Judicial Watch: U.S. Customs, Homeland Security Records Reveal Somalis Given Security Briefings,...

Judicial Watch ^ | December 15, 2016

[jazusamo]

Full title: Judicial Watch: U.S. Customs, Homeland Security Records Reveal Somalis Given Security Briefings, ‘Community Engagement Tours’ in Secured Areas at Major U.S. Airports

Somalis Given Access to Sensitive Information

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch today released 31 pages of records from U.S. Customs and Border Protection revealing that the Department of Homeland Security has given Somalis “community engagement tours,” including security briefings, in secured areas at least three major U.S. airports – Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Columbus, Ohio.

The records came in response to a May 2016 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, which sought records, documents and communications regarding a “Community Engagement Tour” in Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport on February 18, 2016.

The briefings provided to the Somali groups were so sensitive that in 14 instances the agency redacted portions of the records under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) exemption (B)(7)(e), the law-enforcement “risk circumvention” exemption, which reads:

Exemption 7(E) of the Freedom of Information Act affords protection to all law enforcement information that would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions, or would disclose guidelines for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions if such disclosure could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law.

In another instance, Customs and Border Protection exempted under (B)(7)(e) a portion of a February 16, 2016, “ Minute by Minute Agenda” provided during a tour/briefing of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). The material that was withheld from Judicial Watch as too law-enforcement sensitive – but provided in full to the Somali group – included a section entitled: “TSA Overview — Processing [Redacted].” The invitees were provided briefings of the Global Entry system, APC [Automated Passport Control] system, secondary screening procedures, baggage-screening procedures and given tours of the holding cells/interview rooms.

Notes from the February Minneapolis St. Paul Airport tour include: “Current CBP and TSA job vacancies were discussed. Attendees responded with requests for DHS outreach efforts during Somali community events to further advertise these positions to interested individuals.”

The newly released records also reveal:

• In addition to the Minneapolis Airport tours/briefings given to Somalis during 2014 and 2015 – and first revealed by Judicial Watch in August 2016 – tours of U.S. airports and security briefings also have been provided to other groups at airports in Los Angeles and Columbus, Ohio: “Once we agree on the dates we will select the time based on prayer schedules. Another idea could be the roundtable to take place at the airport after the tour. We have done that before in LA and Columbus and it worked well both times”.

• The timing of the Minneapolis Airport tour given to a group of Somalis in February 2016 was scheduled between 6-8pm because it would “accommodate prayer times well”

• During the “annual” tour, federal authorities granted excursions of the facility’s “ secure areas.” It is also noted that two parties in the previous year “did not pass vetting.”

• The invitation extended to the Somalis for the Minneapolis Airport tour addressed them as “Dear Colleague,” and promised “walking people through CBP’s process, walking people through TSA’s process” and provide “ a step-by-step tour of our operations, designed to offer a greater understanding of airport processes and procedures.”

Eight senior ranking Homeland Security and Customs officials were tasked with accompanying and briefing the Somalis on the February 18, 2016, Minneapolis Airport tour, including the Minneapolis Area Port Director, the Assistant Port Director, the Watch Commander, a Homeland Security Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Senior Policy Advisor (flown in from Washington), the TSA Federal Security Director and TSA Deputy Federal Security Director.

The documents show Customs officials reporting that one of the invited individuals had given “ CBP Chicago a hard time” following the last tour and noted three of the invitees had had investigations against them, which had since been closed. Another invitee had an active investigation pending.

“Logically, information that is too sensitive to provide to Judicial Watch and the public should not have been given to a ‘community engagement tour,’” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “The U.S. government has been aware for years that Minnesota is a hotbed of Somali terrorist-cell activity. The behind-the-scenes tours and security briefings of the Minneapolis airport very well could have created a threat to public safety.”

In August 2016, the Judicial Watch blog, Corruption Chronicles, reported on the Muslim airport tour story: “The Obama administration gave Somali Muslims behind-the-scenes tours at a major U.S. airport after the group complained to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson about feeling harassed and profiled, government records obtained by Judicial Watch reveal. The special security tours not offered to any other group occurred at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport after Department of Homeland Security roundtable meetings with local Somali leaders to obtain feedback for ‘modifications to practices that would allow for operations to be more culturally sensitive.’”

[jazusamo]

This kind of stupidity under the 0bama administration is more the rule than the exception, from the 0bama WH Muslim Brotherhood advisors to the borders and now to airport security tours.

[farming pharmer]

WTF???

[pgkdan]

It’s NOT stupidity! It’s treason!

[Perseverando]

revealing that the Department of Homeland Security has given Somalis “community engagement tours,” including security briefings, in secured areas at least three major U.S. airports – Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Columbus, Ohio.

DHS is the problem.

[jazusamo]

It’s absolutely treason and intentional on his part, in my view.

[exnavy]

Homeland Security has to go bye bye.

[Ray76]

> information that is too sensitive to provide to Judicial Watch and the public should not have been given to a “community engagement” tour

You got that right. People need to go to jail.

[Don Corleone]

That explains why the govt. bought up so much ammo a couple of years ago....its for Trump to have enough to shoot all the treasonous employees in our corrupt government.

[ColdOne]

treason

[stylin19a]

this aint new, folks

http://www.cairchicago.org/ournews.php?file=on_airportvisit06262006

[JDoutrider]

TREASON FILE BOOKMARK

[jazusamo]

Off the Wall Ping!
Contact to be added.

[jazusamo]

Thanks for the link.

[stylin19a]

how to stop it ? who knows.
hope Pres. Trump adioses all moose limbs from all departments.

[Freemeorkillme]

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!

I’d imagine General Kelly has an entirely different interpretation of “Community Engagement Tour”. If fact, military is probably where this term arrived.

[jazusamo]

Amen to that!

[CivilWarBrewing]

Our gov't is run by the Muslim Brotherhood, but we all knew that. When terrorist attacks in the U.S. fail to slow the invasion of Muslims coming here from the middle east with virtually NO vetting, that is CLEAR evidence of who controls our gov't. THE MB IS IMPORTING THEIR ARMY!

Team 0dungsh*t and his puppet media's total avoidance of pinning the recent assault at Ohio State to Islamic terror or ISIS is more proof that the Muslim Brotherhood runs the show. Are they sitting at a table in that 'secret room' build BELOW the White House?

There is a REASON Trump has surrounded himself with GENERALS. Prayers for Trump!

[DrDude]

Who are the persons who committed these CRIMES? Have them all arrested.

[Organic Panic]

If you land in MSP you would swear you landed in Mogadishu. There is not one single benefit this nation has by importing these people. Somalia is not a violent cess pool because of the dirt. It is the people.

[Delta 21]

"The tour showed the participants the process that all arriving passengers go through when arriving at the Federal Inspection Services (FIS) area at Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport. CBP conducts these types of tours regularly as part of our outreach efforts to improve ties between CBP and our community members.

What is done to arriving molslems that has to be classified and redacted to keep it secret from U.S. citizens?

Is the TSA using the old "Underware over the head torture" trick on these people??!