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Israeli firm blasted for letting would-be plane bomber slip through
By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent
 

The Israeli firm ICTS International (not to be confused with ICTS Europe, which is a different company), and two of its subsidiaries are at the crux of an international investigation in recent days, as experts try to pinpoint the reasons for the security failure that enabled Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to board Northwest flight 253 and attempt to set alight explosives hidden in his underwear.

A Haaretz investigation has learned that the security officers and their supervisor should have suspected the passenger, even without having early intelligence available to them.

At this time, ICTS and the Dutch security firm G4S are hurling recriminations at each other, as are the authorities at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, the Federal Aviation Authority and U.S. intelligence officials.
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The failure was a twin flop: An intelligence failure, which U.S. President Barack Obama has already stated, in the poor handling of information that arrived at the State Department and probably also the CIA from both the father of the would-be bomber and the British security service; and a failure within the security system, including that of the Israeli firm ICTS.

The ICTS daughter company, I-SEC, has another daughter company - called PI (Pro-Check International). The firms provide security services to airports: consultation, instruction, training, inspection and supervision.

Two decades ago, ICTS adopted the system used in Israel, namely of profiling and assessing the degree to which a passenger is a potential threat on the basis of a number indicators (including age, name, origin and behavior during questioning). At the same time, a decade ago, the company developed a technological system called APS (Advanced Passenger Screening).

This system is based on a computerized algorithm, and is fed passenger information from the airline company. The system was offered to the Israel Airports Authority and the Shin Bet in the past, but rejected. According to the company's Web site, most of the large airlines in the United States use the system.

However - in real time - the system of ICTS failed. Even if U.S. intelligence failed and the name of the Nigerian passenger was not pinpointed as a suspect for the airline, he should have stirred the suspicion of the security officers. His age, name, illogical travel route, high-priced ticket purchased at the last minute, his boarding without luggage (only a carry on) and many other signs should have been sufficient to alert the security officers and warrant further examination of the suspect.

However, the security supervisor representing I-SEC and PI allowed him to get on the flight.

ICTS was established in 1982 by former members of the Shin Bet and El Al security. Menachem Atzmon, who has been chairman of the board of directors since 2004, holds the controlling shares in the firm.

The ICTS headquarters are in the Netherlands and the company is traded in the New York Stock Exchange. Some senior managers are Israeli, including the joint managing director Ran Langer.

Another important figure is Doron Zicher, general manager of I-SEC. Zicher has been in charge of operations in the Netherlands for more than two decades and has served as adviser to the Dutch Justice Ministry, which is responsible for setting guidelines for airport security.

The company prides itself on employing 1,300 persons and providing security services to airports in 11 countries including France, Britain, Spain, Hungary, Romania and Russia.
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  1.   blasted 04:42  |  Shmuelshachor 10/01/10
  2.   Blame Israel - who else? 04:44  |  flower 10/01/10
  3.   What, Now Israel Has To Hold Everyone`s Hand Also? 05:20  |  Phinias Whoppy 10/01/10
  4.   Americans are looking for a scapegoat! 05:31  |  Miriam 10/01/10
  5.   Blaming Israel 05:44  |  Edifice 10/01/10
  6.   Connect The Dots 06:17  |  Mark Lincoln 10/01/10
  7.   America not looking for a scapegoat 06:29  |  A 10/01/10
  8.   The `smart` computer thesis 06:31  |  Mark Lincoln 10/01/10
  9.   Miriam _ That Is Exactly The Case. The New American Motto: 06:34  |  Phinias Whoppy 10/01/10
  10.   The "big" Israel is an easy scapegoat 07:17  |  eaglesfanforever 10/01/10
  11.   The "big" Israel is an easy scapegoat 07:17  |  eaglesfanforever 10/01/10
  12.   I Hope It Isn`t An Israeli... 07:24  |  Yosemite 10/01/10
  13.   ICYS was Israeli in 1982, when founded... 07:32  |  Ehud 10/01/10
  14.   Fire ALL Private Contractors 07:48  |  Mark of Lewiston 10/01/10
  15.   Passing the buck 07:51  |  Palestinian Brit 10/01/10
  16.   Of course it was an Israeli fault 08:02  |  Fredy Ross 10/01/10
  17.   Oh... 08:10  |  Maureen Ann 10/01/10
  18.   Take it easy guys, nobody is perfect.....:) 08:13  |  Swiss (Dino) 10/01/10
  19.   they let him on because they were told to let him on 08:18  |  jake 10/01/10
  20.   Understanding the rest of the equation 08:25  |  Mea 10/01/10
  21.   Security failure 08:50  |  Michael Davison 10/01/10
  22.   Take your pick .... 09:03  |  Cynic #2 10/01/10
  23.   Right Mark # 4 _ Use Americans That Can Barely Read and Write 09:18  |  Phinias Whoppy 10/01/10
  24.   Not the first time for ITECS! 09:26  |  Manny Goldstein 10/01/10
  25.   # 7 Ann WOW ! Australia 10:00  |  The Teacher/Instruct 10/01/10
  26.   it is the policies in the west 10:02  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 10/01/10
  27.   21 Phineas Whoppy - The 9-11 Deal 10:08  |  Mark of Lewiston 10/01/10
  28.   Michael, it was from Amsterdam! 10:10  |  Kaska 10/01/10
  29.   to rate the effectiveness of airport security, including israel`s 10:14  |  eric 10/01/10
  30.   i said israeli stuff is junk 10:22  |  VIPER 10/01/10
  31.   CJK - Rovian Talking Points 10:34  |  Mark of Lewiston 10/01/10
  32.   Well it wasn`t the US 10:37  |  Jackie 10/01/10
  33.   #30, Mark, Common Article 3, Geneva 10:50  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 10/01/10
  34.   Weren`t we also responsible for 9/11? 11:24  |  Proud Israeli 10/01/10
  35.   stop antisemitism! 11:25  |  David 10/01/10
  36.   blaming for being blamed 12:48  |  truth sayer 10/01/10
  37.   Was the ICTS system used properly? 12:54  |  Danny 10/01/10
  38.   Thanks, Ehud #13 12:59  |  Heather Czerniak 10/01/10
  39.   From ICTS Europe`s website... 14:02  |  Manic Drummer 10/01/10
  40.   so Israel send its rejects to work for the US? 14:40  |  samos 10/01/10
  41.   How is this anti-semetic?? 15:05  |  Kazza 10/01/10
  42.   everytime 15:25  |  Alice 10/01/10
  43.   Mark Lewsiton fiore evgerybody 15:29  |  sabra 10/01/10
  44.   TO ALL POSTERS- READ THIS 15:40  |  Igor 10/01/10
  45.   Had the bomb not failed 15:55  |  NYC Guy 10/01/10
  46.   to the Moderator 16:26  |  no need for name 10/01/10
  47.   asleep at the wheel 16:32  |  inisrael 10/01/10
  48.   #41 Kazza "How is this Antisemitic?" 16:40  |  H 10/01/10
  49.   Israel mean Cadima for ever 17:08  |  Zaina 10/01/10
  50.   Bill 17:25  |  Boston 10/01/10
  51.   To flower 17:31  |  Bill 10/01/10
  52.   To Mark Lincoln re spelling errors 17:36  |  Bill 10/01/10
  53.   Well, Now We Find That ICTS Does Not provide 17:40  |  Phinias Whoppy 10/01/10
  54.   Bill _ Save Your Rants To The Nights When You Wear 17:44  |  Phinias Whoppy 10/01/10
  55.   To David 17:45  |  Bill 10/01/10
  56.   Bill # 54 _ As Long As You Keep Eating It Israel Will 17:59  |  Phinias whoppy 10/01/10
  57.   Heb. version : ICTS checked 9.11 US Boston &Newark airports 18:01  |  Ofra 10/01/10
  58.   43 Sabra - Works Fine for Me 18:09  |  Mark of Lewiston 10/01/10
  59.   Camera Images 18:17  |  J Ghanim 10/01/10
  60.   To Igor 18:19  |  Bill 10/01/10
  61.   NYC Guy _ Clearly You Are Angry That You Were 18:20  |  Phinias Whoppy 10/01/10
  62.   Sorry Phineas 18:22  |  Bill 10/01/10
  63.   Blaming Israel 18:23  |  sentimentalady 10/01/10
  64.   Zicher Needs To Step Down After 20 Years 18:23  |  Laguna Geno 10/01/10
  65.   Proud Israeli 18:27  |  sentimentalady 10/01/10
  66.   Phineas 18:27  |  Bill 10/01/10
  67.   they wanted him to succeed 18:35  |  wingnut 10/01/10
  68.   Sorry again Phineas 18:43  |  Bill 10/01/10
  69.   Bill _ I Don`t expect An Apology and None Is Required 18:45  |  Phinias Whoppy 10/01/10
  70.   #48 H --it is not anti semitic to condemn the GOI 18:45  |  Labhras 10/01/10
  71.   The Human Touch 18:48  |  Wonderful 10/01/10
  72.   Bill _ Thanks Again. Your Patience With Me and Your Kind 19:12  |  Phinias Whoppy 10/01/10
  73.   34 Proud Israeli 19:35  |  Hugh 10/01/10
  74.   Wonderful _ Right On. Continuous Non Issue, Invented Fodder 19:41  |  Phinias Whoppy 10/01/10
  75.   #4 to Miriam 19:42  |  sentimentalady 10/01/10
  76.   #12 to Yosemite 19:50  |  sentimentalady 10/01/10
  77.   #70 Labhras. Visionary in his own mind. 19:51  |  H 10/01/10
  78.   #73 to Hugh 19:56  |  sentimentalady 10/01/10
  79.   May be it wasn`t the system that failed 19:56  |  dana 10/01/10
  80.   Phineas 19:58  |  Bill 10/01/10
  81.   #79 to Dana 20:21  |  sentimentalady 10/01/10
  82.   #80 to Bill 20:31  |  sentimentalady 10/01/10
  83.   blasted 20:42  |  directrob 10/01/10
  84.   #80 - directrob 20:52  |  sentimentalady 10/01/10
  85.   A Haaretz investigation? say no more 21:01  |  PETER SM 10/01/10
  86.   Mark of Lewiston I agree 21:46  |  Tyra 10/01/10
  87.   Not an attack on Israel 21:53  |  R Sherman 10/01/10
  88.   Not Terroisim 22:24  |  Tyra 10/01/10
  89.   He didn`t slip through 22:42  |  j r 10/01/10
  90.   crawling up to the Iranian terrorists 22:55  |  Michelle Wayne 10/01/10
  91.   Try blaming Amsterdam airport`s workers. They may be for somethin 23:01  |  Dwido 10/01/10
  92.   To Bill # 60 The mathematics wizard wannabee, From Igor 00:00  |  Igor 11/01/10
  93.   Bill, that is because google is programed to 00:06  |  Mark Lincoln 11/01/10
  94.   dana - the word online 00:11  |  Mark Lincoln 11/01/10
  95.   AIso responsibIe for Ietting Sept. 11th hijackers through 00:13  |  Gabriel 11/01/10
  96.   78 sentimentalady 00:19  |  Hugh 11/01/10
  97.   What security weaknesses were exploited? 00:29  |  Mark Lincoln 11/01/10
  98.   Israeli firm 01:08  |  Jimmy 11/01/10
  99.   Wheres the PASSPORT 08:32  |  curious cat 11/01/10
  100.   Mossad Behind Terrorism 09:48  |  Moses 11/01/10
  101.   Connect the dots pt2 10:31  |  Moshe 11/01/10
  102.   Mossad False Flag Op 10:31  |  Sean 11/01/10
  103.   9/11, shoe bomber, underwear bomber 11:13  |  Steve 11/01/10
  104.   A bit touchy, aren`t we? 12:39  |  Merinas vander Lubbe 11/01/10
  105.   Israeli company screwed up 13:21  |  AJ 11/01/10
  106.   Hardly a slip up.... 13:22  |  Dutch 11/01/10
  107.   security 19:21  |  dahoit 11/01/10
  108.   Blame the ISRAELI Firm NOT Israel 20:35  |  DGS 11/01/10
  109.   CAMERA IMAGES and the Bombers Handler 20:44  |  DGS 11/01/10
  110.   just a little of waterboarding and Omar Farouk Abd El-Mutallab 21:58  |  VIP prep or for $$ 11/01/10
  111.   Well, now... 01:31  |  escapefromobamastan 12/01/10
  112.   Dutch`s people 03:59  |  Arnold 12/01/10
  113.   YeaH ...sure blame Israel Blame Jews 07:24  |  ben Zolly 12/01/10
  114.   TO NO 2. 18:15  |  DANNY 12/01/10
  115.   TO HAARETZ. 18:19  |  DANNY 12/01/10
  116.   TO NO 4 MIRIAM MORTIK 18:23  |  DANNY 12/01/10
  117.   VISA and LAGOS AIRPORT 17:43  |  AJ Weberman 18/01/10
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