TSA places employees on leave over online posting
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Some Transportation Security Administration employees have been placed on administrative leave since it was discovered that sensitive guidelines about airport passenger screening were posted on the Internet.
The move was disclosed as senators questioned administration officials today about the second embarrassing security flap at the Homeland Security Department in two weeks. The Secret Service, also part of the sprawling department, is investigating how a couple of would-be reality TV stars were able to get into a White House state dinner without an invitation.
Assistant Homeland Security Secretary David Heyman told senators that a full investigation into the Internet security lapse is underway and the TSA employees have been taken off duty pending the results of that probe. He did not say how many employees were put on leave.
The Homeland Security Department has also stopped posting documents with security information in full or in part on the Internet until the TSA review is complete, Heyman told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
The passenger screening document was on the Internet in a way that could offer insight into how to sidestep security.
The TSA removed the document from the Internet on Sunday after the lapse was reported on a blog.
Among many sensitive sections, the document outlines who is exempt from certain additional screening measures, including members of the U.S. armed forces, governors and lieutenant governors, the mayor of Washington and their immediate families.
It also offers examples of identification documents that screeners accept, including congressional, federal air marshal and CIA ID cards. And it explains that diplomatic pouches and certain foreign dignitaries with law enforcement escorts are not subjected to any screening at all. It said certain methods of verifying identification documents aren’t used on all travelers during peak travel crushes.
The TSA said the document is now outdated. It was posted in March by the TSA on the Federal Business Opportunity site. The posting was improper because sensitive information was not properly protected, TSA spokeswoman Kristin Lee said.
-- Associated Press