growth in money spent and allowing every agency to grow and do what they want; so they waste money on every idea no matter the amount of lunacy behind it.
This rates right up there with spendig $387,000 to get “Swedish Massages For Bunnies”, $50,000 for aa study on ” Synchronized Swimming For Sea Monkeys”, or my favorite spending $856,000 To Film “Mountain Lions Running On Treadmills”. These are real wasteful projects documented by Tom Coburn; I mean really you cant make up foolish stuff like this its so bad….
Disney, Seaworld and Busch Gardens, but not Universal?
You are playing right into the terrorists’ hand, shaking people’s confidence in behavior detection. You mockingly refer to “whistling”, but it’s more complicated and sinister than that. It’s not just whistling. It’s a means to conquer fear – holding one’s head erect, and whistling a happy tune, so no one will suspect one is afraid.
And another behavior on the checklist – leg shaking – is part of a pattern of behavior. It isn’t leg shaking by itself that identifies a terrorist. It’s a whole pattern of behaviors that involve one leg – say, the left leg. A terrorist will put his left leg in, and then take his left leg out. He then put his left leg in and then and only then does he shake it all about. He then does the Hokey Pokey and turns himself around – because THAT’S what it’s all about!
The criminal science of “The King and I”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ss_TCQuTp0
Hysterical!
Nothing like tears of laughter to “shake” off the mud.
Where is the scientific validity behind any of this? What the hell are these people in law-enforcement and protection thinking?!
“The Behavior Detection and Analysis (BDA) program is designed to detect individuals who exhibit anomalous behaviors indicating they fear discovery and may pose a risk to aviation security.”
Watch out for the “Flying Dolphins”, the furtive and secretive “Snow White”, and the “Hanging Gardens”; all obvious aviation undercover assets.
That Department of Homeland Security sure can spend the American taxpayer’s dollars with “scientific” impunity.
Thanks for bringing the TSA shenanigans into full public scrutiny Ms. Winter.