I think Israeli security is involved in any flight into Israel, regardless of airline. All flights to Tel Aviv have an additional security checkpoint at the gate. I thought these were Israeli security agents or El Al security employees. I flew Lufthansa from Frankfurt to Tel Aviv in January 2006, and I don't recall any additional questions to me, but they may have done so to those who had Arabic surnames. I did get quite a few questions at immigrations coming into Israel. Some poor sap failed the entrance exam and was escorted through a door to another area.
Going out the questioning is much more lengthy, but if you are in Israel on business, you can get a letter from your local sponsor explaining the nature of your trip, which can help expedite things.
That said, the interrogation at Schiphol Airport (again, at the departure gate) in Amsterdam when I transited there in December 2005 was more intense than the entry questioning into Israel. There was a family traveling and they separately questioned the man, the woman, and the 12-14 year old boy. There was a younger boy who was not questioned.
What was interesting about the Amsterdam interrogation was how the security agent looked you right in the eye as he asked the question. He did not ask a question while he was looking at the boarding pass, and then look at you while you answered. This is no doubt to look for micro-expressions.
That is why I was surprised Abdulmutallab intentionally traveled via Amsterdam. Maybe security was more lax in December 2009 compared to December 2005.
In January 2006 I transited Munich. In summer 2007 I traveled from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris back to the U.S. In both cases there were no interrogations. I think it is/was a Amsterdam thing back then.
"Does the federal government have the right to ask you who you're visiting and why when you're traveling from NYC to Indianapolis?"
The federal government does sometimes do this at inbound immigrations when a citizen reenters the U.S. from a foreign country. They seem to do it when the purpose of the trip was business (I don't recall getting the 3rd degree on vacation travel).
I will bet it is not the actual question which matters here. The purpose is for the questioner to observe any micro-expressions which may identify deceit. My guess is smugglers probably started putting down "business" on their immigration form believing they would get better treatment than those ostensibly traveling on pleasure.
I personally think a better use of TSA manpower would be to double up on the ID checking stations, and ask some questions, instead of having TSA agents wander around yelling at passengers to take their shoes off, and other guidance.
So, I'll restate my question - how is an intrusive interrogation any less a violation of someone's 4A (and perhaps 5A) rights, than is an aggressive pat down or electronic screener a violation of someone's constitutional rights?
Personally, I don't think it is, but I certainly here a chorus of voices who are advocating that we "defund the TSA and start doing it just like the Israelis". Seems to me that the Israeli method isn't any less constitutionally questionable, at all.
I'm make my point more directly than I did in my original post. The people who say that, haven't a clue what they're talking about.