How the TSA Identifies Potential Terrorists

"Democracy Now!" airs weekdays at 9 a.m. PT on KCET.

Next time you're at an airport, you may not want to gaze down at your feet. But also be careful not to stare at anyone with your eyes wide open. Both of these behaviors are listed on a "suspicious signs" checklist used by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.

The Intercept obtained the confidential document from a source concerned about the quality of the program. The document shows how the TSA identifies potential terrorists based on behaviors that it thinks indicate stress or deception, including "fidgeting," "whistling," and "throat clearing."

The checklist is part of the TSA's controversial program known as the "Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques." It employs specially trained officers, known as behavior detection officers, to watch and interact with passengers going through screening. The TSA has trained and deployed thousands of these officers, spending more than $900 million on this program since its inception in 2007. However, the Government Accountability Office has found no evidence to back up the claim that "behavioral indicators ... can be used to identify persons who may pose a risk to aviation security."

"Democracy Now!" is joined by Cora Currier, staff reporter for The Intercept, whose new article co-written with Jana Winter, is "TSA's Secret Behavior Checklist To Spot Terrorists."