Biometric border protection could thwart future Middle East assassinations
22 February, 2010
category: Biometrics, Government
In the wake of the assassination of Hamas official Mahmoud Mabhouh, experts have been looking at how biometric checkpoints at border entries could thwart future attempts before they can even be attempted, according to a Los Angeles Times article.
Despite the recommendations of security experts that requiring biometric samples upon entry into a country would greatly increase the chances of catching known terrorists and assassins, privacy groups have continued to cite the creation of biometric population databases as too risky.
Such was the case with Israel’s attempts to begin a national biometric ID program. With privacy advocate groups such as NO2BIO successfully squashing attempts by the government to create such a program, Israel has taken slower steps towards the program by creating a voluntary two-year trial.
Whether or not the program will garner enough support to be put in effect across the country, many officials believe that as biometric systems continue to see more border protection adoption and information sharing increases, organized assassinations such as that of Mabhouh will be less and less likely to occur.
Read the full story here.