Did you know federal air marshals must submit at least one incident report per month, and that they must do so even if they’ve not really witnessed an incident?  This is ripe:

You could be on a secret government database or watch list for simply taking a picture on an airplane. Some federal air marshals say they’re reporting your actions to meet a quota, even though some top officials deny it.

The air marshals, whose identities are being concealed, told 7NEWS that they’re required to submit at least one report a month. If they don’t, there’s no raise, no bonus, no awards and no special assignments.

“Innocent passengers are being entered into an international intelligence database as suspicious persons, acting in a suspicious manner on an aircraft … and they did nothing wrong,” said one federal air marshal.

Similar to domestic protesters being added to the foreign terrorism tracking database simply because they’re protesting against the government, we now learn air marshals must on a monthly basis report at least one incident of possible terrorist activity.  Honestly, is there any low to which this government will not stoop?  This is the same kind of offensive practice that we see with police officers having ticket quotas.  They are forced to write tickets even when there is insufficient cause.  Air marshals apparently have the same ignorant assholes in charge as those police forces with such quotas.

But is being added to this particular terrorism list really hurting anyone?  I mean, besides on principle and the fact that it’s an international list of suspicious persons?  The air marshals says “Abso-fucking-lutely!”

“Do these reports have real life impacts on the people who are identified as potential terrorists?” 7NEWS Investigator Tony Kovaleski asked.

“Absolutely,” a federal air marshal replied.

7NEWS obtained an internal Homeland Security document defining an SDR as a report designed to identify terrorist surveillance activity.

“When you see a decision like this, for these reports, who loses here?” Kovaleski asked.

“The people we’re supposed to protect — the American public,” an air marshal said.

What kind of impact would it have for a flying individual to be named in an SDR?

“That could have serious impact … They could be placed on a watch list. They could wind up on databases that identify them as potential terrorists or a threat to an aircraft. It could be very serious,” said Don Strange, a former agent in charge of air marshals in Atlanta. He lost his job attempting to change policies inside the agency.

But what about those top officials denying that this requirement exists?  They have a hard time denying the internal memos to air marshals reminding them of the requirement.

That’s why several air marshals object to a July 2004 memo from top management in the Las Vegas office, a memo that reminded air marshals of the SDR requirement.

The body of the memo said, “Each federal air marshal is now expected to generate at least one SDR per month.”

“Does that memo read to you that Federal Air Marshal headquarters has set a quota on these reports?” Kovaleski asked.

“Absolutely, no doubt,” an air marshal replied.

A second management memo, also dated July 2004, said, “There may come an occasion when you just don’t see anything out of the ordinary for a month at a time, but I’m sure that if you are looking for it, you’ll see something.”

Well, that’s really dumb.  If I’m convinced someone is up to no good, it’s a sure bet I could “find” something that clearly shows they’re up to no good, even if I have to misconstrue actual events to make it no good.  As they pointed out, something as innocuous as taking a photo aboard an aircraft can mark you as a potential terrorist.  Having taken many photos during flights, at least now I know my good name is forever tarnished with the federal government.  Or, at least, I can expect as much.

The air marshals even admit that a certain amount of creative observation is used to generate their monthly quota.

“To meet this quota, to get their raises, do you think federal air marshals in Las Vegas are making some of this stuff up?” Kovaleski asked.

“I know they are. It’s a joke,” an air marshal replied.

“Have marshals in the Las Vegas office, I don’t want to say fabricated, but ‘created’ reports?” Kovaleski asked.

“Creative writing — stretching a long ways the truth, yes,” an air marshal replied.

One example, according to air marshals, occurred on one flight leaving Las Vegas, when an unknowing passenger, most likely a tourist, was identified in an SDR for doing nothing more than taking a photo of the Las Vegas skyline as his plane rolled down the runway.

“You’re saying that was not an accurate portrayal of a potential terrorist activity?” Kovaleski asked.

“No, it was not,” an air marshal said.

“It was a marshal trying to meet a quota …” Kovaleski said.

“Yes, he was,” the air marshal replied.

It seems odd that, “[a]lthough the agency strongly denies any presence of a quota system, Las Vegas-based air marshals have produced documents that show their performance review is directly linked to producing SDRs.”

No, wait a minute.  It really doesn’t seem odd.  Given the other egregious policies put in place by this administration that ensure the American people are violated, distrusted, assumed to be enemies of the state, and otherwise stepped on at every opportunity, is it any wonder our federal “protectors” are being told to make us out to be terrorists, even when we’re not, just to keep their jobs?

Of course not!

[via Ed Brayton]