Employees linked to terrorism were found working in sensitive job posts in United States airports and were hired by major airlines, airport vendors and other non-government organizations, a government report disclosed recently.
The Transport Security Administration (TSA) had approved 73 employees to work – they have not been named and their job functions have not been revealed – and they werew given access badges to sensitive areas, Department of Homeland Security Inspector General John Roth said, according to Bloomberg.
Melvin Carraway, the TSA's most recent chief, has been re-assigned due to major loophples in hiring practice and equipment purchasing that occured on his watch, Roth indicated.
The report also cited that thousands of TSA records on aviation employees were incomplete, including missing Social Security, NBC News said in a related report
Carraway's re-assignment had prompted Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to direct the TSA to revise its traveler screening procedures as well as employee background checks, the agency said in an issued statement.
The TSA, on the other hand, has agreed to Homeland Security's six major recommendations – including better verification of employee credentials – and will be implementing them soon. It has also agreed to work with other government agencies that maintain terrorist watch lists.
