SEE HOW EASY THIS WAS?

There was absolutely no good reason to temporarily hide the fact that the no-fly list system failed with the Times Square bomber.

Bomb Plot Prompts Change To Federal No-Fly List

by NPR Staff and Wires
May 5, 2010

The Department of Homeland Security has ordered airlines to check the federal "no fly" list more quickly to close a loophole that nearly allowed the man accused of plotting to bomb New York's Times Square to flee the country.

Faisal Shahzad was able to purchase a last-minute ticket from Emirates airlines and board a Dubai-bound airplane at John F. Kennedy International Airport late Monday night. Customs agents pulled him off the plane and arrested him just before the flight was to take off.

Authorities said Shahzad was added to the federal no-fly list early Monday afternoon, only hours before he boarded the Dubai-bound Emirates flight in New York.

Until now, airlines had been required to check the list 24 hours prior to any given outbound flight. Emirates apparently failed to check the latest version that included Shahzad's name even though it had been electronically notified of a change on the list.

Homeland Security officials said that effective immediately, airlines must check the list against their passenger manifest within two hours of being notified of any changes.