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'''Robert MacLean''' is an aviation security [[whistleblower]].

==Aviation security [[Whistleblower]]==

In July 2003, U.S. Federal Air Marshal (FAM) Robert MacLean tried to blow the whistle within the [[Department of Homeland Security]] (DHS) on a plan to reduce air marshal coverage of nonstop, long distance flights amidst heightened warnings based on a [[July 26]], [[2003]] DHS Advisory describing intelligence of an [[al-Qaeda]] suicide hijack plan <ref>{{cite web | title= U.S. warns of 9/11-style plane attacks | url=http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2003/07/30-hijackings.htm | date=[[2003-08-01]] | work=[http://www.usatoday.com/ ''USA Today''] | accessdate=2007-06-03}}</ref> that would exploit a U.S. immigration loophole enabling a terrorist, without a U.S. visa, to take a flight from a country with less-stringent security to a U.S. airport and roam that U.S. airport during a layover before taking a second connecting flight to the destination country.  Once inside a U.S. airport, terrorists would smuggle weapons onto aircraft by hiding weapons inside camera equipment and children's toys.  During flight, the terrorists would overpower the crew, take control, and fly the hijacked aircraft into U.S. east coast targets.<ref>{{cite web | title= Memo Warns Of New Plots To Hijack Jets | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A64871-2003Jul29?language=printer | date=[[2003-07-30]] | work=[http://www.washingtonpost.com/ The Washington Post] | accessdate=2003-07-30}}</ref>.  The plan was in direct violation of the [[Aviation and Transportation Security Act]] (Public Law 107–71), Title 49 of the [[United States Code]] Section 44917:  “Deployment of Federal Air Marshals... [on] nonstop, long distance flights, such as those targeted on [[September 11]], [[2001]], should be a priority.”<ref>{{cite web | title= 49 U.S.C § 44917 | url=http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode49/usc_sec_49_00044917----000-.html | date=[[2001-11-19]] | work=[http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/ Cornell Law School] | accessdate=2007-05-15}}</ref>  MacLean was rebuffed by his FAMS managers and the [[Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General]], so he warned the public by going to the press<ref>{{cite web | title= Air Marshals Pulled from 'Key Flights' | url=http://onoekeh.blogspot.com/2003_07_01_archive.html | date=[[2003-07-30]] | work=[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/ NBC News] | accessdate=2006-10-30}}</ref>.  The message he disclosed was not labeled as [["Sensitive Security Information"]] (SSI), the often abused information control label within DHS' [[Transportation Security Administration]] (TSA) used to protect information--unaware of any obligation to protect the information.  For employees dealing with traditional classified information, which is typically much more sensitive that SSI, they must be made aware of its status so as to protect it accordingly.

 

In July 2003, U.S. Federal Air Marshal (FAM) Robert MacLean tried to blow the whistle within the [[Department of Homeland Security]] (DHS) on a plan to reduce air marshal coverage of nonstop, long distance flights amidst heightened warnings based on a [[July 26]], [[2003]] DHS Advisory describing intelligence of an [[al-Qaeda]] suicide hijack plan <ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2003/07/30-hijackings.htm U.S. warns of 9/11-style plane attacks], Mimi Hall and Kevin Johnson, ''USA Today'', August 1, 2003</ref> that would exploit a U.S. immigration loophole enabling a terrorist, without a U.S. visa, to take a flight from a country with less-stringent security to a U.S. airport and roam that U.S. airport during a layover before taking a second connecting flight to the destination country.  Once inside a U.S. airport, terrorists would smuggle weapons onto aircraft by hiding weapons inside camera equipment and children's toys.  During flight, the terrorists would overpower the crew, take control, and fly the hijacked aircraft into U.S. east coast targets.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A64871-2003Jul29?language=printer Memo Warns Of New Plots To Hijack Jets], Sara Kehaulani Goo and Susan Schmidt, ''The Washington Post'', July 30, 2003</ref>.  The plan was in direct violation of the [[Aviation and Transportation Security Act]] (Public Law 107–71), Title 49 of the [[United States Code]] Section 44917:  “Deployment of Federal Air Marshals... [on] nonstop, long distance flights, such as those targeted on [[September 11]], [[2001]], should be a priority.”<ref>{{cite web | title= 49 U.S.C § 44917 | url=http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode49/usc_sec_49_00044917----000-.html | date=[[2001-11-19]] | work=[http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/ Cornell Law School] | accessdate=2007-05-15}}</ref>  MacLean was rebuffed by his FAMS managers and the [[Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General]], so he warned the public by going to the press<ref>{{cite web | title= Air Marshals Pulled from 'Key Flights' | url=http://onoekeh.blogspot.com/2003_07_01_archive.html | date=[[2003-07-30]] | work=[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/ NBC News] | accessdate=2006-10-30}}</ref>.  The message he disclosed was not labeled as [["Sensitive Security Information"]] (SSI), the often abused information control label within DHS' [[Transportation Security Administration]] (TSA) used to protect information--unaware of any obligation to protect the information.  For employees dealing with traditional classified information, which is typically much more sensitive that SSI, they must be made aware of its status so as to protect it accordingly.

MacLean's disclosure helped to draw public scrutiny and congressional outrage to TSA's ill-conceived plan which rapidly led to its reversal<ref>{{cite web | title= Ex-air marshal to sue over 'SSI' label | url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/functions/print.php?StoryID=20061029-115609-8718r | date=[[2006-10-30]] | work=[http://www.washingtontimes.com/ The Washington Times] | accessdate=2007-05-15}}</ref>.  TSA first denied that air marshals would have been shifted, but the morning after MacLean's disclosure, Senators [[Hillary Clinton]], [[Barbara Boxer]], and [[Charles Schumer]] held press conferences condemning the plan forcing the TSA to backpedal <ref>{{cite web | title= Senator Clinton Reiterates Call on TSA to Justify Security Cuts at Nation’s Airports | url=http://clinton.senate.gov/news/statements/details.cfm?id=235267&& | date=[[2003-07-30]] | work=[http://clinton.senate.gov/ Official Site of the U.S. Senate] | accessdate=2007-06-03}}</ref>.  Later that day the TSA acknowledged that schedules had been changed.  The TSA's spokeman, Robert Johnson, stated in a press conference, "Those actions were premature and a mistake by the people who were involved<ref>{{cite web | title= Air marshals back to long flights | url=http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2003/07/31-air-marshals.htm | date=[[2003-08-01]] | work=[http://www.usatoday.com/ USA Today] | accessdate=2007-05-20}}</ref>."

MacLean's disclosure helped to draw public scrutiny and congressional outrage to TSA's ill-conceived plan which rapidly led to its reversal<ref>{{cite web | title= Ex-air marshal to sue over 'SSI' label | url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/functions/print.php?StoryID=20061029-115609-8718r | date=[[2006-10-30]] | work=[http://www.washingtontimes.com/ The Washington Times] | accessdate=2007-05-15}}</ref>.  TSA first denied that air marshals would have been shifted, but the morning after MacLean's disclosure, Senators [[Hillary Clinton]], [[Barbara Boxer]], and [[Charles Schumer]] held press conferences condemning the plan forcing the TSA to backpedal <ref>{{cite web | title= Senator Clinton Reiterates Call on TSA to Justify Security Cuts at Nation’s Airports | url=http://clinton.senate.gov/news/statements/details.cfm?id=235267&& | date=[[2003-07-30]] | work=[http://clinton.senate.gov/ Official Site of the U.S. Senate] | accessdate=2007-06-03}}</ref>.  Later that day the TSA acknowledged that schedules had been changed.  The TSA's spokeman, Robert Johnson, stated in a press conference, "Those actions were premature and a mistake by the people who were involved<ref>{{cite web | title= Air marshals back to long flights | url=http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2003/07/31-air-marshals.htm | date=[[2003-08-01]] | work=[http://www.usatoday.com/ USA Today] | accessdate=2007-05-20}}</ref>."