Airline Screening System (CAPS-II) Delayed

A controversial and much-delayed proposed airline screening system may face further delays as the Transportation Security Administration restructures the system to better protect privacy and civil liberties, a senior homeland security official told Congress on Tuesday.

Adm. David Stone, acting administrator for the Transportation Security Administration, told members of the Senate Commerce Committee that the Computer Assisted Passenger Pre-Screening System II, known as CAPPS II, "is not going forward as previously briefed." He said the rethinking was in response to a February report (PDF) critical of the program, as well as the TSA's own privacy concerns.

"The Department of Homeland Security and the TSA feel very strongly we should not move forward on any program that in any way infringes on preserving our freedoms," Stone said. "That is first and foremost."

Want to know what this is about? I'll tell you: it's about the 2004 elections. Bush's administration is feeling the heat over civil rights. They're starting to backpeddle a little. Keep the pressure on, folks, because we're WINNING.

UPDATE: Wired.com says the program is "dead", not just delayed, but they can't get confirmation. Personally I don't buy it. The program will stay "dead" until after the elections; then you can look to see it return under a different name, and with a great deal of effort spent on keeping it secret.